Local radio owner UKRD has been named the Sunday Times’ best medium-sized company to work for in 2011.
The group, which owns 16 stations around the country, moved up from 27th in last year’s ‘small companies’ list.
Group CEO William Rogers told RadioToday.co.uk: “To have stepped up a category and at the same time received such a remarkable accolade is testament to the culture, values and involving style of the business and this is a reflection of our managers at all levels as well as the teams we have on the ground and their full engagement with our organisation.”
He added: “I am hugely proud of this recognition and what it says not only about our business but more importantly, our people. The team is to be commended on its outstanding performance over the last year.”
All staff in the group – which includes stations such as Pirate FM, Spire FM and Stray FM, as well as recently-acquired 107 The Bee in Lancashire – will get an extra day’s holiday to celebrate.
UKRD Group is the only radio company in the country to be accredited in this way and was the highest ranked media company of any type in the category which covers businesses employing over 250 people. The firm posted operating profits of nearly £1.5m last year and is the UK’s fifth largest radio group in terms of stations owned.
The group employed 256 staff at the time of the inspections and gave the highest scores for what they thought of managers, with 90 percent of workers also saying the have fun with colleagues.
Sarah Barry, managing director of Stray FM, was one of the many staff who said they thought the organisation was run on strong values. "The firm is ambitious but really looks after its people,” she said. "I absolutely love my job. You are encouraged to treat it more as if it were your own business."
UKRD spent £64,000 on treats for staff last year – including days out sailing, theatre trips, parties and clay pigeon shooting. The survey also reveals that more than 60 percent of staff earn between £15k and £20k a year.
"It is the closest thing to a family business without actually being a family business that you can get," added William Rogers.