- A new study by Adobe Express reveals the UK’s best cities for employees.
- Swindon ranks first, followed by Milton Keynes and Stoke-on-Trent in second and third.
As of September 2024, 13% of workers in Great Britain worked exclusively from home, while 23% adopted a hybrid approach. Employees in the UK have said that amongst several factors, lack of commute and savings on costs are some the main benefits of working from home, but what if the city you lived in catered to all your needs as an employee?
Adobe Express have delved into all the aspects of working life to reveal the best cities for employees in the UK.
To generate the employee-friendly cities list, Adobe Express compared 30 UK cities, looking into factors including but not limited to; average annual salary, the price of a cappuccino, the cost of public transport and access to green space.
These are the UK’s top employee-friendly cities:
| Rank | City | Salary (£) | Unemployment (%) | Green Space (%) | Public Transport Ticket (£) | Coffee (£) | Total Score |
| 1 | Swindon | 35,605 | 2.4 | 27.15 | 2.40 | 2.98 | 6.541 |
| 2 | Milton Keynes | 39,623 | 3.6 | 31.11 | 2.90 | 3.25 | 6.309 |
| 3 | Stoke-on-Trent | 30,657 | 4 | 46.09 | 2.10 | 2.97 | 6.234 |
| 4 | Reading | 40,570 | 3.7 | 42.04 | 2.20 | 3.52 | 6.151 |
| 5 | Plymouth | 33,004 | 3.7 | 24.53 | 2.30 | 3.33 | 6.089 |
| 6 | Sheffield | 32,603 | 3.9 | 33.98 | 2 | 3.56 | 6.048 |
| 7 | Leeds | 34,354 | 4.1 | 41.9 | 2 | 3.29 | 5.996 |
| 8 | Peterborough | 33,425 | 5 | 32.71 | 2 | 2.83 | 5.991 |
| 9 | Kingston upon Hull | 30,966 | 2.9 | 18.71 | 2 | 2.87 | 5.958 |
| 10 | Brighton and Hove | 34,876 | 4.4 | 27.27 | 2.10 | 3.32 | 5.791 |
Swindon ranks as the UK’s most employee friendly city
Swindon comes out on top when it comes to employee havens scoring 6.541 overall, so it’s no surprise that Swindon’s employment rate was higher than across the South West as a whole in the year ending December 2023 and has one of the best scores for unemployment in Adobe’s rankings.
The Swindon and Wiltshire area has an above average number of large companies, including brands like BMW, Ministry of Defence and Nationwide Building Society. Swindon also ranks seventh in Britain when it comes to the rate of productivity per worker.
Milton Keynes is one of the best employee friendly cities
In close second, Milton Keynes ranks as one of the best employee friendly cities in the UK, scoring highly for average annual salary.
According to Milton Keynes council, Milton Keynes has one of the highest rates of private sector opportunities.
The private sector brings variety in businesses and competition between companies means that businesses will offer different set ups, and benefits to attract more workers – making it an ideal place for an employee to build a career.
Stoke-on-Tent takes third in employee friendly city rankings
Scoring highly for percentage of green space areas, Stoke-on-Trent ranks third overall with a score of 6.234.
Known as “The Potteries,” Stoke-on-Trent has a rich cultural history, particularly in the ceramics industry, which still plays a significant role in the local economy. For employees interested in heritage and arts, there are many museums, galleries, and events celebrating this legacy.
Stoke-on-Trent is centrally located in the UK with excellent transport links, including a direct rail link to major cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and London. This makes commuting and business travel convenient for employees working in or out of the city.
For further information, data and expert insights, visit: https://www.adobe.com/uk/express/learn/blog/most-employee-friendly-uk-cities
