Atom Bank has been certified as a Great Place to Work after securing a Trust Index score of 82, marking a significant endorsement of the Durham-based lender’s workplace culture as it continues a period of rapid expansion.

The accolade follows sustained investment in people, infrastructure and working practices at the digital-only bank, which has positioned itself as one of the North East’s leading employers.

Atom, which is the highest-rated UK savings bank on Trustpilot, has spent the past year strengthening its organisational structure while expanding its workforce and refurbishing its operations base.

The bank recently moved nearly 600 employees into The Pattern Shop in Newcastle, its newly developed headquarters designed to support recruitment, training and collaboration.

FULLY FLEXIBLE

Despite the move, Atom has retained fully flexible working arrangements, continuing its stance against traditional models of office-based work.

Atom became the largest UK business – and the first bank – to introduce a four-day week with no loss of pay in 2021, a shift that has since become central to its cultural identity and employee-retention strategy. The model has been cited internally as a core driver of productivity and staff satisfaction.

The lender has also widened its inclusion and wellbeing initiatives over the past year. These include enhanced family-leave support, the creation of an internal women’s network with more than 100 members, and the introduction of Menopause Champions.

Recruitment activity has accelerated, with 57 new hires over the past 12 months, including eight graduate trainees.

Internal mobility has also been strong, with 62 promotions and role changes during the period and 26 secondments.

DEDICATION AND PASSION

Helen Wilson (main picture, inset), chief operations officer at Atom Bank, said: “Achieving the Great Place to Work certification is a fantastic milestone that truly reflects the dedication and passion of our entire team.

“We are committed to making Atom a workplace where everyone can thrive, and this certification validates the substantial steps we have taken over the last year.”

CAREER BUILDING

And she added: “From investments in colleagues to opening our amazing new HQ in the heart of Newcastle, we are continually evolving to ensure Atom remains a truly great place to start and build a career right here in the north east.”

The certification is based on confidential staff responses to the Trust Index survey, which evaluates credibility, respect and fairness within an organisation.