South: The Sunday Times lists EY as one of the UK’s ‘25 Best Big Companies to Work For’
EY has been listed as one of the ‘25 Best Big Companies to Work For’ by The Sunday Times, which ranks “the cream of Britain's happy and motivated workforces”.
The global professional-services firm, which employs 14,000 in the UK, was this year ranked 13th – up one place on last year. EY also received a one-star accreditation, which acknowledges excellence in the workplace, and was presented with a special award for ‘Innovation in Engagement Practice’ at a recent ceremony in London.
With ratings based on employee opinions, the Best-Companies-to-Work-For list is widely acknowledged as the result of the most extensive research into employee engagement carried out in this country.
Steve Varley, UK chair and UK & Ireland managing partner, said: “We have introduced far-reaching and progressive initiatives over the last year, which not only benefit our people, but also help to deliver exceptional client service and better business performance.”
During the year, EY introduced a shared parental policy, which equalised the firm’s approach to mothers, fathers, partners and adoptive parents, offering additional pay on top of the statutory entitlement for 39 weeks. It is supported by a strong yet flexible working culture which empowers people to decide when, where and how they work.
The firm has also invested in inclusiveness training for nearly 2,000 leaders in the business to help challenge traditional mindsets and behaviours, with the aim of creating a working environment where difference is embraced and valued. In addition, EY has trained more than 400 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) and was recognised at the MHFA awards in 2015 for improving mental health awareness in the workplace.
EY also transformed its student-recruitment selection process six months ago, by removing academic qualifications from its entry criteria, widening access to the profession and creating a level playing field for talented individuals from all backgrounds.
