Pannone is still the UK’s best law firm to work for and wins a Lifetime Achievement award to mark five years as a top 10 company. Headed by managing partner Joy Kingsley for 14 years, the Manchester-based company continues to offer one of the best working environments in the UK, with questions relating to personal growth and fair deal the third and second best in the survey respectively.

Keeping employees’ professional interest piqued is one of Pannone’s real fortes. It subsidises courses in the law for everyone who wants to do them, whether or not they are employed as lawyers. As well as paying half the fees, time off for revision and exams is given.

And once you’re in at Pannone, they don’t want to let you go. If a lawyer decides practising law is no longer for them and would like to develop other skills, the firm will try and redeploy them and provide training. It all adds to an environment in which everyone knows what they are doing. Staff scored the question about whether there was a clear delineation about who does what at the organisation 85% positive, the best result in the survey.

Employees think their jobs are good for their own personal growth, giving this question an 85% positive score (the sixth best in the survey). They aren’t bored by their work, with an 84% positive score — the second highest of any company in the list. And they recognise that the opportunities to learn and grow are exceptional, scoring this question 79% positive, a result bettered by just two other organisations.

Related Internet Links

• Company website

• Pannone's entry in 2007

• Pannone's entry in 2006

Turning up the Heat pays off

Strong training and a sense that work is to be enjoyed add up to Heat powering past its rivals into top spot this year

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

Performance- and profit-related pay is offered to all, as is private healthcare. Stress levels are low (health suffering due to work is lower at just one other company, scoring 88% positive at Pannone) and staff feel fairly paid compared to their peers at other firms (78% positive, the second highest score in the list).

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