LinkedIn has announced its annual list of UK Top Companies 2019, identifying the organisations that British people would most like to work for. This year’s top place was secured by technology company Amazon, whilst the overall list reveals a preference for firmly established, UK-based companies in traditional industries.
The energy sector was prominent, with both BP and Shell making the list for the first time. The Real Estate & Construction sector was represented well with the inclusion of companies such as JLL, CBRE, and Travis Perkins. The Top Companies 2019 list also shows that British firms are holding their own alongside tech giants when it comes to attracting talent, with Bupa, TUI, BT and Aviva listed alongside companies like Alphabet. Britain’s retail sector also had a good showing, with home-grown retail giants Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer both appearing on the list after a two and three year hiatus respectively.
Key findings:
● Job seekers are drawn to companies with long histories – Fifteen of the Top Companies were founded 100+ years ago, compared to only six in 2018
● Large companies are particularly popular – Twenty companies featured in this year’s list have 50,000+ employees, compared to only twelve in 2018
● Brits are favouring traditional industries – The most popular industries in this year’s Top Companies list were Energy (4), Financial Services (5), Food retail (3), Real Estate & Construction (3) and Health & Pharma (3). This reveals a dramatic shift compared to 2018’s list, which favoured consumer-focused industries like Internet (5), Fashion & Cosmetics (2), and Luxury goods (2)
● Non-London hubs are on the rise – While the majority of the Top Companies are either headquartered in London or have their UK headquarters in the capital, other locales have a place, including Asda (Leeds), Travis Perkins (Northampton), GSK (Brentford) and Centrica (Windsor)
This year’s Top Companies are:
1. Amazon
2. JPMorgan Chase & Co.
3. Sainsbury’s
4. GSK
5. Bupa
6. JLL
7. Barclays
8. BP
9. Goldman Sachs
10. Engie
The full list of the top 25 companies can be found here.
“In the fourth year of the Top Companies initiative, it is great to see that the LinkedIn platform is such an important indicator of the companies that the UK wants to work for most,” said Katie Carroll, managing editor, LinkedIn. “We are proud to be able to connect UK job seekers with companies that inspire them, to help them get one step closer to landing their dream job.”
UK country manager for Amazon, Doug Gurr, commented on their prime spot on the LinkedIn list: “We’re absolutely delighted to be at the top of the LinkedIn Top Companies 2019 list. Wherever you are in the UK, our 27,500 permanent employees endeavour to expand consumer choice and convenience and help tens of thousands of small businesses across the country grow their revenue and reach hundreds of millions of customers around the world by selling on Amazon.
“Our mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company,” Gurr added, “and, as we continue in our efforts to improve the customer experience, we hope that more people come to build the future with us, which is why we’re excited to be at the top of LinkedIn’s Top Companies list.”
The Top Companies are determined based on billions of interactions between 610M+ members and millions of companies, including:
● Reach: Are members familiar with the company?
● Engagement: Are members interested in your company?
● Jobs: Are members engaging with your jobs?
● Retention: Are your employees staying with the company?
LinkedIn examines member actions between February 1, 2018 and January 31, 2019.
