Lessons from the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ in Europe

We’re thrilled to reveal the 2025 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ in Europe, the second year Great Place to Work has partnered with Fortune Europe for this recognition. The organisations recognised on this year's list represent a diverse group of employers who are redefining what it means to create exceptional workplace cultures across the continent. These organisations have demonstrated that fostering trust and prioritising people are the cornerstones of sustainable business success. 

This year’s list celebrates 100 organisations chosen from feedback representing over 1.5 million employees across Europe. To be considered, companies first earned a spot on their national Best Workplaces™ list – in Ireland, the Best Workplaces in Ireland™ 2025 – and had 500 or more employees in Europe. Here’s how four standout companies — Novo Nordisk, AbbVie, Woodie’s, and PREM Group — are setting the standard for great workplace culture.

Novo Nordisk: Wellbeing in action

Novo Nordisk was this year recognised as both a Best Workplace in Ireland and a Best Workplace for Health & Wellbeing — a testament to its commitment to caring for the whole person.

Employees have access to resilience webinars, mental health first aiders, and workshops on topics like boundary management, alongside opportunities for personal growth such as public speaking training. Social connection is encouraged through Pride celebrations, reward and recognition programs, and an employee representative team that keeps communication open with leadership.

Relaxation rooms, healthy snacks, ergonomic assessments, and onsite health checks keep physical wellbeing front and center, while pension clinics and tax webinars support financial health.

By weaving mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing into everyday work life, Novo Nordisk has created a culture where employees feel supported and empowered to do their best work.

Read more on Novo Nordisk's wellbeing initiatives in our Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing report:

Woodie’s: Empowering people at every life stage

Woodie’s, Ireland’s leading DIY, Home, and Garden retailer, has built a culture that combines inclusion, career progression, and real support for colleagues’ lives inside and outside of work.

The company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion runs deep. DEI training is available for all employees, and partnerships with the Diversity Council of Ireland and the 30% Club help drive progress. As a result, women now make up 57% of Woodie’s leadership team and 50% of the workforce — numbers that speak for themselves.

Career growth is a central focus, with structured development programs like Seeds for Success and the Apprenticeship in Retail, a two-year pathway blending classroom learning, mentorship, and on-the-job experience. In 2024, several apprentices were promoted to team leader and support office roles, proving that the program creates real opportunities.

Woodie’s also recognises that work life balance is essential to a thriving workforce. Enhanced parental and fertility leave policies, flexible work options, and gender-specific wellbeing training help colleagues navigate life’s big moments with confidence and support.

The result is a workplace that not only supports its people but actively helps them build fulfilling careers and lives — which is why Woodie’s has ranked among Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Women consecutively since 2019.

Read more on Woodie's' initiatives with direct experience from an employee in our exclusive Best Workplaces for Women interviews:

PREM Group: Turning feedback into action

PREM Group has reimagined performance management with its Check In Process, replacing once-a-year reviews with ongoing, meaningful conversations. Managers and employees regularly discuss goals, roadblocks, feedback, and wellbeing, with leaders trained to deliver these sessions consistently across Ireland and the UK.

This approach has strengthened relationships, ensured employees feel heard, and made performance management a genuine communication tool.

Read more on the Check In Process in our People-First report:

PREM Group's commitment to people is reflected in its recent accolades with Great Place to Work, including Best Workplaces in Hospitality, Best Workplaces for Women, Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing, and ranking #7 on Ireland’s Best Workplaces (Large Category) in 2025. These recognitions highlight how PREM Group combines culture, wellbeing, and career growth to create a truly supportive workplace.

AbbVie: A culture built on trust and growth

AbbVie’s approach to workplace culture is grounded in a belief that greatness happens when people grow together. The team focus on empowering employees to be their best selves — at work and in everyday life — through an emphasis on professional development, work-life integration, community service, and collaboration.

This commitment to people was recently recognised when Gary O’Mahoney, AbbVie Ireland’s Human Resources Director, was named the 2025 Great Place to Work Ambassador. The award honours individuals who foster trust, pride, and excellence within their organisations. Gary has been instrumental in embedding the Great Place to Work approach at AbbVie’s largest Irish site and continues to lead efforts to evolve the company’s people-first culture across all Irish sites.

By focusing on trust, high performance, and long-term impact, AbbVie has built an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered — and where innovation can truly thrive.

Check out more information on our annual Special Awards such as the Great Place to Work Ambassador and more, here.

Why the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ excel

All of these organisations, along with all those recognised on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, show that creating a great workplace takes more than perks — it takes a genuine focus on people. By prioritising wellbeing, inclusion, career growth, and open communication, these organisations build environments where employees feel supported, motivated, and empowered to succeed. Across sectors and countries, the common thread is clear: when organisations invest in their people, they foster stronger, more resilient organisations that thrive over the long term.

Want to know what other Great companies were recognised?

Discover the full list of the 2025 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ in Europe 👇

About the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ Europe

Great Place To Work selected the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For Europe List by gathering and analysing more than 1.5 million confidential survey responses representing the experiences of over 2.7 million employees in the region. Of those, 1.2 million came from employees at companies eligible for this list, and this ranking is based on that feedback. Organisations are assessed on their efforts to create generous, supportive, high-performance work experiences for every employee in the organisation. To be eligible, they must have 500 or more employees and be recognised on at least one national Best Workplaces List in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, or the United Kingdom during 2024 or early 2025.

About Great Place to Work®

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. We help organisations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. We recognise Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies and the Best Workplaces™ in more than 60 countries.

To join the thousands of companies that have committed to building high-trust company cultures that help them attract, retain and take care of their people, contact us about getting Certified today.