Clarasys has been named one of the best companies to work for in 2021 across three categories by Best Companies, including:
- 5th Best Mid-Sized Company to Work For in the UK
- 2nd Best Consultancy to Work For in the UK
- 2nd Best Mid-Sized Company to Work For in London
But what does that mean? In this blog, we talk to three of our Clarasys team members, from a new joiner to a long-standing member of the team, to describe what this means to them, and why.
Why has Clarasys been named one of the best companies to work for in 2021?
Lorna Van Baar – joined March 2021
As someone who has not long joined Clarasys, I was extremely excited by the results from Best Companies, and it solidified my decision to join the organisation.
Since I began back in March, I have been impressed by the supportive nature Clarasys offers to each and every member of the team. Although I started virtually, I must have met over 30 people via zoom in my first two weeks, and received many other messages from people welcoming me.
I have been actively encouraged to engage with courses and develop my skills, based on what I am interested in and what I feel will help me to progress professionally.
Upon joining Clarasys everyone is assigned a coach to help you set goals for the future and work towards achieving them, and a buddy to help you settle in and to answer any questions.
It is refreshing to work for an organisation whose purpose statement actually stands true:
“We make a lasting difference to the way people work, live and grow.”
I can already see why Clarasys have been ranked as one of the best companies to work for. It seems to have gone from strength to strength from the beginning. I am looking forward to building my career alongside the company as it continues to grow.
Klara Nenadlova – joined 2019
When I joined Clarasys I had a very stereotypical idea that consulting was a ‘man’s world’ and that I’d probably work longer hours. I was positively impressed that within our company neither is the case: everyone has a voice and that voice is respected. A key differentiator for me was that the people at Clarasys would ensure you get the right work-life balance. I still remember how in my first week, a colleague told me to go home three minutes after our official working hours were done as I “shouldn’t work overtime unnecessarily”. Over two years later, while feeling honoured to be in one of the best companies to work for, I’m not at all surprised that this is the case.
While we have grown in size, we still retain our goal to do the best by our people and clients. It drives our decision making and our way of working – it’s not just a slogan, and that’s a really key distinction to other places I’ve worked at. The flat hierarchy that we have is one of the ways in which Clarasys brings this to practice, and I’ve always felt that if you’re eager to develop and keen to make a difference internally, the sky is your limit. There will always be activities that require experience or approval but Clarasys is a place where I feel like I can drive and shape things if I want to, and am given the support to do it right.
Here, a voice not only matters but it carries value with it, and that value is set in individuality. People are celebrated for who they are, and they can bring their real selves to work. With one of our values being trust and honesty, people put trust in each other to be themselves and in turn trust that you will be the same. This creates an environment layered with support and belief that each day you aim to put your best foot forward. The belief reinforces the behaviour, and the behaviour drives what makes Clarasys, Clarasys.
Will Summers – joined 2014
Clarasys has always wanted to do things differently. From the day I first joined to now that has largely centred on how it treats its people. If you treat people well, a lot of other things take care of themselves.
When I first joined, I associated that with being a management consultant that didn’t frequently work 12 hour days and had a voice that was heard. Having been with the company for seven years, I now know it’s so much more than that. It’s considering the impact on people in all decisions and considering that alongside the business and client needs.
While I’ve been at the company a lot has changed; we’ve moved offices, we’ve rebranded, we’ve reorganised, we’ve grown, we’ve shrunk, we’ve turned a profit and we’ve made a loss but one thing hasn’t changed – the intangible principle of people being put first.
So what does that actually mean, here are some examples:
- There’s little hierarchy and bureaucracy has not taken over as we’ve grown. Have an idea, run with it, own it and make it happen with the support that you need.
- The company has moved from being owned by its directors to being owned by its employees (Employee Ownership Trust)
- Every resourcing decision considers preferences and includes a discussion with the individuals concerned and their coaches.
- Being able to say no to work where it’s not the right kind of work for our people, be that because of the subject matter, the type of work or the culture and environment within an organisation. We have chosen not to bid for work, we’ve withdrawn from competitive processes and withdrawn from engagements if we feel it is not right for our people.
- When we were making a loss in 2015 and when we hit hard times during the pandemic in 2020 the first thought wasn’t ‘how do we reduce our losses’, it was how do we protect and keep our people. During both of those times of sustained pressure on the business, there were no redundancies.
- Where the pandemic saw people go on furlough or pay reduced for those still working, the company is now working to pay back the difference out of any profit, now the industry is recovering.
- Feedback is ingrained in our culture which helps to maintain honesty, transparency and trust in all of our day to day interactions.
If you are interested in starting a career at one of the best companies to work for, get in touch with our recruitment team at recruitment@clarasys.com.
About Best Companies
Best Companies are workplace engagement specialists who believe that a happy and healthy workforce is key to successful businesses. Its ‘Best Companies to Work For’ lists and accreditation, spotlight the UK’s best workplaces on a national stage.
The process begins with Best Companies sending out a survey to each organisation, for employees to fill in. The responses are then analysed by Best Companies to find out which companies are excelling in employee engagement.
Find out more here: www.b.co.uk/
