A thriving workplace isn’t built on perks or policies alone; it’s shaped by how people feel and connect. Cultivating a work environment that fosters trust, pride, and collaboration will drive employee engagement and ultimately fuel business success.
Companies that prioritise their people will see higher productivity rates, stronger retention, and have a competitive edge in attracting top talent. So, in a world where change is constant, investing in your culture is one of the smartest moves your business can make.
Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Backed by 30 years of data, its globally recognised Great Place To Work Certification™ and highly competitive Best Workplaces™ Lists enable employers to attract and retain talent, benchmark company culture, and increase revenue.
To find out more about what makes a great workplace culture, we interviewed Abigail Animwa, Senior Insights Manager at Great Place To Work. She explores the core elements of a great workplace, emerging trends in workplace culture, and practical steps businesses can take to create environments where employees and businesses flourish together.
Q: What are the core elements that define a ‘great place to work’?
A: For nearly 30 years, Great Place To Work® has conducted one of the largest employee surveys in the world, analysing this wealth of confidential employee data to understand what employees themselves experience when their company is a genuinely great workplace. We’ve learned that great organisations are not created through a set of shiny benefits or limited to a specific industry or company size. Instead, a great workplace comes down to three things: It’s a place where employees:
trust the people they work for,
have pride in the work they do,
and enjoy the people they work with.
And, most importantly, it’s that, this experience is consistent for every employee, no matter who they are, what they do, or where they work.
Q: What common themes or practices do you see among companies that consistently rank highly on the UK’s Best Workplaces™ List?
A: Two key themes come to mind:
1. Psychological health: Employees at the Best Workplaces belong to a culture where the intangible work environment – all the bits one cannot see – provides a conducive foundation for high-performing, thriving employees. This covers a wide range of psychosocial factors such as transparency, empowerment, managerial values, support and relationships. Individuals have sufficient flexibility and trust to manage stress effectively, build strong relationships with colleagues, and perform at their best.
2. Great culture always starts with great leadership: The UK’s Best Workplaces value and foster strong leader-employee relationships, in which managers show a sincere interest in their people, and build high levels of trust through consistent, meaningful interactions. Management is seen as credible, people feel respected by their leaders, and employees believe management practices and policies are fair for all. This leads to a more engaged workforce, stronger camaraderie and stronger alignment between colleagues on organisational goals.
Q: Have you noticed any emerging trends in workplace culture over the past few years?
A: Yes, many! Perhaps the current top five trends I would mention are:
1. Many organisations we work with offer menopause support to their workforce. This is evolving from a workplace trend to becoming a legal requirement that will mandate UK companies with 250+ employees to have menopause action plans by 2027 (with voluntary adoption available from April 2026).
2. As nonlinear career paths become more common, we’re seeing more organisations embrace internal mobility – with a particular focus on keeping development human in the age of AI. For example, managers being equipped to have conversations around development to support lateral moves within the organisation through AI-guided career conversations (such as if the company uses AI technology to support employees in curating tailored learning paths to bridge skills gaps, or to help individuals find open opportunities within the organisation).
3. Hybrid working and the four-day workweek were big trends particularly in 2023-2024, as companies increasingly began experimenting with different working models and some mandating a full or partial return to the office. Our 2025 European Workforce Study of nearly 25,000 workers across 19 countries found that in sectors like finance, tech, and professional services - where flexible working models are logically sustainable – hybrid work arrangements are proven to provide the best support for psychological health and foster the highest levels of innovation.
4. The market for green skills, that will play a pivotal role in developing a more sustainable society, is growing. In the UK, demand for green talent increased by 13% from 2021-2024, and the government predicts that upskilling workers will be necessary to address green skills shortages, as well as increasing the workforce in key sectors like construction, energy, manufacturing. And even finance, too, where some employees need to understand environmental risk assessment and green investment strategies.
5. Lastly, the role of management continues to evolve. Managers must now balance the complexities of ever-changing work dynamics while businesses are feeling the squeeze in a diminishing UK economy. Core responsibilities have expanded – managers now need to act as change agents, mentors, and advocates for their team’s wellbeing all whilst simultaneously maintaining camaraderie and productivity. Many HR leaders have told us that managers at their organisation are overwhelmed by the expansion of their responsibilities, and that leadership development will therefore be a top priority in the years ahead.
Q: What are some practical first steps for companies looking to improve their workplace culture?
A: The first step is to listen to your people, whether that be via a confidential survey, focus groups, interviews – there are many options that leaders may explore. What matters most is creating a safe space for employees to share honest feedback about their experience at work.
