- UK-based BE Offices has been recognised by Property Week as one of the best places to work in the property industry.
- BEโs current staff have given over 700 years of service to the company, testament to the investment BE makes in its employees.
- With a strong emphasis on work/life balance, BE provides staff wellness initiatives, gym facilities, team lunches, recognition schemes, and charity days.
BE Offices (โBEโ), one of the UKโs leading independent providers of flexible workspace, has been recognised by industry magazine Property Week as one of the best places to work in property.
For the third year running BE has been selected as one of only 43 real estate businesses across Britain that are the best places to work.
BE continues to be the only flexible workspace provider that makes the list โ a tremendous achievement considering the explosion of new businesses in the sector over the past two years.
Since its inception in 1994 BE has always focused on creating a workplace that is not only inclusive and diversified but also actively encourages people to grow with the business as well placing a strong emphasis on work/life balance.
As a result, BE has an unusually high number of people who have remained within the company for 10 years or more. This is increasingly reflected in high service levels which many BE clients cite as a key reason for occupying workspace in their centres.
BEโs current staff have given over 700 years of service to the company, testament to the investment BE makes in its employees, including a loyalty of service scheme which rewards staff with incentives at five yearly intervals. An employee celebrating 25 years received an extra five days paid leave and ยฃ5000 of vouchers.
BE stood out as a great place to work in a number of key areas. Overwhelmingly, staff feedback focused on the family feel to the business, how caring and friendly everyone is and how itโs a fun environment in which to work.
โFantasticโ benefits were frequently mentioned, in addition to generous paid leave employeesโ birthdays are celebrated with a further day off as well as being granted three extra paid charity days per year for volunteer work in the community.
BE also funds a two-week international charity trip for two members of staff. Past projects include reef conservation in Belize and elephant rescue in Thailand. This year the firm is sending two members of staff to a turtle conservation project in Costa Rica.
There is a strong emphasis on wellness at the company. BE runs a Stop Smoking programme that offers staff who want to quit ยฃ100 a year to spend on stop smoking aids along with a reward of a further ยฃ100 in vouchers for those who quit for at least six months.
Most of BEโs centres have on-site gym facilities, free for staff to use, also a cycle to work scheme and step challenge competitions to encourage people to get active. In addition, staff have the option to use height adjustable desks.
BE received praise for its โGoing the Extra Mileโ awards scheme. This a programme enabling staff to nominate colleagues for exceptional work or actions for which they receive vouchers of their choice. The top three โGems of the Monthโ receive an extra ยฃ150, ยฃ100 or ยฃ50 voucher.
Other perks include a family fun day which is arranged to bring all staff and their families together, funded quarterly social evenings, monthly team lunches and a huge Christmas party. Further pluses include reduced hours at Christmas and a relaxed dress code for non-client facing staff. Fridays are celebrated with free doughnuts and end of the day drinks and snacks.
BEโs green credentials mean staff know they are working in an eco-friendly environment. BEโs buildings are powered by renewable sourced energy and the company has invested over ยฃ1m converting to energy efficient lighting. Achieving higher than average recycling rates, BE consistently seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. The company even sponsors a beehive.
The list of progressive and exciting property companies was compiled by Best Companies Group on behalf of Property Week, which subjected businesses to rigorous employer and employee surveys, evaluating them across key metrics such as overall management, culture and communications, leadership and planning, and work environment.
