MAIDENHEAD, Berkshire, 21 May 2010 – The Great Place to Work® Institute has once again named Abbott as one of the UK’s Top 50 Best Workplaces. This was the second consecutive year that Abbott has been included on the list.
The Great Place to Work Institute evaluates the degree of trust at organisations by analysing employee responses to its Trust Index© Employee Survey. The research also encompasses key metrics that determine a leading working environment, from the benefits available to employees through to levels of employee engagement with senior management.
According to Abbott HR Director, Amanda White, "This award is important recognition of Abbott's continued success in the UK as both a business and an employer. Abbott is a great place to work to make a difference to the lives of others, connecting employees with their potential through extensive development programmes and a multitude of career paths."
Abbott has a long track record of providing a great place to work for its employees. Initiatives such as Abbott Life offer a modern and flexible range of benefits (such as holiday buy/sell, childcare vouchers and learning account) that employees can match to their personal circumstances. In addition, Abbott helps employees to succeed, lead and grow through programmes such as Targeting Success, which takes high-potential employees through a year-long development programme that includes a volunteering project in their local community.
Employees' anonymous feedback from the Great Place to Work survey further demonstrates Abbott's high level of employee engagement:
"Abbott genuinely cares about us as people as well as employees."
"The opportunity to participate in community projects is fantastic as you help the local community plus get some great team building often with people you wouldn't usually work with."
"The opportunity for further development is always there and encouraged. That opportunity is open to all who wish to find it and if further development is not within one's expectations then it is ok to stay where you are doing the job that you enjoy."
Over the last year, Abbott has received a number of industry awards and, most recently, was named the world's most admired company in its industry sector in 2010 by FORTUNE magazine.
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Notes to editors
About the Great Place to Work Institute
The UK's Best Workplaces Programme is run by the Great Place to Work® Institute UK, which forms part of the world’s largest programme to recognise excellence in people management. A great place to work is one where employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people with whom they work.
The Great Place to Work® Institute is a global research and management consultancy with expertise on workplace transformation and has a presence in 40 countries worldwide. The global research programme is the world’s largest in the sector with over 4,000 organisations and over 1.5 million employees surveyed each year.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 83,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
Abbott has been operating in the UK for more than 70 years and currently has operations in Maidenhead, Berkshire (UK Headquarters), Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, the Midlands and Oxfordshire. An Investor in People and accredited Best Company, Abbott employs approximately 2,000 people nationwide.
Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's websites at www.abbott.co.uk and www.abbott.com.