Jenrick Recruitment Group of Walton is among 100 best small companies to work for in Britain, says a list drawn up annually by the Sunday Times to honour firms whose inspirational leadership, staff care and other qualities make them a pleasure to work for.

Jenrick, placed 18th in the list, has 55 staff and annual sales of £14.6million.

Founded as a private company in 1967, it is praised for "really listening to its employees", and maintaining "a solid set of rewards", such as generous holidays, pensions and staff awards.

"Employees report a close-knit family feel, and there are glowing scores for teamwork," says the report.

Typhoon, in 72nd place, began in 1989 with three people in a tiny office in Wimbledon Village distributing woks to Europe for an American supplier.

In 1996 it expanded into a warehouse in New Malden.

Now it has a head office in Chessington, a main warehouse in Lincoln, a 90-strong worforce and a multi-million pound global business selling kitchen products ranging from blow-torches to £1 wooden spoons.

Its kitchenware is seen as "sexy" since it signed up Jamie Oliver to design a celebrity collection of 14 products Typhoon's managing director: "If people leave, I take it as a personal failure.

"If we have a difference of opinion, we open a bottle of wine and sort it out.

"If people feel recognised and that their opinions are seriously considered, that is the best way to show you care."

His staff get a 25 per cent discount off all Typhoon trade prices, £75-worth of new goods each year, and the company spends £12,000 a year on staff entertainment.

"People have fun in their teams and are excited about where the company is going," says the report.

The Sunday Times list aims to reflect the importance to the British economy of companies with 50 to 249 employees.

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