Contractors lead the pack in first good employer guide

Contractors have emerged as the employers most likely to offer staff perks such as sabbaticals and flexible working in the first ever Building Good Employer Guide.

Analysis of the 50 contractors, consultants, architects and engineers who made it into the guide revealed 80% of main and specialist contractors offered career breaks and sabbaticals, compared with 40% on average. Furthermore, 60% offered the option of working from home, compared with an average of 45% for the rest. Contractors also led the way on healthcare, with nine out of 10 offering a private health scheme.

Architects were the most generous with flexible working hours – 79% offered flexitime, compared with 44% overall.

Engineers were least likely to offer sabbaticals, but all offered pensions, and 50% offered enhanced maternity benefits, compared with an average of 44%. They also offered the most holiday on average (29.4 days).

The guide was compiled from firms who responded to a call for entrants. The winning 50 were selected based on the results of more than 15,000 questionnaires sent to their employees.

Staff were asked to rate their employers on the basis of corporate social responsibility, smart working, the feel good factor, leadership, inspiration and ability to contribute.