Bonuses, breakfasts, annual trips overseas and thank you presents are among the perks on offer at the three Hull firms
Rachel Di Clemente, chief executive of Hudgell Solicitors.(Image: Neil Holmes Photography Limited)
Annual trips abroad, breakfast mornings, generous bonuses and thank you gifts delivered to staff members’ doors have catapulted three Hull and East Yorkshire firms into a high profile list – and not for the first time.
The official Sunday Times Best Places to Work list has been published, singling out more than 500 firms as the UK’s top employers. Featuring a mixed bag of businesses including Burger King, David Lloyd Clubs, Irwin Mitchell and Hotel Chocolat, the list showcases organisations that are leading the way in employee engagement, workplace culture and overall employee experience.
To feature on the list, companies must achieve a staff engagement score of at least 70%. All those featured make their staff feel special through a raft of initiatives, including early finishes, free takeaways, virtual GP services, international secondments and subsidised sports.
And a trio of Hull and East Yorkshire firms are celebrating making the 2026 list, which is published in partnership with leading employee experience platform WorkL. The three regional firms are Hudgell Solictors, James Legal and William Jackson Food Group.
Hudgell Solicitors, which has 184 employees, features in the medium sized list for a second year running. The staff at the employee-owned law firm were involved in setting the company’s values, which include being “refreshingly down to earth”. All employees get a share of the profits, and a new forum including legal and non-legal representatives from all offices and departments ensures makes sure everyone is involved in decisions.
The firm also has flexible hybrid working and regular social events, including office breakfast mornings, and days where colleagues share homemade food.
Rachel Di Clemente, chief executive, said: “We’re thrilled to be named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list for the second year in succession. As a firm which has established a reputation for excellent client care, maintaining that can only be achieved with a happy workforce who take pride in the work they do and feel valued and supported in their roles, which in our industry, can be challenging and pressurised at times.
“As an Employee Ownership Trust, colleagues across all departments feel fully engaged and able to influence change within our business, and have done so through a dedicated employee forum, which gives all a voice in decisions, to ensure we keep improving the experience for our teams.”
James Legal, features on the small business list, having grown from three staff to 35 in the last 16 years. The firm, which has bases in Hull and Beverley provides consumer and business services from conveyancing to debt collection and, according to one employee who took part in the engagement survey, offers empathy and support to its workers. Employees also have flexible hours, private healthcare, generous bonuses and annual trips abroad. The firm featured on the list in 2024.
Meanwhile, sixth-generation family business William Jackson Food Group, which has its head office in Hessle, employs 1,846 people across 19 UK locations, and features in the big business list.
It has a wellbeing and rewards platform provided by Reward Gateway, which gives access to a free online GP, 24/7 emotional support, financial and legal guidance, and discounts at more than 900 retailers. There are also grants for carers, tailored assistance for those experiencing domestic abuse, and paid volunteering days. Twice yearly, small thank-you gifts are also delivered to employees’ at their homes.
A spokesperson for the business said: “The William Jackson Food Group are delighted to have been recognised with a Sunday Times Best Places to Work award for the third year running in the Big Organisation category. As a business, we champion the engagement and wellbeing of our teams, and would like to thank all of our colleagues for taking the time to complete the survey and share their feedback. There are areas we continue to focus on in order to make our workplaces the best they can be where our colleagues thrive and grow, and being awarded a Sunday Times Best Places to Work award is fantastic recognition of the achievements so far.”
Overall, the Best Places to Work list features 567 organisations across industries, split into 28 Best Very Big Places to Work, 126 Best Big Places to Work, 218 Best Medium Places to Work, and 195 Best Small Places to Work.
Zoe Thomas, editor of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work, said: “In an evolving world of work Britain’s leading employers are helping staff forge careers that count today – and in the future. In turn, the Best Places to Work have the resilience to weather the current economic storms baked in, thanks to engaged workers who go above and beyond with a smile.
“Our winning employers span sizes and sectors – from tiny charities and specialist law firms, to multinational fast-food chains and utility giants, and everywhere in between. The thread joining them is the belief that a happy workforce is a stepping stone to better performance, faster growth, and bigger profits. More than that, there’s a collective instinct that a contented rank-and-file is a worthwhile business goal in and of itself.”
You can read The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 in full here.
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