Royal Haskoning
Building up sea defences, constructing a flood barrier across the Gulf of Finland, and protecting the wetlands of the Danube — a modern-day engineering company is not about dull structures, but addressing some of the world's most pressing environmental concerns. Accordingly, staff give Royal Haskoning its best scores for giving something back. The 508 employees, based in Peterborough and 17 other sites, say the firm does a lot to protect the environment (a top 20 positive score of 75%). This organisation makes a positive difference to the world we live in, they say (also a 75% positive score), with projects worldwide from the Isle of Wight to Vietnam. Royal Haskoning offers consulting, architecture and engineering services and has a long-serving team of well-trained staff. Two-fifths of employees have been there for more than five years, the average age is a mature 38, and the company has a staff turnover of just 8%. Employees say that one of the reasons they like the organisation is the training they get. People believe their jobs are good for personal growth (79%) and they have a strong sense of job security (81%). The work can be demanding, however (with just a 57% positive score for staff finding deadlines realistic). Nonetheless Royal Haskoning is flexible about work and employees can choose their hours around a core of six a day for full-time workers. Some people job share or work reduced hours and everyone can work from home on an ad hoc basis. The company helps out with mobile technology that includes remote access to the server and even Dictaphones that connect to secretaries' computers. It isn't all work either. Everyone has 25 days off a year, with the option to buy another five in exchange for a deduction in salary. Maternity leave is boosted to six weeks at full pay, six weeks on half pay, 27 at the government minimum and 13 unpaid. Benefits include performance- and profitrelated pay, private healthcare, critical illness and life assurance cover. There are subsidies for sports facilities, loans available, an employee assistance plan and childcare vouchers. About a quarter of staff have a car allowance and there is a sports and social club. The workforce has grown by almost a quarter in the past year, and the firm has improved office facilities and opened new sites in Glasgow and Leeds. A quarter of employees have a final salary pension scheme (now closed) but everyone can join the contributory plan, with roughly 5% of salary from employees and 10% added by the firm. A share scheme has also been introduced. Company environmental awareness policies include fundraising activities as wacky as sponsored moustache-growing. And to keep everyone updated on global green matters, they recently all watched Al Gore's film about climate change together as part of the working day.