Rentokil Initial, a U.K.-headquartered global pest control business, has been crowned the best company to work for in Britain, according to recruiter Indeed, knocking U.S. tech giant Apple off the top spot.
Rentokil, which employs 4,000 people in the U.K., came top in the 2019 rankings for job security and advancement, with staff praising how it promotes from within, as well as the company's good work-life balance and positive culture.
Indeed based the rankings on tens of thousands of reviews written by staff on company pages on its website.
Andy Ransom, CEO of Rentokil Initial, said the company was committed to the long-term investment in its employees' "progression and development," as well as creating a "diverse and inclusive" working environment.
Apple slipped down to second place from last year's rankings but was the only non-U.K. company in the top five. The iPhone maker employs around 6,500 people in the U.K. and it was lauded by employees for its staff perks, such as free and discounted tech.
The Agincare Group, one of Britain's largest care groups, employing more than 3,500 staff, came in third. It scored highly for its "supportive management" and offering a good work-life balance.
Wren Kitchens, which designs and manufactures kitchens, came in fourth, followed by handmade cosmetics company, Lush.
- Rentokil Initial
- Apple
- The Agincare Group
- Wren Kitchens
- Lush Cosmetics
- E (Gas and Electricity)
- Barclays
- Nando's
- Kumon
- JPMorgan Chase
- Siemens AG
- PwC
- Rolls-Royce
- EY
- Marks and Spencer
- IKEA
- Bakkavor
- GlaxoSmithKline
- John Lewis & Partners
- Waitrose & Partners
- RBS
- Clarks
- BAE Systems
- Lloyds Bank
- Arnold Clark
Retailers were also popular, with both department store John Lewis and the grocery store chain it owns, Waitrose, featuring on the list. Both are partnerships, meaning they invite employees to become partners and share in company profits.
Marks & Spencer was another well-established British retailer to claim a spot on the table.
The rankings were made up of predominantly British companies, which accounted for 17 of the 25 firms listed.
In addition to Apple, investment bank J.P. Morgan Chase was the only other American name on the list.
Tech firm Siemens and luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce were the two German-owned companies on the list. The remaining places were taken up by South African restaurant chain Nando's, Japanese education services provider Kumon, Swedish retailer Ikea and Icelandic food manufacturer Bakkavor.
Bill Richards, Indeed's managing director for the U.K., said that while Britain's job creation boom may be easing off, it's still "very much a jobseeker's market."
Reviews posted on Indeed's website this year demonstrated the importance of a good work-life balance and a positive work culture, he said, as well as how likely potential employees are to research these factors before deciding to apply.