Controlled chaos makes Creditsafe an uncommon place to work

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to detail the policies and practices that helped Creditsafe UK, a provider of online company credit reports, to earn 23rd place in the latest Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For.Design/methodology/approachThe paper focuses on the areas of recruitment, induction, training, empowerment, teamwork, management style, flexible working and promotion from within. It includes the personal stories of three employees of the company.FindingsThe paper explains that the culture built from day one has been conducive to high levels of employee engagement. Significant emphasis has been placed on creating an environment that welcomes dynamic, motivated and hard‐working people and gives them the opportunity to grow to the best of their ability.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights the importance of creating a friendly, high‐energy, engaged environment with opportunities for personal growth and advancement.Social implicationsIt stresses the key role of promoting employees from within the company.Originality/valueThe paper details a number of unusual HR practices, including the provision of activity areas with table‐tennis or football tables, plus a disco ball adorning all sales departments, with the sales floor being affectionately referred to as the dance floor. It advances the view that, through creative employment‐engagement strategies, companies can derive measurable and tangible business benefits. Companies can improve their profitability by investing in employee development, through productivity gains and reduced employee churn.