University of Cambridge, Microsoft and Cancer Research UK have been ranked as the UK’s top three employers in the Financial Times’ Best Employers 2026 list.
The ranking is based on an anonymous survey of employees across the country. More than 200,000 evaluations were gathered from 20,000 staff working in organisations with more than 250 employees.
Participants were asked for direct evaluations of their own employer, including how likely they would be to recommend their workplace to friends and family. The responses were on a scale from zero to 10, where zero meant the respondent would not recommend their employer under any circumstances.
They were also asked to evaluate their current employer on working conditions, salary, development opportunities and organisational culture on a five-point scale. Respondents additionally evaluated other employers in their industry either positively or negatively. The resulting data was combined to calculate a final score, with a greater weight given to the direct evaluations.
University of Cambridge received a score of 100, making it the top-ranked employer on 2026’s list. It made first place due to its positive direct employee recommendations and strong reflections of how they feel about working there.
Within the findings. the dominant industry sector was healthcare and social, with the highest number of employers represented. This was followed by education, IT and internet, and retail and wholesale.
Nearly 200 employers evaluated were based in London, followed by Reading, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Bristol. The London-based organisations operate in a diverse range of industries, particularly in banking and financial services. Manchester had a notable presence in retail and IT.
Professor Kamal Munir, pro-vice-chancellor for university community and engagement at University of Cambridge, said: “I am very proud of this important recognition in the Financial Times, which reflects the hard work of many employees. We are committed to continually improving the working environment, and supporting academic and professional excellence.”
