Bright Horizons Secures Place in UK's Best Workplaces for Development™ 2025 List!

Bright Horizons ranked 14 in the 2025 UK’s Best Workplaces for Development List, four places higher than in 2024. The list recognises companies making employee development a key part of their culture.

The listed workplaces offer employees the chance to better themselves, learn new skills, and progress within the organisation. By being included in the list, these companies demonstrate that development is not one-size-fits-all and actively support each employee's tailored growth journey. As a result, their people are fuelled by a sense of purpose, feel valued by their employer, and give their best to the organisation.

Janine Leightley, newly appointed Chief Operating Officer at Bright Horizons, says: “It’s fantastic to receive this type of accolade for development. Our Employee Experience Survey is one of the vital tools that we use to listen to and understand our people. We were thrilled by how much our colleagues value the opportunity to share their experiences, and our latest results on this front were incredibly encouraging.”

This is what colleagues at Bright Horizons think:

• 98% are proud of Bright Horizons and its efforts to impact the world positively.
• 94% feel they have the training needed to excel in their roles.
• 98% feel comfortable sharing their background and cultural experiences with colleagues.
• 97% say they can be their authentic selves at work.
• 96% feel confident voicing their ideas and opinions, even when they differ from others.

Janine continued: “These insights, along with feedback through focus groups and our Be Heard employee forum, have helped to shape our ‘You’re the Difference’ Employee Value Proposition (EVP). This is centred around four key pillars – Purpose, Reward, Ambition, and Belonging. Our EVP reflects what matters most to our colleagues and demonstrates our investment in people.

“We pride ourselves on our inclusive and supportive culture, which is built around empowering every team member to thrive. Our talent management strategy transcends traditional practices like talent acquisition and performance management. It is rooted in an inclusive, purpose-driven approach to nurturing individual talent and ensuring that the right people are in the right roles or prepared for future opportunities. For example, our annual Talent Calibrations help identify colleagues with leadership potential, providing them with the necessary support and training to develop their capabilities. Through strategic talent management, we are nurturing a culture of continuous learning, enhancing our colleague value proposition, and promoting diversity.”

Bright Horizons proudly participates in initiatives such as Age-friendly Employer and Happy to Talk Flexible Working. Notably, they are the first Early Years provider to achieve CIPD People Development Partner status. These efforts underscore a dedication to creating a supportive and dynamic workplace where every team member can thrive.

“Training and development aren’t just about helping employees perform their day-to-day tasks – it’s about demonstrating that people are valued and that there’s a clear path for growth and inclusion. When employees can’t see opportunities ahead, they’re less likely to be fully engaged, which can harm both productivity and retention,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work® UK.

“Development is all about looking forward – it shows a commitment to an employee’s long-term potential. It helps individuals feel appreciated and plays a vital role in shaping a strong company culture. Every year, we celebrate organisations that are building exceptional workplace cultures where people and businesses thrive. Learning and development opportunities are a key part of that, which is why we’re especially excited to be unveiling the UK’s Best Workplaces for Development.”

“Congratulations to Bright Horizons for being part of our 2025 UK’s Best Workplaces for Development List."

To compile the UK’s Best Workplaces for Development List, Great Place To Work® reviewed each company’s culture, benefits, approach to leadership and development, alongside anonymous responses from employees. These data insights are then used to benchmark each company's employee value proposition against the culture employees actually experience. Only the businesses who achieve the highest scores after evaluation receive Best Workplaces™ status.

Inspired to make a difference! Explore exciting career opportunities available at Bright Horizons.