Organisations that prioritise their employees were honoured on Friday, 19th May, during a live event revealing the ‘Best Companies to Work For’ in Q2 2023. Hosted by TV presenter Dan Walker, the Best Companies Live Q2 2023 was broadcasted from Salford’s MediaCityUK. The event unveiled the league tables for the Best Companies to Work For in the UK by region and sector, culminating in the highly coveted national listings.
The top 10 Best Companies to Work For in Yorkshire & the Humber, based on their employee engagement scores, are as follows:
- Sumo Group
- Mills & Reeve
- Hobbycraft
- ISG
- St Giles Trust
- Hydrock
- gap personnel group
- Cornish Bakery
- VetPartners
- Barnett Waddingham
Apart from celebrating their achievements, the Best Companies Live event provided employee-centric workplaces with an opportunity to share valuable insights on successful employee engagement practices and how they are addressing contemporary people management challenges.
Panel discussions, viewable for free, covered various topics such as “How to Energise and Inspire Teams,” “Creating a Culture of Growth and Recognition,” “The Importance of Conversation,” and “Demonstrating Care While Maintaining Candour.” These discussions took place on the notable red chairs.
Sumo Group was named the “Best Company to Work For in Yorkshire and the Humber” and was also recognised as the fourth-best technology company to work for in the UK. Carl Cavers, CEO of Sumo Group, expressed, “Sumo’s success is the success of everyone who works at our studios and everyone who ever has. It has been Sumo’s vision from the beginning to prioritise its people, and their talent, and support them to further their careers and live healthier lives both in and out of the company.”
Law firm Mills & Reeve secured the second position as the “Best Company to Work For in Yorkshire and the Humber.” Managing Partner Claire Clarke highlighted the importance of creating a great workplace, stating, “Ensuring that the firm is a great place to work has been fundamental to our collaborative culture and our success for many years. Being a leader in people experience forms a key part of our firm’s 2025 strategy.”
Hobbycraft, named the third “Best Company to Work For in Yorkshire and the Humber,” also received the distinction of being crowned the ‘Best Big Company to Work For’ in Q2 2023. Dominic Jordan, CEO of Hobbycraft, emphasised the need for action in addition to engaging with colleagues’ well-being, stating, “Engaging with colleagues and their wellbeing and welfare is all well and good (saying these buzzwords) but you’ve got put the work in.” Chris Fenlon, Hobbycraft’s People Director, echoed this sentiment, emphasising the dedication of the people team to look after and listen to their teams.
ISG, ranking fourth, celebrated their results as well. Matt Blowers, CEO of ISG, expressed his delight and stressed the importance of listening to employees to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce.
St Giles Trust claimed the fifth spot as the “Best Company to Work For in Yorkshire and the Humber” and also held the position of “Best Charity to Work For in the UK.” Additionally, they secured second place in the “East of England’s Best Companies to Work For” in Q2 2023. Rob Owen, CEO of St Giles Trust, expressed pride in their groundbreaking work and stated, “We have achieved so much, and we are on course to do so much more.”
The quarterly league tables, now in their second year, represent a departure from the previous annual list by Best Companies. This allows workplaces to select a time that suits them best to survey their employees. Companies can conduct the survey once or up to four times per year, providing more opportunities to showcase what makes them an excellent place to work.
Best Companies employs a unique 8-Factor methodology to generate a Best Companies Index (BCI) score. The ranking positions are determined by employees’ responses to the B-heard survey.
Following the successful Best Companies Live event of 2023, Jonathan Austin, the founder and CEO of Best Companies, remarked, “There are companies that truly shine in challenging times. They continue to innovate and put their people at the forefront of everything they do – these are the companies we’re celebrating today. Through Best Companies Live, we’re giving them a platform to inspire others and help make the world a better workplace.”
