TWO Huntingdon employers have been named among the 100 best companies to work for in the country. The Luminus Group, the housing association, was placed at number 16 in The Sunday Times list while Munters, the property restoration firm, was number 96. Wit

TWO Huntingdon employers have been named among the 100 best companies to work for in the country.

The Luminus Group, the housing association, was placed at number 16 in The Sunday Times list while Munters, the property restoration firm, was number 96.

Within the East Anglian region Luminus was second and Munters was eighth.

The companies and organisations were scored on the results of a survey of employees.

The Sunday Times said that Luminus's chief executive Chan Abraham made a commitment to his staff and told them: "If you are happy working here, I will keep you in employment as long as you want to be here. If not, I'll give you a day off to find somewhere you can be happy."

Staff said they would not want to leave even if they had another job, and there was an 80 per cent positive score for the company.

Luminus, which provides and maintains social housing throughout the east of England, also scored highly for supporting the local community and trying to make a difference.

Benefits to employees include a financial adviser to discuss money matters, an extra day's holiday if an employee does not take a sick day all year and discounted gym membership.

Training includes Spanish classes, public speaking and presentation skills while the company also offers loans for college courses.

About 80 per cent of employees said they were proud to work, or loved working, at Luminus.

Mr Abraham said: "We are delighted to have achieved national recognition as one of the UK's best companies to work for. We believe in our people and are 100 per cent committed to them. This independent survey shows that the vast majority of employees feel the same way."

The Sunday Times reports that half of Britain was under water last summer and so was half of Alasdair Phillips. The managing director of Munters rolled up his trousers and got stuck into clearing debris and flood damage.

The firm, founded by the Swedish inventor Carl Munters, specialise in restoration and humidity control. The company has a policy of restore, rather than replace. More than half the staff have been there for more than three years. Employees spend two days working out their training needs and the firm has created personal development plans.

It has the Munters Academy, an internet-based scheme that has led to 61 internal promotions. The company has 11 sites around the UK and there is flexibility for staff to work from home.

There are 25 days holiday, plus ad hoc days off for good work, plus performance and profit-related pay, critical illness and life assurance cover and subsidised gym membership.

INFORMATION: Luminus employs 277 people and Munters employs 350.

Other companies in Cambridgeshire to make the list were: Napp Pharmaceutical, Mills and Reeve solicitors, Jagex on-line games, and Bidwells property consultants in Cambridge, plus Coloplast medical devices and Royal Haskoning engineering consultancy in Peterborough.