Marshall Motor Group is celebrating a decade of success in the annual Great Place to Work survey after 82% of its workforce contributed to a result which showcased the car retail group as “a shining light” in the sector.

Despite a challenging market place and several acquisitions earlier this year, Marshall was once again recognised UK Best Workplace in its 10th year of participation in the annual employee survey.

The survey groups questions together in five areas to determine what is called the Trust Index and their overall Trust Index score for 2019 was 80%.

The benchmark score to be considered a UK Best Workplace is 70% and the UK national average Trust Index score is 52%.

A statement issued by Marshall said its leadership team was “understandably delighted” with the score.

News of the result came just three months after Great Place to Work UK ranked Marshall as one of the Best Super Large Workplaces in the UK for the fifth year running.

Chief executive, Daksh Gupta, said: “Our culture is built around a core set of shared values.  Our commitment to upholding these values, encouraging our colleagues to share their valuable opinions and ideas and then us acting on what they have said, creates the foundation for our Best Workplace culture.

“We are very proud of this year’s scores but more importantly that our colleagues remain committed to supporting this important programme.

“This is evidenced by the 84% participation rate and the high levels of trust and engagement we continue to see.

“I am hopeful we can improve our ranking position when we find out next year at the Great Place to Work awards.

“Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our colleagues for their hard work and loyalty to the company and to our customers.”

Ben Gautrey, chief operating officer at Great Place to Work, said: “Marshall Motor Holdings continues to build a workplace environment that allows its employees to flourish, maximise their potential and give their personal best.

“It continues to be a shining light in not only the automotive sector but in the wider UK business world when it comes to augmenting the employee experience.

“The fact that there has been an increase in the Trust Index score in 2019 despite a backdrop of various acquisitions and change programmes within an uncertain economic climate is a testament to the fantastic commitment and dedication from Marshall Colleagues.

“These periods of transformation tend not to see such positive advances especially when the starting baseline from 2018 was so high.

“Marshall Motor Holdings understands the importance of its employees in driving the business forward and it continues to go from strength to strength.”

During the first nine months of 2019 Marshall has opened the doors of its new £10 million, 40,000 square foot Dual Arch CI Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) dealership in Lincoln and, more recently, a new Nissan business in the city.

The group became Skoda UK’s largest franchised with the acquisition of Sandicliffe Motor Group’s Skoda franchises in Nottingham and Leicester in February and the acquisition of Progress Skoda’s Bedford, Harlow, Letchworth and Northampton sites a month later.

Last week it increased its number of Honda dealerships to eight – becoming the brand's second largest franchisee in the UK – with the acquisition of dealerships in Newbury and Reading of Jardine Motors Group.

In its financial results for the six-month period to June 30, 2019, Marshall reported a 9% decline in pre-tax profits despite outperforming the UK’s declining new car market.

The AM100’s seventh-placed franchised car retail group reported turnover growth of 1.8% to £1.18bn (H1 2018: £1.62bn) during the period, alongside a pre-tax profit of £14.8m (H1 2018: £16.2m) during the period.