It’s easy to feel sense of destiny about work in a company that employs Beyoncé Knowles in its advertising campaigns.

The 5,366 staff at American Express, the global financial and travel services giant, say it really cares about their wellbeing, has good management and offers a lot of scope for personal development.

Based in London, but with 31 locations around the UK, the firm has a loyal workforce: half of its employees have been there for more than five years. Holiday increases from 22 days to 27 for team members, and from 25 to 30 days for managers, depending on length of service. After five years with the firm, people can take a sabbatical (17 are doing so at present), and there are opportunities to work for not-for-profit organisations on full pay and benefits.

People feel relaxed about their jobs, with realistic deadlines (a 66% positive score) and a good balance of work and home life (68%). The company comes fourth overall for questions on wellbeing, with a 65% positive score. Everyone can job share, opt for reduced or compressed hours, or work from home, and about a fifth of staff do.

Related Internet Links

• Company website

• Amex's entry in 2007

• Amex's entry in 2006

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Background

• Hats off to great leadership

• Getting the message across loud and clear

• Fly high with the X Factor

• Why it pays to know what you’re doing

Background

• Charity wins top small company award

• Special awards for best practice

• Rules of engagement

• 100 Best SME's to work for 2008

Multimedia

• Best Small Companies to Work For 2008

• Highlights from the awards ceremony

The maternity scheme offers 14 weeks at full pay, 25 at the government minimum and then 13 unpaid. Fathers have three days of the statutory leave on full pay.

Just over a third of the workforce earn between £15,000 and £25,000 a year, but people feel fairly paid for their responsibilities (58%). Everyone has performance-related pay, life assurance, an employee assistance programme and wellness programme, and about half have private healthcare. Half of staff are on a final salary pension and the rest (newer recruits) have a contributory scheme, putting in an average 3.5% of salary, with 11% from the firm.

The company offers a host of training schemes and a leadership model asks managers to be present, caring, inspiring and rigorous. Staff say they do express appreciation for a job well done (76%), talk openly and honestly with them (79%) and care about them (76%).

“Good citizenship” is one of the firm’s values, demonstrated by its charity work, which employees believe is not just driven by a desire for good publicity (57%, the fourth best score).

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