It is hardly surprising that staff cannot wait to get their teeth into work at the firm that produces Terry's chocolate orange. Kraft Foods UK, the world's second largest food company, makes its employees feel well treated with excellent communications, training and treats. Controlled by the world's largest cigarette maker, Philip Morris Companies of America, Kraft has global revenues of £24 billion. It is a market leader in the UK. The so called power brands are Kenco coffee, Philadelphia and Dairylea cheese and Terry's: Kraft also own Maxwell House coffee, Toblerone, Altoids mints, Bird's desserts and Suchard chocolates - some of which have been the staples of the British diet for more than a century. The firm has been based in Cheltenham Gloucestershire for more than 25 years and has a European headquarters in Kew, southwest London. It has remained a healthy employer, focused on treating, training and reward staff individually in an open non-hierarchical environment. When anyone joins the firm, they are assigned a work buddy and a mentor, whilst their manager takes on responsibility for their development. Kraft has a series of schemes to encourage staff development, including an annual performance and development reviews and 50 hours of training a year for the largest group of staff (at management level). The firm is keen to reward good work with a scheme offering a cash reward of between 2% and 15% of salary. There are cash payments and extra holidays for employees who have worked for Kraft for more than 10 years. One worker said 'People here work longer hours out of choice and enjoyment rather than expectation and everyone is as passionate about their job as football fans are towards their teams'. There is an emphasis on fun too, thanks to the annual company ball, free sports, a social club called fuse.com and fund raising events for charity. The Kraft in the Community scheme concentrates on charity projects. Chocoholic staff are never short of a Terry's chocolate orange. Should they succumb to a snack attack, there is a subsidised restaurant, the chance to join consumer tasting panels and a reduced price company shop.
