Bright Horizons celebrates 19 years of Best Workplaces™ Recognition

Bright Horizons, which has nurseries in Edinburgh, has been named as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ 2024 by Great Place To Work®.

Officially announced on Thursday at the Best Workplaces Awards held at London’s Grosvenor House and hosted by Comedian Katherine Ryan, the company ranked 13 in the Super Large category. It is now the 19th year that Bright Horizons has appeared on this prestigious list that celebrates workplace culture.

Ros Marshall, UK Managing Director at Bright Horizons, said: “We are very proud to be included in the UK’s Best Workplaces™ list again this year and are honoured to be the only company from the Early Years sector that has been included in this list for so long.

"At Bright Horizons, we strongly encourage our colleagues to be authentic and enable them to be themselves at work. We actively encourage and promote diversity and individuality, recognising that our collective lived experiences contribute to an environment that enables everyone to flourish.

Bright Horizons colleagues.

"Our organisational culture is grounded in our HEART values, which guide and inspire our collaborative efforts, valuing teamwork, celebrating diverse perspectives, and nurturing open communication. Equity and inclusion are the cornerstones that provide opportunities for all team members, creating a workplace where you can forge enduring connections, and make a lasting impact.”

Bright Horizons provides a comprehensive range of support and benefits for its people as well as sector-leading professional development through a diverse range of learning opportunities. From classroom sessions to online courses and e-learning resources, Bright Horizons ensures that all its colleagues receive tailored, wide-ranging and accessible-to-all training experiences.

Michele Doull, Director of Operations at Bright Horizons and based in Scotland said: “Being part of an organisation that is recognised as a Great Place to Work makes me extremely proud. I have been with the company for almost two years and I have been blown away by the commitment of everyone across all functions, to support each other to ensure we provide the best experiences, for children, families and our staff."

Janine Leightley, HR Director at Bright Horizons said: “Many sectors, including Early Years, are experiencing recruitment challenges. We know our people make the difference when it comes to providing the best education for our children. Working in Early Years is an accessible and rewarding career, especially at Bright Horizons, where we empower people to reach their potential through our training and development programmes. Whether you’re a returning parent looking for flexibility, a man wanting to join the sector, seeking a later-life career change or a recent school leaver looking to embark on your first career, Bright Horizons can help you flourish.

“We are proud of our people and invest in them so they can be at their best. We have already established improved levels of pay as well as other forms of support for all our highly valued teams, from apprentices and graduates to deputies and managers. We help our colleagues reach their own individual career milestones through gaining new skills and building on existing ones, so they have long and successful careers with us.”

Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work® UK, commented: “This recognition is no mean feat and highlights companies across the UK that excel in nurturing high levels of trust in leadership, instilling pride in their workforce, and cultivating strong camaraderie among colleagues. These crucial elements collectively contribute to creating workplaces where employees feel they can truly be themselves and thrive in a supportive environment. Congratulations to Bright Horizons for being part of our 2024 UK’s Best Workplaces™ List."

Great Place To Work® performed rigorous evaluations of hundreds of employee survey responses alongside Culture Audit™ submissions from leaders at each company to create the 2024 UK's Best Workplaces™ list. They then used these data insights to benchmark the effectiveness of companies' employee value propositions against the culture their employees actually experience. Only those businesses who achieve the highest scores after evaluation receive Best Workplaces™ status.

Feeling inspired? Further information on great roles at Bright Horizons can be found by visiting its careers website.