Our sources for the World's Best Employers 2027 in the United Kingdom

Many platforms let employees rate their employer. We analyse a large number of these reviews and include them in the study. This brings a subjective view from the inside into the result.

Surveys give a glimpse into an organisation. They are not always representative, but they show how third parties see an employer. Typical topics are name recognition, perceived attractiveness, benefits and image. We include many surveys to get a balanced picture.

External juries recognize employers for their qualities. We evaluate existing employer awards and rate them in our scoring model, so the judgment of qualified juries also counts.

There are many employer certifications, and they are awarded in very different ways. We rate them accordingly. Certifications based on a representative employee survey carry particular weight, because they show that an employer seeks dialogue with its people.

The study also takes into account the employer seals of DIQP (diqp.eu) in Germany, ÖIQP (oiqp.at) in Austria and SIQP in Switzerland, such as Top Arbeitgeber (Top Employer) and Familienfreundlicher Arbeitgeber (Family-Friendly Employer). All three are based on an employee survey and an independent evaluation. DIQP, ÖIQP and SIQP belong to the same International Quality Standards Network that operates this study, so their seals count like any other audited certification and earn no extra points.

Sustainability matters more and more to applicants. We use existing sustainability certifications and favour those that cover all three dimensions: economic, environmental and social. If a certification covers only part of it, for example only the environment, it counts for one third.

An attractive employer is well positioned online. In a website check we look at search engine optimisation, responsive design, a logical page structure, easy navigation, how quickly job offers can be found and an acceptable loading time.

With the shortage of skilled workers, employees expect more than they did ten years ago. Using freely available information, we look at flexible working hours, part-time and job sharing, remote work where the job allows it, benefits beyond salary, modern structures and short decision paths.

We rate how well the career website addresses its target group, how responsive and clearly structured it is, whether clear calls to action invite people to apply, how simple the application process is and whether the site is easy to find in search engines.

We also look at what the media report about an employer, including negative coverage. Our team evaluates the reporting and rates it on a scale from 1 to 5.

Employers can be involved in organisations and initiatives. We rate memberships and voluntary commitments with a clear HR focus, so this kind of engagement is recorded as well.