Accor, the world’s leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, has been recognised by The Great Place to Work® Institute as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces, placing 11th in this year’s ‘large’ category, which includes companies with more than 500 employees.
The Best Workplaces Programme is the largest of its kind in the world, and every year the Institute evaluates approximately 6,000 organisations around the world, representing around 10 million people. It surveys both employees and management to get a holistic view of each organisation’s HR policies and practices and how these are perceived by employees. The rankings are based on employees’ trust in the management team, pride taken in their work and how much they enjoy working with colleagues.
The Institute says that the benefits of a great workplace include greater productivity, higher operating income, better profit margins, EPS growth and increased customer loyalty. It has also found that employees in these environments take 50% fewer sick days and are 87% less likely to leave the organisation.
Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director, Accor UK & Ireland said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Accor. We take our responsibility as an employer very seriously and are committed to investing in new talent and developing careers across our portfolio brands. This accolade is evidence of the positive work environment and employee engagement that we strive for. I would like to thank all of our employees for making Accor such a great place to work as we aim to deliver our ambitious UK expansion plans.”
Despite the tough economic backdrop, Accor has continued to invest in its staff. This year’s recognition by the Institute, an improvement on Accor’s 2012 rank of 23rd, reflects a number of initiatives that the company has undertaken. In the past year, the group opened the Académie Accor in London, in addition to expanding its apprenticeship scheme and launching the Hospitality Futures programme, which is designed to develop new talent in the UK hospitality industry. Accor is also actively supporting the Big Conversation, which provides structured work placements for unemployed young people.
