Connect Catering at the summit of The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For
Connect Catering has been crowned number one in The Sunday Times Best Company to Work For across the whole of the UK. With a team of 450 people spanning 74 sites, the independent family-run caterer has shown what it takes to put staff at the heart of their business.
Speaking about this achievement, Kate Bendall, Joint Managing Director, Connect Catering said, “It’s absolutely amazing. To be recognised as the best company by the Sunday Times is incredible and just shows all our team are with us on this exciting journey to be the best we can be.
“We are always searching for innovative ways to improve and this is brilliant feedback, confirming that everything we have put in place is working and being appreciated by our valued team. As Richard Branson put it “If you look after your staff well, they will look after your customers. Simple.”
Connect Catering is no stranger to The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For, coming fifth in 2018 and moving up four places in just one year to take the top position. With sites across the south of the UK from Birmingham to Worthing, the company holds communication as a key ingredient in the recipe for success.
Kate explains; “When you have 450 staff spread out over the South East, good communication really is the backbone to success. Keeping everyone well informed through the newsletter, regular meetings with the operations team and our two conferences each year, makes all the difference in boosting engagement and ensuring everyone feels like they are truly part of the Connect Catering family.”
Showcasing the best companies in the UK, The Sunday Times issues a survey based on the ‘8 factors of workplace engagement’, benchmarking all with a Best Companies Index which determines their placement.
Scoring 1st in My Manager and Wellbeing and 2nd in Personal Growth, Louise Laver, Joint Managing Director added; “It’s the people at every single level that matter the most. We want everyone who works for Connect Catering to be able to do their job with a smile on their face, because they have all the support and training they need, to perform their roles in the most efficient way possible with knowledge at their fingertips. In this way we are able to provide an unrivalled service for our clients – quite simply we actually do what others just say they do.”
Celebrating coming first in The Sunday Times Best Company to Work For will be a team effort as the company comes together at their next conference.