We are delighted to announce that we have been recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the best places to work in the UK, in the small organisation category. The official “The Sunday Times Best Places to Work” 2025 report, in collaboration with the leading employee experience platform, WorkL, was published on 23rd of May. This comprehensive nationwide workplace survey highlights and celebrates the top employers across the UK. Being named one of the best places to work is a significant achievement and we are incredibly proud that our culture and people-first approach have been acknowledged nationally.
Zoe Thomas, editor of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work, said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list is the UK’s biggest survey of employee engagement, compiled in partnership with workplace expert WorkL. Spanning a raft of sectors and located throughout the UK, the organisations in this year’s list range from innovative start-ups with a handful of employees to big multinational corporations staffed by thousands. These organisations know that happy employees are the superpower helping them thrive.”
How the survey works and how we scored
The awards use 26 questions from WorkL’s employee engagement survey, developed by behavioural scientists, data analysts, psychologists, business leaders, academics and other independent parties to most accurately monitor employee engagement, wellbeing and discretionary effort in the workplace. To achieve a high overall engagement score, an organisation must score well across WorkL’s six-step framework:
1. Reward and Recognition
2. Instilling Pride
3. Information Sharing
4. Empowerment
5. Wellbeing
6. Job Satisfaction
Distinct received an “excellent” score in all six categories, with ‘Instilling Pride’, ‘Empowerment’, and ‘Job Satisfaction’ tied for the highest position at 94%. Our CEO, James Calder, who founded Distinct in 2016 with the mission of creating a truly great place to work, was elated to learn of our achievement. He commented: “It is a genuine honour to be recognised by such a prestigious panel. We consistently seek feedback from our employees and while we typically receive positive responses, it is gratifying to see these views validated by an impartial scoring system.”
“Distinct is committed to regularly assessing our benefits package to ensure it remains fair and meaningful, offering perks that genuinely excite our employees or driving bigger change, like enhancing our maternity pay and pension policy. We also champion employee wellbeing in and outside of work. This is especially crucial during challenging market conditions, as it reminds us that we’re in it together – win or lose.”
“Next year marks our tenth anniversary. Over the years, we’ve expanded internationally, entered new markets, and had lots of fun along the way. Ultimately, none of our growth would be possible without our people and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Distinct for their hard work and dedication. We have lots more exciting plans in the pipeline too, so it’s a great time to join us!”
Breakthrough Culture Award winners
In addition to making The Sunday Times’ list of the top 100 small organisations to work for. We are also proud to share that we have been recognised as a winner of the “Breakthrough Culture Award” by global media company hyer, highlighting us as one of the most loved companies to work for in 2025.
The Breakthrough Culture Awards celebrate outstanding employers in the UK. More than 5,000 companies were evaluated, and over 20,000 employees were interviewed anonymously to identify 100 organisations, both large and small, that exemplify a meaningful workplace.
These accomplishments reflect our commitment to fostering a people-first organisation where our employees can truly thrive and genuinely enjoy coming to work each day.
Distinct recruitment careers
We are looking for experienced recruiters to join Distinct at our offices in Nottingham or London. If you’re interested in being part of a company that values well-being and recognises the contributions of every team member, you will excel here. Please visit our careers page to learn more about our opportunities or contact us today.
References:
Credit to The Sunday Times, Best Places to Work and Hyer.
