Admiral’s four pillars help define our unique workplace culture and have been the basis for some of our greatest achievements, including being on the Sunday Times Best Companies to work for list for the 18th year in a row.
Communication
Our first pillar is centred on ensuring that everyone in the company feels involved; everyone knows what’s going on and feels part of a collective endeavour. It’s just as important that communication goes both ways, with people feeling that they can approach any level of management with an openness and willingness to share problems.Equality
We ensure that there are no obvious signs of separation with managers sat amongst their teams on the floors so that everyone is made to feel equal . One of the other ways that we ensure there is equality is by awarding up to £3,600 of shares every year to everyone, at every level in every part of our business.Reward & Recognition
Staff are rewarded in terms of incentives, bonuses and in the form of shares. Of course, there is more to rewards than money. It is extremely important to us that we praise people when they do a good job – we give constant feedback and say thank you for doing a good job day in day out.Fun
Our philosophy is that ‘if people like what they do, they do it better’ - staff are encouraged whenever and wherever possible to have fun and spend time with colleagues – this makes life more enjoyable and helps get to know each other better with team away days, afternoons out, Christmas and summer parties and regular competitions and ways to get involved as part of our ‘Ministry of Fun’ offer ways to do this.How does the culture differ to other companies?
Unlike many other companies, Admiral has an informal working environment where staff are trusted and have autonomy within their roles. Through Admiral’s flat hierarchy, decisions are made collaboratively and quickly to respond to change and these changes are implemented almost immediately, whereas, in many corporate companies, decisions are made at the top and can take a long time to implement. Management here are flexible, approachable and are there to help you flourish and develop in your role with a good work / life balance encouraged. We spoke to Amiee from People Services ‘‘My manager approached me and asked if I was finishing early on the day that my daughter was starting high school – it was the thoughtfulness of it all that makes it such a nice place to work here.
‘‘They go out of their way to make you feel appreciated and that you’re useful. When I first started I was introduced to the Head of People Services on one of my first days and I had no idea that he was such senior management – you don’t get a sense of the ‘big shots’ here, everyone is down to earth and very approachable. I work with such lovely people and I love that I have job security here’’.
We have everything you’d expect from a large FTSE 100 company, like a contributory pension scheme, free shares and dental care, amongst others. However, our commitment to providing staff with the services and support they need to ensure that they are happy and healthy in their working lives ensures we are offering more than the basics.
Admiral’s laid back atmosphere means that staff can wear what they feel most comfortable in to work – be it jeans or joggers.
There are also endless opportunities to advance your career with regular internal job postings, support and training. By investing in our people and maintaining a supportive workplace, we can assist our staff in achieving their career goals and personal aspirations.
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