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HURST is Best Company
North West accountancy practice HURST is one of the best companies in the UK to work for - and that’s official!
HURST has been recognised in the national Best Companies 2009 awards for its sterling efforts to provide an outstanding workplace for its 70 staff in its Stockport and Manchester offices.
HURST was awarded a "First Class" distinction in the awards, achieving a higher ranking than leading household names including Conoco, and Sainsbury's.
Each year the Best Companies awards scheme asks 500,000 employees in almost 2,000 companies around the UK to say exactly what they think of the companies for which they work. The employees' views are independent and not seen by their employers. This was the first time HURST entered the national awards.
“This is fantastic news for us and for all of our staff,” said HURST managing partner Tim Potter.
“Being one of the best companies goes way beyond the bottom line. It's about excelling in every area throughout the workplace and our commitment to our most important asset - our workforce.”
“All our employees deliver real benefits for us, including improved workplace engagement, better staff retention, reduced recruitment costs and greater financial performance”.
Potter believed the key to achieving the award at the first time of trying is all down to the skilled and committed team of people including Partner Andrew Milnes who leads the firms’ attract and retain strategy, and Director of Marketing Simon Brownbill who leads an employee communications and wellness programme.
HURST employees benefit from paid for staff socials, an annual away-day, concert tickets, and a flexible benefits package (including pension, extra holidays, and health cover). Staff are also given the opportunity to raise money for their adopted charity, St Ann’s Hospice and a “community team” meets on a regular basis to plan activities to put something back into the community. HURST also sponsor Marple Town JFC.
Now partners at HURST are planning a celebration party for all employees as a “thank you” for giving their vote of confidence to the company.
At least 90 per cent of the scores of the companies who made it into the Best Companies awards are derived from independent surveys filled in by employees which are not seen by their employers. Members of the workforce were asked to rate a number of workplace factors including leadership, management, personal growth and well being.
HURST was founded in Stockport 26 years ago. Many of its staff members have been recruited to HURST from Big Four and national accountancy practices. Others have been attracted by the firm’s reputation for providing high levels of training. Because of HURST’s increasing amount of international work, several members of staff have been carrying out work in Europe and further afield, which is a further attraction for staff. Each year at least one member of staff has a six week secondment with a firm of accountants in Atlanta, USA.