Home News & eventsNews The UK’s most family friendly workplaces unveiled

The UK’s most family friendly workplaces unveiled

Published: 11 Sep 2018

The Top Employers for Working Families announced today  

The organisations across the UK who are leading the way in building family friendly, flexible workplaces were announced today.  Employers large and small from across the public, private and third sector compete annually to gain a coveted place on the list of Top Employers for Working Families. 

This year’s Top Ten Employers for Working Families – in alphabetical order – are: 

  • American Express 
  • Barclays Bank 
  • Crown Prosecution Service 
  • Deloitte
  • Independent Living Fund Scotland 
  • Intellectual Property Office
  • Lloyds Banking Group 
  • Pinsent Masons
  • Royal Bank of Scotland 
  • Southdown Housing 

Employers take part in Working Families’ benchmark [1], answering in-depth questions, and are scored on four key areas to build a comprehensive picture of their flexible and family friendly working policies and practices which specifically support mothers, fathers and carers. These are:  

  • integration to organisational strategy and culture – which looks at culture, attitude and how far flexible and family friendly working practices have become embedded; 
  • policy – which looks at the creation, development and deployment of flexible and family friendly working policies; 
  • consistent practice – which considers how well flexible and family-friendly working is supported and  
  • evidence and statistics – which looks at the effects of flexible and family-friendly working on the organisation, and their ability to understand those effects. 

Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive of Working Families [2], said: 

“Congratulations to the wide range of organisations whose flexible and family-friendly workplaces have earnt them a much-coveted place on 2018’s list of Top 30 Employers for Working Families.  

“For these best practice employers, their flexible and family-friendly working policies supporting mothers, fathers and carers are well developed, and flexible working is becoming embedded.  

“But, as our research [3] shows, flexible working on its own is not enough to deliver work life balance for parents.  What’s key to unlocking parents’ potential is a family friendly workplace culture.  Importantly, today’s winners know this – and are striving to ensure their underlying workplace culture supports the flexible and family-friendly policies they have in place.” 

 

FULL LIST OF TOP 30 EMPLOYERS FOR WORKING FAMILIES 2018 

(please note these are in alphabetical order and are not ranked) 

Top 10 Employers for Working Families 

American Express 

Barclays Bank 

Crown Prosecution Service 

Deloitte 

Independent Living Fund Scotland 

Intellectual Property Office 

Lloyds Banking Group 

Pinsent Masons 

Royal Bank of Scotland 

Southdown Housing 

 

Top 11-30 Employers for Working Families 

Allen & Overy 

Citigroup 

Department for International Development 

DWF 

Experian 

Gowling WLG 

Hogan Lovells 

Imperial College 

Mayer Brown 

Ministry of Justice 

National Assembly for Wales 

Norton Rose Fulbright 

Oliver Wyman 

Public Health England 

Royal Bank of Canada 

Royal College of Nursing 

Simmons & Simmons 

UBS AG 

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield 

Yorkshire Building Society 

Notes   

[1] The Top Employers for Working Families Benchmark 2019 

The Top Employers for Working Families Benchmark was established by Working Families in 2010.  It is UK-wide and open to all Working Families’ employer members.  

The benchmark is a way for employers to see whether they are ahead or behind the curve in the development of flexible and family friendly working, and to get tailored feedback and next steps support from Working Families.  To register an interest in taking part in the 2019 benchmark contact employers@workingfamilies.org.uk  

A selection of winners will speak as part of the ‘what makes a top employer?’ panel session at Working Families’ National Work Life Week Conference ‘Changing the Culture: Best Practice Showcase’ on 2 October 2018.

Find out more about Working Families employer membership

[2] About Working Families 

Working Families is the UK’s work life balance charity. We support and advocate on behalf of working parents and carers, and work with employers to create workplaces which encourage work life balance for everyone. Working Families provides a range of support for parents and carers, including through our legal advice service. 

[3] Earlier this year, Working Families published ‘Modern Families Index 2018: How employers can support the UK’s working families’.