Zen Internet named as one of the UK’s best workplaces

Zen Internet awarded UK's Best Workplaces recognition

Rochdale internet provider Zen has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work, the global authority on workplace culture.

Placing 45 out of 105 in the large business category (251 – 1,000 employees), Zen, the only Which? Recommended Provider for Broadband, emphasises its people-centric business, pioneering the belief that the happiness and wellbeing of its people should come before profit.

Being part of the B Corp community, Zen has also made a legal commitment to consider the impact of decisions on workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit.

Zen’s People & Culture Director, Ayshea Robertson, says: “We are thrilled to be Great Place to Work-Certified™! It means a lot that our people have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders, and their jobs. This is important to us because we know that when our people have a high trust experience every day, they are more productive, drive better business results and make a difference to our customers.”  

Robertson added: “In the past year alone we have promoted even greater flexibility and refined our hybrid working approach for our people. This includes enhanced support measures for people returning from maternity and adoption leave. Our current focus is around what it means to be a psychologically safe workplace with a new health and wellbeing framework that introduces and recognises the importance of psychological wellbeing.”  

With a people first approach, career development is important at Zen. In the last 21 months, 20 people moved roles within the business, 47 people were promoted and 14 have benefitted from secondment opportunities.

A Zen employee said: “Zen is a great company to work for, and very inclusive. Personally, I have opportunities to develop myself and my team, including involvement in projects outside of my role,” and another employee said: “A fantastic company to work for and one which provides a lot of opportunity to develop and stretch yourself.”

Supporting the local community is another focal point for Zen. In the last financial year, Zen people donated 120 volunteer days to support the local community and raised £10,754.76 for local charities through proactive initiatives and fund-raising activities. For any monies raised for charity, Zen doubles this.

A Zen employee said: “Zen is an employer that cares for its staff and the wider environment. Initiatives such as giving staff the chance to perform charity work or get involved with Code Club are brilliant benefits of working for Zen.”

Benedict Gautrey, managing director of Great Place to Work® UK said: “At Great Place to Work® our overarching goal has consistently been to enrich the world of work by empowering companies to evolve into exceptional organisations that cater to everyone. We wholeheartedly endorse the idea that what’s ‘better for business’ aligns with what’s ‘better for people,’ ultimately contributing to a better world for all.

“Year after year, it’s truly inspiring to witness a growing number of organisations earn a spot on our UK’s Best Workplaces™ List, we’ve seen our clients Trust Index scores increasing meaning the bar for being on this list is getting higher. This recognition is no mean feat and highlights companies across the UK that excel in fostering high levels of trust in leadership, instilling pride in their workforce, and cultivating strong camaraderie among colleagues. These crucial elements collectively contribute to creating workplaces where employees feel they can truly be themselves and thrive in a supporting environment.”

Great Place To Work® performed rigorous evaluations of hundreds of employee survey responses alongside Culture Audit™ submissions from leaders at each company to create the 2024 UK's Best Workplaces™ list. They then used these data insights to benchmark the effectiveness of companies' employee value propositions against the culture their employees actually experience. Only those businesses who achieve the highest scores after evaluation receive Best Workplaces™ status.