43. Zed Media

There’s no need to spin a defensive company line about this media agency that wants to place itself “where all lines meet”. Staff at the London-based firm plan and buy advertising space for businesses such as BT, Scottish Widows and BMW, and feel a genuine bond with the company.
The 110-strong business gets its highest scores for the fun employees have with their teams, its supportive management and the chance staff have to grow. People are excited about where the organisation is going (an 85% positive score) and feel fully involved at work (84%).
From the day they start at Zed Media, staff formulate a personal development plan that is updated every three months. The firm invests in bespoke courses, including management coaching, and funds qualifications. There are lunchtime training sessions, with a free lunch provided, as well as buddy systems. Staff say the job is good for personal growth (85%), with beneficial training (81%) and valuable experiences for the future (88%).
Everyone earns more than £15,000 a year and a quarter of employees have a salary of more than £45,000. Maternity leave is eight weeks at full pay, in addition to the statutory package. All employees are entitled to free private healthcare, including their families (which about half take up). Everyone has life assurance and critical illness cover, and the firm also offers company loans.
The business offers a variety of flexible working methods, including home working and compressed or staggered hours, giving people BlackBerrys, mobile phones and remote IT access. Few have suffered work-related stress in the past year (85%, a top 20 positive score).
There is a designated environmental officer and Zed has been assessed by the Carbon Trust in an effort to reduce its impact on the world. Staff have paid time to volunteer for charity and the organisation matches funds raised for any sponsored activity. This is not driven by a desire for publicity (66%).
People feel a healthy buzz working in their teams (79%) and the job is enhanced by perks such as free fruit, subsidised massages and gym membership, reflexology and even beauty treatments. Zed encourages people to cycle to work and offers early finishes for good work or bank holidays. It even provides discounted hypnotherapy to help stop smoking.