Harrison Drury hits Top 40 in ‘Best Companies’ list

Lancashire law firm Harrison Drury has entered the UK Top 40, well at least when it comes to its relations with its staff.

The firm has made number 39 in the Sunday Times list of the Top 100 Best Small Companies to Work For, which is compiled after an in-depth study of how good companies are at engaging with their employees.

Harrison Drury found out in December that it had been awarded a Three Star Accreditation for employee engagement – the highest rating available – by Best Companies, the organisation that conducts the research.

The firm – which has its head office in Preston – then had to wait until an award ceremony in London on February 24 to find out exactly where it ranked in the Top 100 list.

John Chesworth, managing director of Harrison Drury said: “When we found out we were among the best employers in the country for how our staff perceive their life at work, we were absolutely thrilled. To then be named so high up in the prestigious Sunday Times list just left us speechless.

“We decided long ago that the only way to make our clients happy was to have a happy and high-performing workforce. It feel fantastic to have the strides we’ve made over the last few years recognised at a national level.”

Laura Dover, operations manager at Harrison Drury, added: “We won’t rest on our laurels, we’ll use this achievement as a springboard. We want to show people they can have a great legal career here in the North West.”

The Best Companies survey examines the ins-and-outs of company life and reveals how employees really perceive their working environment.

Harrison Drury has introduced a number of ways of engaging with staff, including ‘interactive’ meetings where employees are encouraged to give their views and have them taken into account when business decisions are made.

Other measures taken include having a clear and understandable vision, mission and values, having regular and transparent communication with staff, and mentoring employees to promote strong leadership. Harrison Drury is a one of the region’s fastest-growing law firms and has gone from 23 staff in 2010 to 72 staff in 2016.