Revealed: Top 15 Employers in Britain For Work/Life Balance – As Rated By Employees

Transport for London (TfL) is the best company in the UK to work for if you want a good work/life balance, according to new research from the world’s largest job site Indeed.

Bosses at TfL are clearly on the right track as employees enjoy far more than just their pay packet, praising the company for its considerate approach to its staff.

A good work/life balance incorporates aspects such as good holiday allocation, sympathetic working hours and the ability to leave work at the office, reinforcing recent data that revealed that almost 90% of Brits do not regard salary as the most important factor in their job1.

TfL is responsible for managing the city’s red route strategic roads and running most of London’s public transport services, including the London Underground, London Buses, the Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, TfL Rail, London Trams, London River Services, London Dial-a-Ride, Victoria Coach Station, Santander Cycles and the Emirates Air Line. The Elizabeth line launches in December 2018 when the central tunnels under London open.

The company employs around 27,000 staff but indications from this research are that, despite its size, it retains a positive ‘staff first’ mentality – and does so better than anyone else in the UK.

Elsewhere, the world’s most valuable company, Apple, sits in third place – the highest of any private sector organisation – just behind the University of Leeds.

The tech giant is one of the most recognisable brands in the world and employs more than 1,400 staff in Britain, with plans to relocate its UK team to a brand new headquarters at Battersea Power Station from 2021.

The vast majority of the top 15 – including the top two – are British organisations, with Marmite owner Unilever showing that more employees love working for the consumer goods company than hate it as it secures fourth place.

There are also strong performances from tuition network Kumon (fifth), the University of Greenwich (sixth) and perennial employees’ favourite John Lewis (seventh), with Thomson Reuters sitting in eleventh place, behind the likes of Jobcentre Plus, GlaxoSmithKline and American Express.

Bill Richards, UK Managing Director at global job site, Indeed, comments:

“There is much to be gained both for employers and employees from encouraging a healthy work/life balance so all companies in this list should be applauded for already offering more to their staff than just a salary, none more so than Transport for London for leading the way.

“Millennials in particular are aware that they are likely to have to work for longer than previous generations, so they appreciate the need to enjoy what they are doing as well as where and with whom they are doing it.

“There is a healthy mixture of employers from a wide variety of industries and both public and private sectors which demonstrates that offering a good work/life balance is by no means exclusively the domain of trendy tech startups, but is in fact something all smart employers should be doing.

“People remain the most important asset in business, so attracting good staff and allowing them to perform at their best should be deemed a priority, not an afterthought, and ensuring you promote a good work/life balance is central to this.”

Tricia Wright, Chief People Officer at Transport for London (TfL), said:

“It’s great to be recognised as the best place to work for work/life balance, especially since the award is a result of feedback from people who have worked at TfL. In order to offer customers the best service possible, we believe that it is important to have a diverse workforce who feel valued.”

“We have a range of opportunities that give staff better work/life balance, from flexible working, to staff network groups, including groups for parents and carers, where our staff can share their experiences and advice. Establishing a healthy work/life balance within any organisation is vital because it means staff will feel supported and motivated to fulfil their potential.”