Woking and Guildford sit at the heart of Surrey’s economic landscape, forming two of the county’s most significant commercial centres. Positioned within close reach of London while maintaining strong local economies, both towns attract businesses spanning technology, engineering, financial services, gaming, pharmaceuticals and more. With excellent transport links, a highly skilled workforce and a diverse mix of employers, from global multinationals to ambitious SMEs, Woking and Guildford continue to present strong opportunities for organisations planning growth in 2026.
A well-connected and commercially active region
One of the defining strengths of both towns is their connectivity. Direct rail links into London Waterloo, with fast journey times, make them highly attractive for commuters, while road connections via the A3, M25 and surrounding motorway networks provide easy access to Heathrow and Gatwick. This accessibility has helped attract an impressive roster of corporate names. Employment rates in Guildford sit at around 81.5%, above the Southeast average, while Woking supports close to 50,000 jobs and maintains low unemployment, a reflection of how active both markets remain.
Surrey’s top 100 private firms generated £13 billion in turnover in 2025, with Guildford leading as the town with the highest concentration of those businesses at 12%, followed by Woking at 7%. Average remuneration across the county rose to £50,000, significantly higher than the national benchmark, making the area competitive not just for employers, but for candidates weighing up their options.
Woking’s employer landscape
Woking has developed a strong identity as a home for corporate headquarters and technology-led businesses. The local economy is dominated by technology and knowledge-based businesses, with the McLaren Group the town’s largest employer. Other high-profile firms include software company Fidessa, professional services giant Capgemini, and oil and gas company Petrofac.
Industrial gas company Linde also has a significant presence in Woking, alongside engineering and electronics manufacturer TT Electronics and civil engineering firm Mouchel. The global industrial charity Plan International is headquartered in the town, adding to its diverse mix of sectors. Woking also has a well-established pharmaceutical cluster, with companies including Astellas, a Japanese pharma firm focused on innovative treatments, operating from the area.
For employers in Woking, the challenge is competing for the same pool of experienced finance, operations, engineering and technology professionals that so many of these corporates are simultaneously trying to hire.
Guildford’s employer landscape
Guildford’s employer mix is equally impressive and arguably more varied. The town is home to the UK headquarters of Allianz Insurance, one of the world’s largest insurers. Nokia, the global technology company focused on network infrastructure, also has a significant presence, as does Siemens, KBR (the engineering and government services firm) and Nestlé.
But perhaps Guildford’s most distinctive employer story is in gaming. Electronic Arts operates its central UK hub from Guildford, housing multiple business groups including Frostbite, International Publishing, Global Marketing and Development Services, as well as the Criterion Games development studio. There are 27 game companies located in Guildford, including Ubisoft and, more recently, Larian Studios, the developer behind Baldur’s Gate 3, which opened its first English office in Guildford, bringing with it demand for programmers, narrative designers, cinematics specialists and writers. Guildford’s gaming credentials stretch back to the 1980s, when Bullfrog Productions, the studio behind Theme Park and Populous, was founded here by Peter Molyneux, establishing the town’s reputation as an incubation hub for the industry.
This concentration of gaming studios creates demand for highly specific creative and technical talent: game designers, VFX artists, software engineers, QA testers and producers.
The role of higher education in talent supply
A key feature of the Guildford market is the University of Surrey, which plays a direct role in shaping the local talent pipeline. The university attracts students from across the UK and internationally, many of whom stay in the area after graduation, feeding directly into the gaming, technology and professional services sectors that dominate locally. Employers that engage through placements, internships and graduate schemes, as EA and others actively do tend to benefit from a more consistent flow of early-career candidates entering the market.
Sector diversity and what it means for hiring
Across Surrey’s private sector, real estate and construction led turnover at £4 billion, followed by manufacturing and industrial at £3.5 billion. Business support services saw exceptional growth, with turnover up 28% and EBITDA up 70%. This sector diversity matters for employers as the competition for talent isn’t confined to one industry. A finance professional in Guildford might be weighing offers from an insurer, a tech firm, a gaming company and a pharma business simultaneously.
Both towns have active town centre economies too, with retail, hospitality, healthcare and local services continuing to generate demand across a broader range of skill levels and experience. These roles, often overlooked in commercial hiring discussions, remain an important part of the overall employment picture.
What candidates are looking for in 2026
The workforce across Woking and Guildford is geographically mobile, with many employees commuting from surrounding areas including Hampshire, Berkshire and South West London. Candidates are often considering roles across several locations at once, which means commute times, hybrid working flexibility and overall work-life balance are frequently deciding factors, not just salary.
Businesses here are responding by investing more heavily in career development pathways and internal progression opportunities.
Hire smarter with March Recruitment
March Recruitment is rooted in the Woking and Guildford job market. We understand the local business landscape and the candidate pool. If you have a role to fill, we’d love to talk.
