Best Companies | Barnett Waddingham Company Profile

They are proud to be a leading independent UK professional services consultancy at the forefront of risk, pensions, investment, insurance and administration. From small beginnings with just 20 people, they're now a team of over 1,270 people in eight offices. They have over 70 partners each delivering on their values and their promise, ensuring the highest levels of trust, integrity and quality. They act for a wide range of clients, both large and small, in the private and public sectors including approximately over 15% of FTSE 350 firms. Their primary focus continues to be providing the personal, quality, tailored approach that has driven their success and has led to a high level of client retention. They seek to build stable and long-term partnerships with clients, supported by their low staff turnover, thanks to their ongoing investment in their experts and their unique culture. Their employees have a depth of consulting expertise and a breadth of administrative skills, supported by the latest technology. This allows them to tackle a wide range of work, from advising small clients to dealing with large pension schemes and employers. As a firm, they believe that they will be more successful if they work together to achieve their common objectives than working alone. With this in mind, their values are critical to the functioning of the firm and they feel it is important that their employees and partners act within these values on a day to day basis.

Giving Something Back

65% of staff agreed

I am happy with the pay and benefits I receive in this job

They carry out stress risk assessments with individuals on a case by case basis. They then work with the employee to put in place a wellness plan. In addition to this, there is a “Managing Workplace Stress” policy aimed at employees and line managers to help them identify stress.

They have also provided training to a number of people managers in managing workplace stress and building their own resilience. They actively encourage colleagues and people managers to contact their Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) who are able to offer support.

They offer mindfulness sessions, such as; meditation, yoga and personal training in their offices and they recognise national days by providing stats and useful tools which aim at supporting mental health as well as reducing stress in the workplace.

Leadership

85% of staff agreed

I feel that my manager talks openly and honestly with me

Each year, Partners give all employees a Christmas Voucher as a 'thank you' along with their firm wide Christmas party. This is something which is not dependent on how long you have been within the organisation and something which they feel is recognition of thanks from the Partners to employees. In addition to this the Firm also contributes £10 per person towards individual business areas Christmas lunches.

They also operate a discretionary incentive plan (bonus scheme) for employees, which is related to both an individual's and Barnett Waddingham performance over the firm's financial year. The discretionary bonus scheme exists to provide a fair and transparent incentive to generate higher levels of individual and team performance increasing the firm's overall success. If the firm and individual deliver against their plans both in terms of what is delivered and how it is delivered, employees will share financially in that success. They want people to feel good about being part of a successful business. Whilst this isn't unique, this is something that employees very much value and the business is keen to continue recognising employees in this way.

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