Long service - at least 40% of the staff have worked
there for more than five years
Gym - either an on-site gym or offering subsidised
membership for a nearby gym
Timpson, the company that repairs shoes and watches,
takes in dry cleaning, processes snapshots and engraves
jewellery, is a happy place to work.
Last year it nearly tripled the number of its shops
with the takeover of Minit UK, increasing staff numbers
from just under 1,000 workers to 2,869. It now has
850 branches around Britain.
John Timpson, the chairman,
and his son James, the managing director, have made
great efforts to integrate
the new recruits — and our survey shows that
88% of staff feel their leader is full of positive
energy. This is just one of a string of top-five scores,
with others for inspirational leadership (80%), sound
moral principles at the top (82%) and high quality
management overall.
Timpson Sr hosts gourmet lunches for randomly selected
employees at the Manchester head office three times
a year, gives staff access to his Harley Street doctor
and has bought holiday homes for the use of staff with
more than five years' service.
In past years Timpson has
scored highly for the jolly spirit of the workplace
(something 87% of staff still
praise) and for the independence given to employees,
who often work in two-person shops. Each year £3m
is invested in training, with specially written manuals,
tests and videos. A weekly newsletter is sent to retirees
and staff on maternity and sick leave.
Last year's takeover changed Timpson's gender balance,
raising the proportion of female staff from 18% to
47%. More than half of female employees work part-time.
Salaries are basic but there
are plenty of small rewards. Steve Riley from Warrington
is £125 richer for
proposing insole cut-outs for fitting children's shoes.
Teams have a strong sense of family - and more
than half the staff say they are in their dream job.
