The 20 best companies to work for

Looking for a job? Here are the 20 companies that offer the best work/life balance.

It’s a rough time to be an employee in the UK.

Sports Direct has been described as operating “workhouses” rather than warehouses, Uber drivers are suing for holiday pay and pensions, and BHS workers have been left high and dry with fears over their pensions.

But, a new study has revealed that there are some companies in the UK that know how to treat their staff.

'Bad guys' are good employers

Recruitment firm Glassdoor has surveyed employees of the UK’s biggest companies to find out where offers the best work/life balance.

Perhaps surprisingly some of the stereotypical corporate bad guys have made it onto the list, with oil firms and banks appearing.

Big names including Apple, BP and Lloyds have all made the list with co-operatives John Lewis and Waitrose also winning praise.

However, Glasshouse named little-known recruitment firm Goodman Masson as the highest rated company for offering employees a healthy work/life balance.

“Maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be tough in today’s environment, with ever-increasing demands on our time,” says Diarmuid Russell, head of international at Glassdoor.

“However, our report shows there are companies that offer a good balance between their home and work life.

“What’s encouraging for job seekers is that there are representatives here from many industries, including recruitment, tech, finance, manufacturing and retail.”

Below is a brief overview of the 20 best companies, based on Glassdoor data.

20. Lloyds Banking Group – Financial services

Lloyds Banking Group is the UK’s largest financial services group with over 30 million customers, and a presence in nearly every community.

Its main brands include Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Scottish Widows.

19. Apple – Technology

The technology giant is currently embroiled in an £11 billion tax row with the EU.

Given that the company made a net profit of more than £40 billion last year alone, they’ll probably still be able to pay staff.

18. Waitrose – Retail

The upmarket supermarket operates about 235 branches in London, southern England, the Midlands, East Anglia, Wales, and Scotland.

Waitrose shoppers have a reputation for being quite eccentric – just have a read of the Overheard in Waitrose Facebook page.

17. John Lewis – Retail

Or you could work for the owner of Waitrose. Among its business-to-business deals, John Lewis delivers Waitrose products through Internet grocer Ocado.

The company also owns subsidiaries that make wooden furniture and bedding, and a 4,000-acre Leckford Estate in Hampshire that grows produce and supplies milk, poultry, and eggs for sale at Waitrose.

16. Rolls-Royce – Engineering and manufacturing

According to Glassdoor, 73% of employees would recommend working at Rolls Royce firm to a friend.

15. Credit Suisse – Financial services

Credit Suisse is a leading global wealth manager with strong investment banking and asset management capabilities.

Founded in 1856, Credit Suisse has expanded to be a global force employing over 45,000 people in 50 countries.

14. Telefónica – Telecommunications

The telecommunications firm has the following mission statement: “We are undergoing a social and economic revolution which is unprecedented in the history of mankind, triggered by the possibilities which technology opens up for people.

“Our mission is to bring those options to all companies and people, so they can live better, do more things and be more.”

13. Atkins – Management consultant

Atkins describes itself as one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies.

“We build long-term, trusted partnerships to create a world where lives are enriched through the implementation of our ideas.”

12. Kantar Worldpanel – Market research

Kantar Worldpanel is a market research firm that provides consumer knowledge and insights based on continuous consumer panels.

Its CEO, Josep Montserrat, is ranked among the Top 5 highest rated CEO’s in the UK by Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards.

11. Thomson Reuters – Financial services

Fancy working in a newsroom? The Thomson Reuters mission statement is to “provide professionals with the intelligence, technology and human expertise they need to find trusted answers.”

10. Unilever – Consumer goods

On any given day, two billion people use Unilever products. It owns more than 400 brands, including Lipton, Knorr, Dove and Hellmann’s.

9. ARM Holdings – Technology

The information technology firm was ranked the ninth-best company for work/life balance. The company was founded in 1990 and currently has a host of job vacancies, which you can read about here.

8. Peninsula Business Services – Management consultant

An impressive 90% of Peninsula staff would recommend the company to a friend.

The company is head-quartered in Manchester and employs 1,200 people across the UK, Ireland and Australia.

7. BP – Oil

BP describes itself as one of the world's leading oil and gas companies.

“We provide customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, lubricants to keep engines moving, and the petrochemicals products used to make everyday items as diverse as paints, clothes and packaging.”

6. American Express – Financial services

According to Glassdoor, 75% of American Express workers would recommend the company to a friend, and 85% approve of the CEO, Ken Chenault.

5. Screwfix – Retail

Screwfix is growing rapidly, doubling in size over the last five years and it is still growing fast.

As such, it’s constantly on the look for new staff. Take a look at the at some of the vacancies on the Glassdoor site.

4. LOLA Staffing – Hospitality

LOLA's mission statement is to create an environment in which people go to work with a smile on their face, looking forward to seeing their colleagues.

“We are passionate about growing our community, the LOLA family, through collaboration to ensure work is worthwhile but most of all fun!”

3. HomeServe UK – Home emergency insurance and repairs

HomeServe is a national home assistance company providing plumbing, drainage, electrics and heating maintenance and repair services through its own network of directly employed and sub-contracting specialist engineers.

2. Cisco Systems – Technology

Cisco Systems is the runner-up in the Glassdoor awards. Eight in 10 people who work there would recommend the firm to a friend.

1. Goodman Masson – Recruitment

The winner of the Glassdoor awards is also the smallest employer on the list, with less than 200 staff.

Those who do work there clearly enjoy it – a whopping 95% would recommend the recruitment firm to a friend, and 95% approve of the CEO, Guy Hayward.