Penna is top ten company to work for, says Sunday Times Best List

HR consultancy, Penna has jumped an incredible 23 places to feature in the top ten of the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For. The company which directly employs 270 people in offices throughout the UK and works with a further 400 associates, has been placed number six.

This year marks the third year that Penna has entered and been placed on the prestigious list and once again it is the highest scoring HR consultancy.

Chief Executive, Gary Browning, said: ìThe fantastic position that Penna has achieved this year is all the more meaningful because it is largely based on information supplied anonymously by employees. The fact that 85% of Penna people are proud to work for the company and 82% say they love working for Penna, speaks volumes. As a HR consultancy we definitely take our own medicine in encouraging employee engagement. Not only does this create a pleasant and supportive work environment where people are happy to be it also affects the bottom line.î

Although overall number six, Penna came first for its managers sharing important knowledge, second for its openness and honesty, third for its culture of encouraging colleagues to help each other and fifth for its strong sense of family.î

Pennaís management team also got the thumbs up with 83% of employees having confidence in the leadership skills of the team and 84% having a great deal of faith in the chief executive. The company also scored highly on its work/life balance with 75% of staff agreeing it was good.

ìNow is not the time for Penna or any organisation to sit on its laurels when it comes to staff engagement,î added Browning.

ìThese are difficult economic times that call for strong and courageous leadership at all levels and a motivated and engaged workforce that is prepared to go the extra mile. Organisations with this combination will be well placed to take advantage when the green shoots of recovery appear. Companies should invest in making sure they have the right people in the right roles with the right culture, development support and communications networks. There is no doubt that there is a link between staff engagement and productivity so even if companies donít do it out of a sense of responsibility for employees, then they should do it for the positive effect it has on the bottom line,î he concluded.