John Lewis tops list of best UK retailers to work for

Despite the fact that the department store chain has cut bonuses for John Lewis and Waitrose staff for the fifth year in a row

Your future John Lewis home? The partnership is looking at a series of potential new ventures (Getty)

Working in retail can be hard - what with rude customers, long hours on your feet and manic sales, it’s not an easy job.

It makes all the difference then, when you’re employed by a company who looks after its staff.

Job site giant Indeed has revealed the best UK retailers to work for in 2018.

It may come of no surprise to learn that John Lewis has topped the list.

This comes despite the fact that the department store chain has cut bonuses for John Lewis and Waitrose staff for the fifth year in a row.

Employees will this year get a five per cent bonus, down from six per cent last year. It’s also the lowest bonus rate since 1954, when it was four per cent.

However John Lewis still emerged top in the ranking, which is based on thousands of employee reviews left on the individual company pages of Indeed in 2017.

Each company was rated on its work/life balance, pay, job security, management and culture.

In second place came Lush Cosmetics, where staff get a 50 per cent discount.

“Working at Lush was a part-time job for me while at university, but the impact it had on my life went way beyond those three years,” one former Lush employee told The Independent.

“I worked with the most amazing people - from drag queens, to west end stars to artists - in a small basement in Covent Garden and we’d spent Saturdays playing with bubbles, talking to people about everything from skincare to their deepest hopes and dreams and politics.

“Unlike other high street stores Lush was never afraid to talk to customers about current affairs, take a stance and put their money where there mouth was by giving radical grassroots campaigns funding - likes Sisters Uncut and Plane Stupid.

“Working there was fun, it was rowdy and I smelled brilliant all day every day. Literally had the best years of my life there.”

The Poole-based company was rated highly for its ethical stance - employees and customers alike have praised Lush for never testing products on animals and ensuring they only use vegetarian ingredients.

The best retailers to work for in the UK:

1. John Lewis
2. Lush Cosmetics
3. IKEA
4. Marks & Spencer
5. Clarks
6. Pandora Jewellery
7. Harrods
8. GAME
9. Waitrose 
10. The Body Shop
11. TK Maxx
12. Gap
13. Argos
14. Post Office
15. Sainsbury’s 

Kevin Walker, of Indeed, said: “Our research shows great brands are the ones whose staff feel valued, well managed - and part of a positive company culture.

“Having fun, feeling like you’re having an impact and seeing that impact extend beyond the company to the world - those are the things that make a workplace really special.”

Click here for John Lewis discount codes