Once you’ve gathered those insights, the next practical step is to act on them. Even small, visible changes based on employee feedback can build trust and signal to people that their leaders are genuinely committed to improving the culture.
Many companies seeking a globally recognised, credible method of starting this journey have turned to Great Place To Work Certification because it’s more than a badge. The data from our confidential employee survey helps leaders understand what’s working and where there’s room to grow, providing access to benchmarks, insights, and a framework for continuous improvement. It’s a great way to build momentum internally and externally, especially if you're aiming to attract and retain top talent!
Q: How can smaller businesses compete with larger organisations in creating a great workplace?
A: Arguably, smaller organisations have an advantage over larger ones because great culture isn’t dependent on the size of one’s budget. UK certified™ ‘great’ companies – regardless of size – are great because their people say they're great. They have pride in what they do, enjoy who they work with, and trust who they work for.
Often, it’s the larger organisations who find themselves looking to create the family feel that’s more easily developed and sustained in a smaller company. Day-to day behaviours (particularly from people managers) can have a more significant impact on employee experience vs just having more budget and resources. Listening to employees, being supportive, creating a culture of trust, and embedding fun into people’s day-to-day are all things organisations of any size can do. And all are massively impactful.
Q: What are the most common mistakes companies make when trying to improve employee experience?
A: Despite the myth-busting research, many employers still believe that profit is what creates great workplaces. In fact, it’s the other way around. The employee experience is one of the strongest predictors of long-term business results. Ultimately, when leaders invest in workplace culture – by genuinely putting their people first and ensuring a consistently great employee experience for all – the business will become more profitable.
Another common mistake is treating development as something that’s limited to one’s employees. Organisations should invest in technology and policies as much as the human skills that actually drive engagement. Coaching, for example, is one of the most effective ways that executives and managers can transform their culture from the inside out, committing to their own development to build emotional intelligence and effective leadership skills that create genuine ripple effects throughout the organisation, driving the business forward.
Lastly, seeing fun as fluff, when it’s really a key driver of engagement that should be part of strategy. Employees who have a more enjoyable experience of their workplace are proven to be more engaged in their work, have higher levels of advocacy, are proud of their work, and are willing to give discretionary effort. When work is more enjoyable and amicable for everyone, employees are more likely to look forward to coming to work and give their best effort every day. As such, companies that prioritise fun in the workplace are more likely to attract and retain top talent, foster a positive work culture, and drive organisational success.
Q: What do you think the future of work looks like in terms of culture and employee expectations?
A: The future of work is human-first. Employees today expect cultures built on recognition, belonging, and purpose – not just perks. To attract top talent, employers need to move beyond surface-level engagement to fostering psychological safety, nonlinear career development, and meaningful social connection. The UK's Best Workplaces are champions at living their company values, prioritising employee wellbeing through flexible, inclusive environments and sustaining high levels of trust. Fun and camaraderie aren’t optional anymore, but rather strategic levers for employee retention and advocacy. When people feel valued and connected, they thrive – which, in turn, propels the business forward.
Q: How do you see AI and technology influencing what makes a workplace great?
A: Preserving the human touch is fundamental. No matter what industry, company size, or how fast tech is disrupting: it always comes down to trust. People want to know that leaders have first considered how they’ll use AI or tech in a way that benefits both employees and the organisation before the company starts diving into implementation. If not, employees won’t feel that their employer is invested in them, and they’ll be more likely to resist change.
The most successful employers will be using AI to help their people do their best work by creating smarter systems that make work feel more meaningful and fairer for everyone. They’ll ensure that their teams have the skills they need for the future. And even as things are changing fast, they’ll stay focused on nurturing employee wellbeing through each period of change. With this collaborative, people-centric approach, they’ll be able to fully harness the potential of this technology – using AI to support their people, not replace them.
Q: What advice would you give to businesses who are just starting their culture transformation journey?
A: Understanding your employee experience is a must-have, not a nice-to-have. This is as true for small companies focused on scale as it is for large multinationals seeking stability within a volatile market. When looking at revenue per employee (RPE) within the UK’s Best Workplaces™, for example, you’ll find the top-performing organisations generate an average of six and a quarter times more revenue per full-time employee compared to a typical UK company. It’s a financial advantage trending across industries. Especially during this time of global polycrisis and rapid technological disruption, right now is exactly the right time to listen to your people. The longer you wait, the more you fall behind those who do.
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