Kent businesses are among the nation's best companies to work for, according to their employees.

Holiday Extras, based in Newingreen, near Hythe, was in the Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For for the fourth time. Staff attended a presentation ceremony in London.

Employees judged that company on how they felt about their bosses, colleagues and the company in general, how it managed stress, pressure and work-life balance, its community involvement and staff development and opportunity.

Holiday Extras is the UK market leader in travel add-ons, including hotel accommodation, insurance and airport car parking.

Callum Johnson, group head of people and development, said: "For us to feature again pays testament to our culture of engaging and rewarding the great team at Holiday Extras.

"That is key to our ongoing success, and it is the whole team here that makes Holiday Extras an exciting place to work and progress in. Being in the Top 100 Companies is something to be enjoyed and celebrated. We’ll be cracking open the bubbly."

Holiday Extras has won a string of accolades over the years. In 2008, its call centre was ranked among the Top 50 Call Centre award winners, and the company was one of the top 10 finalists for the National Business Awards.

Meanwhile, KPMG, which services Kent clients from its Gatwick offices, has been named the Best Big Company to Work For for the second year in a row. The firm has been in the top three every year since the category was created in 2005.

Paul Gresham, senior partner at the Gatwick office which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, said he was delighted with the award.

"Since we originally set up here in 1984, our aim has been to create a workplace where individuals are respected, where there is a culture of openness and mutual support, and where teams work together to deliver the best possible service for clients," he said.

"These are difficult times for the UK economy, and for companies and employees everywhere. The state of the economy may be beyond our immediate control but the way we work together is ours to choose.

"A sense of shared values and collective purpose will be more important than ever if companies are to weather the storm."