Fair Deal

Intuit QuickBooks

The commuter-assistance programme gives staff a discount on travelcards and/or parking. They are given £100 per month (£1,200 per year) to help cover commuting costs. The company also offers interest-free season ticket loans.

Under intuit's "we care and give back" initiative, everyone is given five paid days off a year for charitable work. Some staff work individually with charities close to them, others join forces to make a bigger impact. The company runs an annual Week of Service, when teams spend their time volunteering and raising funds.

Staff have a personal development plan which is reviewed with their manager. They also have access to Degreed, an online platform containing skills training, and more than 200,000 courses on Udemy. The company is developing a platform that will allow staff to input their goals for the year, paired with regular catch-ups with their manager.

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Technology

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cardfactory

Staff receive a 15% discount at Card Factory, as well as reduced prices on a range of goods and services, from holidays and mobile phone contracts, to shopping, through Mycardfactory. Annual leave is at least 28 days.

Colleague connection days where colleagues were encouraged to come into the office and reconnect with those they may not have seen for a while were launched. They were a great success. Food vans provided meals, there were skips so staff could clear out the office space and various activities they could join.

Through its charitable arm, Card Factory Foundation, the company has raised more than £7 million for Macmillan Cancer Support since 2006. It is the lead sponsor of the Wakefield 10k and has been supporting Wakefield Hospice for the past four years. Staff help to sort stock in the warehouse or undertake gardening work.

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Retail

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Makara Health Communications

Every employee received a personalised report after taking a psychometric survey. The results were then used in a workshop to help staff better understand themselves and their colleagues – their energies and preferences. Line managers are now better informed on how to communicate with their team members.

The company is experienced in helping clients with their learning and development needs and takes the same proactive approach to its own staff. It encourages them to consider the ‘learning zone’ versus ‘comfort zone’, with everyone’s annual review identifying training or growth areas. These are then taken forward through Individual coaching or group sessions.

The consultancy wanted to recognise staff for their efforts and show that it was there to support them by responding to the cost-of-living crisis. It gave everybody – regardless of their position or length of service – a £700 pay increase to reflect the predicted average increase in household energy bills.

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Consultancy

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Hectare Agritech

Managers are empowered to give team members time off for mental health days. Leaders have been known to share their issues to encourage colleagues to feel comfortable talking to them, so that they are supported to face challenges outside work. Office pets are strongly encouraged, as they increase positivity and happiness.

Staff were given a £3,000 surprise at this year's summer event in a mystery envelope containing a "golden ticket" that was place under their chairs. The leadership team said the money was a reward for their monumental efforts and to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

Hectare's Slack channel #Happyscrapbook is a fun space for staff to share daily or weekly highlights from their lives. Team socials provide entertaining nights out. One of this year's get-togethers was a gig at the Half Moon, in Putney, where staff cheered on their chief operating officer, Dave Rose.

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Technology

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Wolff Olins

Quarterly company meetings have become a global forum, where strategy is shared, work showcased, staff successes recognised and progress in terms of the organisation's principles demonstrated. A pass-the-mic section allows staff to share personal inspirations. Regular informal open-mic sessions with food and drink give staff the chance to ask questions or seek clarification.

Wolff Olins makes a financial contribution to the Brixton Finishing School, in London, which aims to increase diversity in the marketing, advertising and communications industries. It runs training programmes for underrepresented communities. The company's staff give their time to create content for courses and to mentor students.

The company salary-benchmarks roles annually to keep employees' pay in line with the industry. It means staff who have been with Wolff Olins for a long while do not need to jump ship to get better pay. It doesn't negotiate on salaries to avoid promoting a "those who shout loudest win" culture.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

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Sphere Digital Recruitment

Sphere offers enhanced paternity pay, flexible working hours and 3pm finishes on Fridays. Quarterly and twice-yearly pay reviews are based on targets and are not at the discretion of a manager, in order to eliminate bias.

Past charity events include a "sleep-out" to raise cash for the homeless. This year, Sphere is also staging events including a sky dive, games night and fancy dress days in aid of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children’s Charity, which helps seriously ill children. It also ran a campaign to support Ukraine and donated £5,000.

Staff turnover is below the industry average — 18%, versus an industry average of 40%. Sphere believes that the clarity and transparency it ensures with regard to training, progress, commission, pay and incentives helps to retain employees.

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Recruitment

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The Creative Engagement Group

All line managers can instantly recognise and reward individuals for their contribution and hard work with £100 on-the-spot bonuses. Employees can spend them on anything they like, from spa trips to the latest tech. They simply make their purchase and claim the bonus back through their expenses.

Passionate about helping young people into the creative industries, CEO Russ Lidstone is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Mentor Development Programme. Meanwhile, staff now get three volunteering days a year. If they need help finding a cause to support, the company's partnership with Matchable can find the right one for them.

All employees are encouraged to "cash in on your contacts". They're invited to refer potential recruits for vacancies through the company's applicant tracking system. They get £50 should the candidate be invited for an interview, a further £250 if they reach three months of service and a further £1000 if they complete their probation period.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

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Right Legal Group

Employees now have access to a wellbeing platform giving 24/7 access to a GP, as well as support for physical and mental health issues, grief, financial struggles and other life challenges. An internal wellbeing hub also signposts to articles, podcasts and other resources – often those successfully tried and tested by their colleagues.

Employees are asked to nominate somebody who has made an outstanding contribution. They may be awarded individually or have the chance to win a £400 voucher if their name gets picked out of a hat. And there’s a £100 bonus for any employee who recommends a hire that passes their three-month probation.

More than 100 staff are part of the company-wide group chat, sharing inspiring and motivating words and offering thanks. There have been many virtual get-togethers – some for fun and others for essential Group updates and staff questions. These are in addition to the company-wide meetings all employees are invited to twice a year.

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Consultancy

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QMS International

Staff are recognised for a job well done, whether that’s a simple ‘thank you’ on internal social platforms or a prize for completing a project or reaching a key milestone. A formal reward system now lets employees give tax-free money or gifts to their colleagues for demonstrating the company’s values.

Apprenticeships have been introduced to upskill existing staff and attract new ones. Managers are encouraged to take one in team leadership and are offered one-to-one coaching with an external consultant. They have the chance to share challenges and successes with other managers in special meetings every couple of months.

Recruits are welcomed to the company as part of a small group. Knowing somebody from day one can help them settle in, and they can support each other through the initial compulsory training courses. New employees also get to meet colleagues in each department so they understand how work flows from start to end.

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Consultancy

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LMP Group

The leadership team is committed to creating a family feel with open communication lines. Each new employee is welcomed with a coffee by the director – the perfect opportunity to ask questions. Co-founders reach out to employees three months after their start date to check-in on their experience of the company so far.

Holding exceptionally high standards of training is at the heart of how the company operates. All trainers are enrolled as members of professional bodies. Ensuring all team member's skills are aligned with the industry standard, they're continually developed via CPD programmes, forums, events and newsletters.

A salary banding system ensures fair pay for all. Pay is reviewed regularly and benchmarked via a third-party HR consultancy, guaranteeing no discrimination. This approach has proved so impressive that it’s won awards, including Investors in People: Gold; Rate My Apprenticeship: Best Employer; and Best Provider: Third Place – to name just a few.

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Education & Training

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Fairness Counts

Intuit QuickBooks

cardfactory

Makara Health Communications

Hectare Agritech

Wolff Olins

Sphere Digital Recruitment

The Creative Engagement Group

Right Legal Group

QMS International

LMP Group

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