Fair Deal - How happy employees are with pay and benefits
Fair Deal itself doesn’t directly influence another factor. It’s classified as a hygiene factor. Sure, doubling everybody’s salary would make them happy but it wouldn’t make them feel any better about factors such as leadership and management.
Now although pay is not an engager, it is important that pay and benefits are at the right level as to not disengage employees further.
Training takes on a real-world feel, with the top floor of the Beloved office filled with equipment frequently found within a client's house. This provides an immersive experience to help staff understand the challenges they are likely to face when working independently. The setup allows staff to develop their confidence, situational awareness, and decision-making.
A company car scheme allowance is offered to staff that have been with the company for 12 months. Enabling employees to purchase a new vehicle they may not have been able to other wise afford, the deal also provides a reliable means of transport meaning disruption to work is less likely.
Managing Director, Mark, along with supporting staff, have been getting stuck into a garden project at their local hospital. The project, started by one of their clients who had previously received treatment there, aims to improve the communal gardens through the planting of trees and flowers in the grounds.
Leaders used variety of methods, including Zoom calls, Q&A sessions and regular email circulars were used during the pandemic to keep employees informed on everything from sales and finance to wellness and more. Directors personally used these channels to connect with employees with daily music or comedy suggestions to boost morale.
A monthly profit-related bonus scheme sees employees rewarded for good company performance. Based on a simple scheme relating to a published scale of profitability, employees can receive a pre-determined bonus from 10% to 40% of their monthly salary. Every employee receives the same percentage bonus, making for a rewarding and motivational initiative.
To allow staff to look after their wellbeing, Cosatto encourages going for walks, taking breaks from the screen and regular 1-2-1 sessions. A free, independent counsellor for employees and their families is available, and a 2-hours-a-day ‘no meeting zone’ has been established where no Zoom calls or face-to-face interactions can be arranged.
ARC's new health and wellbeing group, the brainchild of one of the staff, sends out mental health tips. The group organised a Race to Kochi, with UK and Australian staff challenged to walk the number of steps to Kochi, the city that lies halfway between them.
All staff are granted shares in ARC through a tax-efficient scheme, which offers a company loan so they can buy into the scheme without using their own funds upfront. Every employee receives 1,500 shares, with significantly more available to those who win work for themselves or others.
Under a new initiative, every staff member is entitled to an additional day off to give practical support to their favourite environmental cause. Covid-19 limited the options in the scheme's first year, but some staff joined local litter-picking activities. There are plans for beach clean-ups or tree planting initiatives.
The in-house development programme, MINDS, gives employees from all pay grades the opportunity to progress through the business into senior roles. There is no recognised qualification but two previous candidates have gone on to become general managers within the company.
In 2020 launched its "Souls" programme focussing on the mental health and wellbeing of team members. Employees have also been encouraged to take part in activities such as Couch to 5k and online exercise challenges with one person cycling the equivalent distance from Land's End to John O'Groats.
There is a 25% discount on holidays at any of the company's parks for staff, family and friends. Employees also get 25% off food and 15% off drinks in park venues which can be used in and out of working hours.
The focus on wellbeing has been sharpened over the past year. Staff were reminded about their entitlement to up to eight free therapy sessions under the employee assistance programme. For those working in the offices, the company provides free fruit and hot drinks.
Employee benefits and the progressive pay structure for sale teams are above the sector average. Part of a group with four subsidiaries, Brunel offers a 25% commission for referrals across its businesses. The incentive has driven brokers to ask more questions and help clients on a broader scale while growing the business.
Employees in Brunel's six offices raised more than £2,000 for local food banks. At Christmas, local teams supported causes close to home, donating £150 for presents for children in hospital in Co Durham and £150 for disadvantaged children in the southwest of England.
At the start of the first lockdown the company's You Make us Proud video applauded nursery teams even before the weekly clap for the NHS launched. At a time when income was severely impacted and restrictions limited occupancy, investment in core service provision and employee support initiatives was maintained and increased.
The company topped up the pay of anyone on furlough to 100% and all job advertisements highlight full partnership in the business to promote its employee-owned structure and the annual tax-free dividend payments made. The same maximum amount, based on hours worked, is awarded to all from apprentices through to Michael Thompson, the Chairman.
Colleagues elected Cancer Research UK as their charity of the year for 2020 – and raised more than £76,000 for the cause. The pandemic did impact fundraising, however – employees achieved a sum of £167,653.27 the year before.
At the beginning of the pandemic, senior managers hosted company-wide calls twice daily to make sure everyone had as much clarity and support as possible. These calls are now twice weekly. During monthly town halls, staff could ask bosses anything around company performance, financial position and job security.
The most recent survey of February 2021 sees the firm looking to swap to a payroll provider who will offer benefits including employee assistance helplines covering physical and mental health; a discount scheme; and an app where people can see their payslips and pensions. It also plans a new handbook and contracts.
deverellsmith supported the NHS with space for accommodation, parking, storage of goods, as well as with donations of PPE, supplies and food. In October, Tony Miller, Director of the Whitechapel Mission, came in to give a socially distanced briefing on homelessness. The company then matched the amount staff raised for the cause.
No one was made redundant during the pandemic. Indeed, pay for e-commerce and distribution centre colleagues was lifted, in recognition of both the increase in workload and dedication to the business. Hobbycraft established Teams technology to ensure everyone working remotely had the best possible communication tools available.
An in-house Great Managers campaign highlighted three things employees felt had been done best. These were communication – answering questions in a timely manner and having clear guidance; the supply and quality of PPE provided; and ensuring all colleagues paid by the hour received full pay throughout the lockdowns.
Hobbycraft staff craft a good career for themselves, too. An artisan programme has grown from 11 colleagues in 2019 to 30 in 2020, with artisans helping to develop products for stores. All profits go directly to the artisan and the target by the end of 2021 is to have 100 artisan colleagues.
Online training is available to support effective working from home and the company has mental health first-aiders in all of its offices, available when people feel they need them. Managers regularly undertake informal check-ins with their teams to make sure that they are supported.
Christmas parties are normally held to recognise people's efforts throughout the year. Covid restrictions in 2020 meant they were unable to get together in person - so staff were sent vouchers to compensate, which they could use to buy food for virtual Christmas lunches. The initiative received positive feedback.
Howes Percival has adopted strategies to reduce its environmental impact, including minimising waste and encouraging recycling; removing plastic cups from its sites; selecting energy providers based on their green credentials; promoting energy efficiency; and reducing business travel through the use of Zoom and webinars.
Throughout the pandemic the bank has continued to support its newest people managers with coaching and guidance, albeit virtually, to help them deal with the complexity caused by lockdown and remote-working. Ikano also arranged support webinars on a number of topics including resilience and leading in a crisis.
In addition to organising webinars on topics such as Leading in Times of Change, Addictive Behaviours, and Resilience, Ikano Bank collectively challenged staff to walk, run or cycle the distance from Nottingham to its offices in Sweden over the period of a week.
Traditionally Ikano Bank has rewarded staff with vouchers worth between £75 - £175 to share with their friends and family and has given digital gifts such as Echo Dots, Virgin Experience Days, additional holidays and even trips to Sweden to fully embrace the Ikano culture.
