Apple crowned Britain’s best tech sector employer

The California-based maker of iconic products like the iPhone and iPad opened its first European store in London 15 years ago, and it now employs 2,500 people in the capital alone. Its 6,500 UK-based staff enjoy a wide range of perks, and praise for these benefits features prominently in the reviews of Apple posted on Indeed.

The highest scoring homegrown tech company was second-placed GDS Group, the Bristol-based event, research and technology services provider.

The global IT, networking and cyber security titan Cisco came third in a ranking which was dominated by American tech firms; just three of the top 15 are UK-based companies.

Last year Apple secured the top spot in Indeed’s overall ranking of Britain’s most highly-praised employers. Its repeat success can be traced back to a combination of good rates of pay, the offer of free or discounted tech to employees, health and wellness benefits and an enjoyable workplace culture.

Bill Richards, UK managing director at global job site Indeed, commented: “Jobseekers are increasingly looking to work for companies whose values match their own, which is why we see more researching company cultures before applying for jobs.

“As employment hovers near a record high in the UK, companies need to offer more than just a competitive salary and with its generous perks and flexible work conditions, the tech sector is often an outlier when it comes to employee packages.

“But it’s not enough for tech employers to bask in this reflected glow and hope would-be recruits will line up to work for them. Intense competition for candidates with specialist tech skills has sparked a battle for talent, and prompted many employers to think carefully and creatively about their offers.

“The millions of employer reviews posted on Indeed’s company pages shine a light on what makes the difference between a good workplace and a great one. While staff clearly value a good salary, other factors like work-life balance, career prospects and a friendly, welcoming culture are just as important.

“The companies at the top of our ranking scored consistently highly across all categories. Above all, they have successfully created a positive and desirable work environment, earning praise from their staff and providing an example we can all learn from.”