Saying 'Thank You' to employees help Penna achieve top 30 company to work for

Saying ëthank youí to employees and caring about them has helped Penna, the HR Services Group, to achieve 29th place in the annual The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For.

The company, which employs over 250 people, was ranked third for saying ëthank youí with 82% of managers regularly expressing their appreciation. The consultancy which lists PC World, Tesco, Xansa, McDonalds and Government departments among its clients, also came fourth for being a caring employer with 85% of Pennaís employees saying they felt ëcared forí by the company. A further 83% said that co-workers would go out of their way to help each other.

This is the second time that Penna has entered the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For and the second time it has come in the top 30. It is the only HR consultancy to make the prestigious list in 2008.

Gary Browning, Chief Executive said: ìI am delighted that our employees feel cared for and feel that they get thanks for a job well done but I do wonder if many companies fail to recognise staff in this simple but effective way.

ìThe skills crisis combined with the reality that the war for talent has already been fought with the candidate winning, means that companies need to work harder not only to attract staff but to keep the good ones that theyíve got. As the old adage says, ëIt costs nothing to say thank youí and yet the fact that most people will respond positively to praise and appreciation is possibly going unnoticed in industry. Studies show that a company that puts its workforce first will benefit from loyalty and engagement which has a significant impact on productivity and therefore profit.

ìIt comes as no surprise to me that companies which do well in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies outperform their FTSE 100 rivals which absolutely proves the link between staff engagement and profitability,î added Browning.

The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For is the biggest UK staff engagement survey and takes into account the views of over 180,000 workers. Employees assess their company across eight areas including company leadership, employee wellbeing, relationships with managers and personal growth.