Sun Life International reinforced its status as Bermuda’s leading employer by topping the rankings for a second successive year in the sixteenth edition of The Royal Gazette Top Ten Employers awards. The international life insurance firm has posted two first places in three attempts after debuting in fourth place in 2023.
A winning combination of strong and positive culture, engendering a family atmosphere in the office, competitive compensation and benefits, flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and enthusiastic support for local charities makes SLI’s employees happy to come to work every day.
SLI, part of the vast, Canadian-headquartered Sun Life Financial group, provides innovative life insurance solutions to high-net-worth customers around the world. This year it pulled off a double success by also claiming top spot not only in the Top Ten Employers, but also in the separate Diversity Award. The data indicates SLI “walks the walk” on diversity, with a workforce that is more than three-quarters female, nearly four-fifths Bermudian and more than half Black.
Convex Re, a newcomer to the Top Ten Employers, was hard on SLI’s heels in second place. The six-year-old insurer and reinsurer has established high standards as an employer.
Employees, or “Convexians” as they like to describe themselves, point to great benefits, a culture of teamwork and caring, an excellent work environment and the high value the company places on family, as reasons they love working at Convex.
Rankings in the survey are determined by objective analysis of the comments of those best placed to rate an employer — the employees. The data is processed by Global Research, a leading quantitative research firm who partnered with The Royal Gazette on this project for a fourteenth year.
PwC Bermuda, the leading professional-services firm and long-time partner of the Top Ten, provided generous sponsorship once again.
Megan Green, partner at PwC Bermuda, said: “PwC is proud to once again sponsor this annual celebration of Bermuda’s top employers. We extend our congratulations to this year’s RG Top Ten Awards winners and applaud their commitment to prioritising employee wellbeing, continuous upskilling, and inclusive innovation.
“These organisations are empowering their people to play an active role in the transformation journey — from business reinvention to responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.
“Our latest AI Jobs Barometer research reveals that AI can make people more valuable, not less — even in the most highly automatable jobs. In fact, our research shows that in AI-exposed industries, productivity is accelerating, and job opportunities are expanding — clear evidence that the best employers are those investing in both technology and talent.
“These forward-thinking organisations aren’t just preparing for the future of work — they’re helping to define it.”
All but two of the employers in this year’s Top Ten have multiple appearances to their name, illustrating their sustained excellence as employers. Lancashire Insurance Company, marking its fifth appearance in the Top Ten, claimed third place in this year’s Top Ten.
Fourth-placed Frontier Financial Services, the winner in 2018, is on the longest unbroken streak in the awards. The provider of recruitment, payroll, business consulting and immigration services has made the Top Ten Employers for seven successive years.
Eighth-placed Fidelis Insurance Bermuda is the only other first-timer in the Top Ten, alongside Convex Re.
Dominating the 2025 batch of leading employers is the insurance industry, which accounts for seven of the ten. Even more marked is the dominance of international business. In fact, The Berkeley Institute, which made the Top Ten for a second straight year, placing fifth, is the only organisation among the ten that is not part of a group that operates in multiple jurisdictions.
The largest number of employee responses in the survey came from Marsh, followed closely by The Berkeley Institute. Just two of the organisations in the Top Ten had more than 100 employees — Coralisle Group (162) and The Berkeley Institute (120).
An honourable mention goes to BEST Group, the freight, logistics, shipping and warehousing company, which just missed out on a Top Ten place.
Shining through in this year’s survey are the hallmarks of excellence among employers that show themselves repeatedly in employee comments. These include:
- Rewards: excellent employers ensure that employees feel recognised and valued for their contributions. This goes beyond offering competitive salaries, benefits and performance bonuses — it includes support for wellness-related activities, adequate paid leave for parents to welcome a new member of the family, and recognition of employees’ contributions.
- Communication: clear, consistent, and transparent communication from leadership and throughout the organisation was mentioned frequently in the survey by employees. There was a clear pattern among the Top Ten of employers who actively listen to feedback, keep staff informed about company goals, and encourage open dialogue to build a culture of trust and collaboration where employees feel heard and respected.
- Flexible work schedules: the pandemic changed employee expectations of flexible working, certainly in office jobs. Some of the smart employers in the Top Ten are using remote-work options to help give their employees the work-life balance they crave. By offering flexible schedules, hybrid work options, or accommodations for personal responsibilities, they create an environment where employees can succeed both professionally and personally.
- Professional development: growth opportunities are essential for retaining motivated and engaged employees. The Top Ten Employers’ readiness to invest in training, mentorship, and career advancement demonstrates a commitment to their people’s long-term success, helping them build skills and confidence while preparing them for future leadership roles.
- Charitable activities: strong employers also look beyond the workplace, encouraging staff to participate in community service or charitable initiatives. This is one thing all of the Top Ten had in common. Supporting meaningful causes creates a sense of shared purpose, strengthens team bonds, and builds pride in being part of a socially responsible organisation.
