Top Companies 2022: The 25 best workplaces to grow your career in the UK
Posted 26th April 2022 • Written by LinkedIn • • • • •
LinkedIn Top Companies is a ranking of the 25 companies that are setting talent up for long-term success.
Our 2022 LinkedIn Top Companies list is the annual ranking of the 25 best places to work in the UK, based on unique LinkedIn data. It's a resource for jobseekers and career builders to explore open jobs, enhance their skills, identify companies that invest in their talents and offer opportunities, and more.
It is important to note that the data reflected in this article preceded the war in Ukraine. As a consequence, most of these companies are seeking to end activities in Russia effective immediately (you can learn more here). Millions of refugees are also seeking to find safety, and work, in other countries. They can find support via several initiatives. Find out how you can help Ukrainians here.
To put together this year's rankings, we looked at LinkedIn data across seven pillars, each revealing an important element of career progression: ability to advance, skills growth, company stability, external opportunity, company affinity, gender diversity and spread of educational backgrounds. You can learn more about our methodology at the bottom of this article.
This list is meant to guide professionals at every stage – whether that means a career pivot, jumping back into the workforce after a hiatus or investing in new skills. At each company, you'll find insights around which roles and skills are in demand, top locations and much more. You can also explore open jobs and people you may know at the company. If a company catches your eye, follow their company page and/or turn on job alerts to stay on top of future opportunities.
Here are this year's 25 #LinkedInTopCompanies in the UK
1. Barclays
UK Headcount: 83,500 | Global Headcount: 156,000 | Top UK locations: London, Northampton, Glasgow | Most notable skills: Banking, Stakeholder Management, Financial Services | Most common job titles: Banker, Accountant, Business Analyst | Largest job functions: Finance, Business Development, Information Technology | What you should know: Barclays has committed to amplifying the voices of its diverse workforce, creating a number of Employee Resource Groups to foster inclusion and a sense of belonging amongst employees. The company is also embedding flexible working to support colleagues across generations, gender, sexual orientation and every aspect of diversity. Barclays recently increased the bonus pool for all employees by 23% to £1.9bn after revealing annual profits had increased to a record £8.4bn.
2. Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group is the parent company of Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows and others.
UK Headcount: 50,185* | Global Headcount: 58,000 | Top UK locations: London, Edinburgh, Bristol | Most notable skills: Banking, Stakeholder Management, Fraud Investigations | Most common job titles: Business Analyst, Senior Account Manager, Product Owner | Largest job functions: Finance, Sales, Information Technology | What you should know: Lloyds Banking Group plans to shed 20% of its office space and its employees have been given options for part-time work, job sharing, compressed hours and home working. It is also creating opportunities to celebrate diversity in the workplace. In 2020, it published its Race Action Plan and 9,700 line managers enrolled in its Race Education programme by December 2021.
3. HSBC
UK Headcount: 38,233 | Global Headcount: 224,737 | Top UK locations: London, Birmingham, Sheffield | Most notable skills: Banking, Financial services, Risk Management | Most common job titles: Universal Banker, Project Manager, Relationship Director | Largest job functions: Finance, Business Development, Information Technology | What you should know: After more than doubling profits last year as a result of the global recovery from the Covid crisis, HSBC increased its global staff bonus pool to £2.6bn. Recognising that the pandemic has affected workers' mental health, the company helped launch the Global Business Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health. The businesses involved are committed to taking proactive steps to improve workplace culture and provide tools for better wellbeing and mental health among employees.
4. PwC
UK Headcount: 27,211* | Global Headcount: 295,000 | Top UK locations: London, Belfast, Birmingham | Most notable skills: External Audit, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), UK Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) | Most common job titles: Audit Associate, Assurance Associate, Tax Associate | Largest job functions: Accounting, Finance, Information Technology | What you should know: PwC plans to invest £1.2bn over the next five years in job creation programmes and projects aimed at increasing skills. As well as working to close the gender pay gap year on year, PwC has joined 10 other private sector companies in partnering with the UK government to improve girls' access to education and employment in developing countries.
5. Deloitte
UK Headcount: 25,718* | Global Headcount: 151,043 | Top UK locations: London, Belfast, Cardiff | Most notable skills: Management Consulting, External Audit, Accounting | Most common job titles: Tax Analyst, Tax Consultant, Assistant Audit Manager | Largest job functions: Accounting, Finance, Information Technology | What you should know: For the ninth year, Deloitte is running its annual early careers programme, Spring Into Deloitte, which gives 160 undergraduates the opportunity to experience what it's like to work in a professional setting. Following last year's launch of its hybrid work solution, new hires are given a £500 budget to ensure they have a full range of equipment to properly support them while working from home.
6. BT
BT is the parent company of Openreach, EE and others.
UK Headcount: 80,400 | Global Headcount: 99,700 | Top UK locations: London, Ipswich, Newcastle upon Tyne | Most notable skills: Telecommunications, Fiber Optics, FTTP | Most common job titles: Project Manager, Software Engineer, Account Manager | Largest job functions: Information Technology, Sales, Engineering | What you should know: BT Group's aim is to hire 1,000 new contact centre colleagues across BT and EE's 24 nationwide sites by the end of April 2022, building on the 350 roles added in 2021 to its South Yorkshire site. The Doncaster centre was refurbished in 2020 to feature café and restaurant facilities, flexible workspaces and a games area with table tennis, pool and games consoles, plus multi-faith and parenting rooms.
7. Amazon
Amazon is the parent company of Whole Foods, Audible and others.
UK Headcount: 70,000 | Global Headcount: 1.3 million | Top UK locations: London, Manchester, Luton | Most notable skills: Warehouse Operations, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Logistics Management | Most common job titles: Fulfilment Associate, Warehouse Associate, Software Engineer | Largest job functions: Operations, Engineering, Human Resources | What you should know: Amazon is creating 1,500 apprenticeships in the UK in 2022, adding to its current 70,000-strong workforce. In 2021, it added 25,000 employees in the UK across various functions. Amazon's commitment to UK regional development is demonstrated by the investment of more than £650m into its north-east operations.