Striving to BE the best employer (From Andover Advertiser)

Basingstoke service office provider BE is to be named as a top employer

10:44am Saturday 9th March 2013 in Hampshire Business By Richard Garfield

FOR the sixth year running service office operator Business Environment (BE) is to be named as one of the country’s top employers.

Tomorrow, BE, which occupies 50,000 sq ft of office space at ViewPoint, on Basing View, will be ranked 36 in The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For, This beats last year’s 48th position and means BE has also been ranked in the top 50 for four consecutive years.

The rankings measure excellence across a number of workplace factors including leadership, employee wellbeing, pay and benefits as well as treatment of staff.

Nicola Hawke, Basingstoke centre manager, said: “We’re very proud. Our success as a company is dependent on our ability to recruit and retain the best people, and we’ve got a great team working at Basingstoke. As a result it’s an enjoyable place to work – and it’s excellent to see this recognised.”

BE staff at the Basingstoke facility benefit from distinctive policies, including the delivery of cakes to clients and colleagues each Friday. They are encouraged to take three days off a year to volunteer for charity, offered use of gyms, a stop-smoking initiative, and there is also a green team, which ensures all working areas are as environmentally friendly as possible.

BE managing director David Saul, said: “It means a huge amount to make the Sunday Times list – especially since it’s our teams’ opinions that are used in the judging process.

“Our continued presence here is a testament to all my colleagues, and to how much they have done to create a great atmosphere to work in.”

The Best Companies organisation, which compile the rankings for The Sunday Times, also awarded BE a three-star rating – the highest rating possible – for demonstrating it is an exceptional place to work.

Only 160 companies in the UK are currently three-star rated.