The 50 Best Places to Work 2021 from Glassdoor: Abcam comes third and AstraZeneca is 13th
Abcam has been recognised as the UK’s third best place to work in 2021 by Glassdoor - beating Google, Apple and Facebook.
Salesforce topped the list, followed by Microsoft, while AstraZeneca came 13th, Anglian Water reached 30th and Arm was 41st.
The annual Employees’ Choice Awards are based on feedback from staff.
Cambridge Biomedical Campus-based Abcam, which provides reagents and tools for the life science industry, was described by one employee as “an innovative and ambitious company that has a positive and enduring impact on the world”. It was praised for having a “great culture - open, friendly, smart and ambitious, fast-paced, global and diversified - that prioritises personal development and growth”.
Nick Skinner, SVP human resources at Abcam, said: “I am delighted by the positive feedback received from our employees, especially over the past year. Delivering our ambitious strategy depends on our engaged global team and I am proud of what we’ve achieved together. We continuously strive to better support the life science community to accelerate scientific breakthroughs that can benefit all.”
Abcam attributed its success to its focus on attracting, developing and retaining top talent, and to promoting continuous learning, diversity and inclusion, while supporting local communities.
Its employee rewards and recognition initiatives include the multiple award-winning AbShare, a three-year employee share purchase plan with a 10 times share match,
Its response to the Covid-19 pandemic included measures to protect employees while increasing connectivity and supporting wellbeing at its 13 global locations, including its Discovery Drive headquarters.
Christian Sutherland-Wong, CEO at Glassdoor, which provides insights about jobs and companies, said: “This year’s winning employers have proven, according to employees, that even during extraordinary times, they’ll rise to the challenge to support their people. A mission-driven culture, transparent leadership and career opportunities are always hallmarks of Best Places to Work winners. This year, we also see exceptional employers who have prioritised the health, safety and well-being of their employees.”
Google came fourth in this year’s list, while Apple was seventh and Facebook tenth.
Of AstraZeneca, one employee said: “The culture of the company is great, putting employees’ development at the heart of what they do.”
On Anglian Water, one said: “Anglian Water is a great employer. They provide excellent benefits from a competitive salary to private health care. All the employees are lovely and very supportive which has been a great benefit. The role is very varied and I have experienced a wide range of placements.”
And an Arm employee described the Cambridge chip design company as “unique” thanks to its “culture, people, flexibility, benefits, training - everything.”
Abcam was ranked sixth on the list in 2020 and last September its CEO, Alan Hirzel, came second on Glassdoor’s list of the best UK leaders during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The top 50 Glassdoor Best Places to Work in the UK 2021
1 Salesforce
2 Microsoft
3 Abcam
4 Google
5 Softcat
6 GTB
7 Apple
8 Bella Italia
9 SAP
10 Facebook
11 Sky Betting & Gaming
12 Nando's
13 AstraZeneca
14 J P Morgan
15 American Express
16 Sage
17 Johnson & Johnson
18 Mace
19 Majestic Wine
20 Just Eat
21 Shell Energy Retail
22 Siemens
23 The Body Shop
24 AXA UK
25 Goldman Sachs
26 Cromwell Tools
27 IFS
28 Dell Technologies
29 Network Rail
30 Anglian Water
31 Mondelēz International
32 Deloitte
33 Capgemini Invent
34 Taylor Wimpey
35 CarShop
36 BAT
37 Morgan Stanley
38 Bank of America
39 BlackRock
40 Royal London
41 Arm
42 Waitrose & Partners
43 wagamama
44 Cisco Systems
45 Jacobs
46 GlaxoSmithKline
47 Awin
48 Walt Disney Company
49 Greggs
50 Shell
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