The Best of the North West survey was a concise, 14-question tool designed to give businesses a snapshot of their current employee engagement levels. By uncovering how employees truly feel, the survey provided actionable insights that businesses could use to create strategies with purpose—strategies that inspire teams and drive success. The result? Exceptional organisational culture and exponential growth.

PM+M, a leading chartered accountancy, business advisory and financial planning group rooted in Lancashire, has demonstrated just how impactful this approach can be. For the second year in a row, they earned the prestigious Best of the North West award, achieving a remarkable employee engagement index score of 94.1%. This score—14% higher than the survey average—reflects the percentage of employees who responded with “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” across the survey, showcasing the deep connection and satisfaction their team feels.

PM+M’s success stems from their dedication to supporting clients across a wide range of services, including accounting, audit and advisory, cloud accounting, corporate finance, financial planning, payroll, tax, and private client work. Their people-first approach is a testament to how strong engagement translates into meaningful business outcomes. Helen Clayton, Managing Partner at PM+M said, “It makes me very proud that we have won again and it goes a long way in supporting our vision to be the best firm of finance professionals in the North West.  We know that engagement takes a lot of hard work, listening, understanding and ensuring we evolve our culture to remain relevant and appropriate for everyone.  The knock-on impact of such high engagement is also empowering; we see that impact on our clients with the great feedback we receive, on the level and calibre of referrals we receive from our connections across the North West and that we are continuing to attract and retain great people who want to create and develop their careers at PM+M.”

The Evolution: From Best of the North West to Employer of Choice

Building on the success of the original survey, the Best of the North West has evolved into the Employer of Choice Survey. This accreditation-focused tool delves even deeper into employee engagement, offering businesses an enhanced ability to identify key areas for improvement and growth.

By participating in this next-generation survey, organizations can take their employee engagement efforts to new heights, paving the way for stronger teams, happier employees, and sustained success.

Now is the time to uncover the insights that will help your business not just grow—but thrive.