Beyond the ping pong table: new certification endorses truly progressive employers
Workplaces that put people and progress before profit? They do exist. Here, we profile four that are leading the way
Since the Covid pandemic, employees are increasingly prioritising forward-thinking work environments. This goes beyond office perks like ping pong tables, free fruit and Christmas parties, and moves into the realms of value alignment, accessible leaders, maternity and paternity leave, closing salary gaps and more.
Online careers platform Escape the City has produced the Top 1% Employer Certification, a new benchmark that sets the bar for progressive organisations. It focuses on 15 often small but forward-thinking companies that are leading the way. Applicants are assessed across five criteria, from fair pay and inclusive policies to âleadership that listensâ, including anonymous employee feedback.
Here, we profile four of the firms.
Sharky & George started out as kidsâ party planners back in 2007, and over the 18 years since has morphed into one of the UKâs top event companies. Its work spans corporate adventure days, out-there birthday bashes, car rallies and treasure hunts.
Creating and leading memorable parties hardly sounds like work and S&G describes itself as ânomad friendlyâ, meaning you could â in theory â clock in from that beach bar in Bali. It offers private healthcare, flexi hours and salary benchmarking into the mix.
âInspiring and incredibly funâ and âthe chance to make a real differenceâ. These are just a taste of employeesâ glowing praise for The Economist Educational Foundation (TEEF), a pioneering, female-led charity splicing educational expertise with journalistic insight.
TEEF provides a library of resources on big news events alongside bespoke teacher training, with the end goal of igniting classroom discussion and empowering kids with the ability to think critically about global issues. âItâs a place where purpose and people thrive together,â reckons Escape the City.
Identifying under-the-radar outperformers that others miss due to racial or social bias is at the heart of Rareâs mission. The recruitment firm uses cutting-edge human resources tech to help elite employers build workforces that are truly reflective of modern diversity.
And it seems to be working: around a fifth of trainees with the Magic Circle of top London law firms are Rare candidates.
Employees praise Rareâs inclusivity, friendliness and positivity. âRare is changing peopleâs lives for the better, and bit by bit making our society fairer,â says one proud staff member. And get this: summer months mean 3pm Friday finishes for everyone, not just the boss.
Sussing out those post-school next steps can be bewildering, which is where Unifrog comes in.
The platform brings together university courses, apprenticeships and further education opportunities in one online space, allowing students to explore their interests and craft compelling applications. Besides having a clear social mission, Unifrog says itâs committed to helping staff learn and grow and thatâs reflected in the ÂŁ500 annual training budget given to employees, to spend as they see fit.
Every staff member enjoys a stake in Unifrogâs success, too, via a share of a company-wide performance bonus.
Find out more at escapethecity.org
All images courtesy of the respective company