News 2006
Virgin Mobile voted one of the best workplaces in the UK
18/05/2006
Virgin Mobile is ranked in the FT’s Top 50 Best Workplaces list, in 22nd place, for the third time.
18.05.06: Virgin Mobile is honoured today in the annual `Best 50 Workplaces in the UK’ survey, being voted the 22nd best place to work in the UK for the third time in four years.
Tom Alexander, CEO of Virgin Mobile, said: “I am delighted that Virgin Mobile has been ranked in the top 50 Best Workplaces list for a third time in four years. This is an outstanding achievement, and proves that despite our rapid growth Virgin Mobile keeps its ‘magic’ culture. Virgin Mobile is an incredible company, which just keeps going from strength to strength, thanks to our great team. Our people, based in Trowbridge, London, Middlesbrough and Daventry, are proud to be recognised for making Virgin Mobile one of the best workplaces in Britain. I’d like to thank them for all their dedication in making Virgin Mobile so successful, and our customers for their ongoing support.”
Overall, the results show that Virgin Mobile is a friendly place to work, scoring a massive score of 95% in this category. The company also scored highly elsewhere with 80% of voters saying they are proud to tell others they work for Virgin Mobile, and 84% feel that Virgin Mobile has special and unique staff benefits. Staff also boast of Virgin Mobile offering a balance of benefits and opportunities which makes it a ‘fair’ place to work and to pursue their careers.
Virgin Mobile was previously ranked in 22nd place in the FT best workplaces list in both 2003 and 2004. It remains the only mobile phone operator to appear in the top 25 companies on the list.
The company is no stranger to winning other prestigious awards either, in the annual `Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to Work For’ 2005 awards, it was voted the 72nd best company to work for in Britain and third best company in the South West. Also in the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates annual poll, Virgin Mobile achieved top marks for having the most-satisfied customers of any mobile communications provider in the pre-pay sector for two years’ running in 2004 and 2005; plus it has won a host of other high profile awards.
Notes:
Every year hundreds of organisations are nominated for the UK’s `Best Workplaces’ contest. It is an initiative which aims to recognise and congratulate organisations that are committed to providing a positive work environment for their employees. The top 50 `Best Workplaces’ are published in the Financial Times `Best Workplaces’ Special Report annually.
As part of Virgin Mobile’s participation in the 2006 UK’s `Best Workplaces’ contest, the survey was distributed to 566 employees at Virgin Mobile, of whom 393 responded, resulting in a 69% response rate. These responses were used to determine the 2006 UK’s `Best Workplaces’ list.
Contacts:
Virgin Mobile Press Office: 0845 6006272 or press.office@virginmobile.com
Joanne Baker: 07941 233300 or jo.baker@virginmobile.com
Alison Bonny: 07802 430276 or alison.bonny@virginmobile.com
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers*.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Dixons, Phones 4u, Curry's, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman plus hundreds of independent mobile phones dealers and available via Shop Direct, Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly (contract) is currently available in Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4u and at concessions in WHSmith and at www.virginmobile.com.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Virgin Mobile's customers were found to be the most-satisfied mobile consumers in the pre-pay sector for two years running in 2005 and 2004, according to the surveys by J.D. Power and Associates. Virgin Mobile is also featured in `The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ list 2005 and is part of the FTSE4Good Index.
*On a 90-day activity basis
