The top ten UK companies to work for in 2019

Anglian Water has topped a list of the best UK companies to work for in 2019, beating out blue-chip technology, consulting and finance firms.

Jobs site Glassdoor ranked companies based on anonymous employee reviews submitted between October 2017 and October 2018, before using an algorithm to produce a score out of five for each employer.

Only companies with a workforce of more than 1,000 are included in the list, with employees rating their job based on key attributes such as career opportunities, compensation and benefits, culture and values, senior management and work-life balance.

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Anglian Water, the only utilities firm to make it into the top ten, scored 4.5, beating its nearest rivals for performance-related bonuses, annual leave that rises with length of service, and volunteering programmes.

“We’re always looking for people with new ideas and transferable skills, who aren’t afraid to take on a challenge,” said chief executive Peter Simpson.

“Employees are encouraged to create wellbeing gardens at their own workplaces, take paid leave to volunteer for charity and get access to free advice and support from personal finance experts.”

Forbes says “the results are also notable for the decline in rankings by Facebook, Google and Apple in the same period that two of them have had a difficult year”.

Last year’s winner Google - which The Daily Telegraph says “has long been seen as the king of employee perks and the champion of fun working environments” - slipped dramatically to 13th place, while 2016 winner Expedia slipped out of the top 50 altogether.

Anglian Water may have topped the list for existing employees, but a separate poll conducted earlier this year found job seekers in Britain are more interested in working for online fashion retailer Asos than any other UK-based firm.

The data, from professional networking site LinkedIn, found Asos topped the list for engagement, job interest, and worker retention, with the BBC and consultancy firm McKinsey & Company rounding off the top three.

Glassdoor’s top ten places to work in Britain in 2019

1. Anglian Water (4.5 out of 5)
2. Bain & Company (4.5)
3. XPO Logistics (4.5)
4. Bromford (4.5)
5. Salesforce (4.5)
6. Sky Betting & Gaming (4.4)
7. Hiscox (4.4)
8. SAP (4.4)
9. Taylor Wimpey (4.4)
10. Royal London (4.4)