Seven recruitment firms have earned places in The Sunday Times ‘100 Best Companies to Work For 2010’.

Office Angels was ranked 4th in the list, published yesterday (7 March), and received kudos for the level of autonomy handed to each branch, with individual managers assessing their own direction and goals and putting together their own business plans.

The remaining six recruitment firms on the list were:

• Pertemps People Development Group, pictured (19)
• Ingeus (38)
• Pulse (46)
• Randstad (63)
• Blue Arrow (73)
• Pertemps Recruitment Partnership (81)

Chicken restaurant chain Nando’s was No. 1 in The Sunday Times list of Best Big Companies to Work For. (See profile of Sean Thomas, Nando’s head of HR, Recruiter, 3 February.)

Ben Birchall, HR director, Pertemps People Development Group, says: “It was undoubtedly a tough year for everyone at PPDG and all Welfare-to-Work providers that had to weather the storm of staff turnover and the uncertainty around Flexible New Deal. Many of our competitors suffered as a result. The economic climate and difficult jobs market clearly had a wider impact.

“In this context, PPDG’s rise to 19th position was truly remarkable – a testament not only to the company’s values and commitment to its employees, but its employees’ continued passion and commitment to their company.”

Diane Martyn, chief executive of Randstad UK, which is the process of integrating firms previously in the Vedior stable, said: “Randstad effected a smooth integration because of the support, loyalty and positive attitude fostered by and amongst our employees.  Everybody has played a part in winning this award, and I’m exceptionally proud of our shared achievement.”

To see the list of recruiters who placed on The Sunday Times Best Small Companies to Work For, see http://www.recruiter.co.uk/eight-recruiters-in-sunday-times-100-best-small-companies/1004508.article