Fair Deal

Softwire

Softwire provides permanent health insurance which pays 75% of an employee’s salary (less state benefits) until normal retirement age in the event that they are unable to work for a prolonged period due to most forms of sickness or accident. All employees are automatically covered for this benefit without having to explicitly sign up.

Softwire provides specific Line Manager Training to all employees who are starting in a management role. This training has a mixture of management and leadership theory, workshops around how to give and receive great feedback, discussion forums where employees can bring real-life scenarios, and resources to continue to learn how to develop those skills.

The organisation celebrates employee achievements and contributions during the "Softwire Awards". Potential winners are nominated by colleagues, and four prizes of £500 are awarded to the people who had most embodied each of the company’s four values (Kindness, Trust, Fun, and Caring about what we do).

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Technology

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Sharpe Pritchard LLP

Sharpe Pritchard has refined its appraisal process to focus on professional learning and development, ensuring that its employees feel challenged, and their skills are fully utilised. This approach also opens up opportunities for career advancement within the firm.

Sharpe Pritchard's leadership team is known for their commitment to the firm's values, achieving gender parity amongst partners and maintaining family-friendly policies. The firms actions provide a strong example for the rest of the organisation, fostering a sense of respect and admiration.

Responding to employee feedback, Sharpe Pritchard has enhanced its employment benefits, offering life assurance, income protection, and smart health schemes, alongside competitive salaries, ensuring employees feel they are treated fairly.

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Law

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Riverford Organic Farmers

Riverford gives all co-owners the opportunity to refer a friend for any of its live vacancies. If the referred candidate is successful in getting the role, once they have passed their probation period, it pays the co-owner who made the recommendation £400. The friend they recommended will also get £100 – this is an unlimited

Riverford has a whole host of developmental opportunities for its people. Including captured learning, personal and professional needs during 1:1s, establishing aspirations, and providing learning to support the individual in improving confidence, performance, and motivation. It also runs an internal management programme that focuses on performance coaching and development conversations.

Fair pay is fundamental at the organisation, particularly for those co-owners at the lower levels of pay. It is a Real Living Wage employer. To offset the gender pay gap, it has overhauled its role banding, increased transparency over the rates for different levels, and installed measures to ensure that these bandings are consistently applied.

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Retail

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QCS Staffing

Employees at QCS Staffing have access to a range of wellbeing resources, including: AXA private healthcare; SMART time provided by in-house trainers, to confidentially discuss any concerns; the Healthshield cash plan; enhanced maternity and paternity pay; increased holiday allowance with length of service and extra time off for all over Christmas; and more.

QCS Staffing’s FastTrack to Future Leadership programme is completed by all managers who join the business. Its internal trainers provide training, coaching and support on a range of topics from communication and coaching to motivation and management activities. This is accompanied by role play exercises and knowledge sharing sessions with senior team members.

The organisation rewards employees through objectives set to each individual each month. If all four objectives are hit, they receive a 3pm finish or money; three months in a row, they receive a half-day holiday or money; and six months in a row they receive a seat at Directors club or half-day holiday.

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Recruitment

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Pertemps Recruitment Partnership

Pertemps prioritises employee development through its e-learning platform, Elevate, which offers a range of courses. This, along with partnerships like the one with Kallidus, provides opportunities for skill development and career advancement.

Pertemps places immense importance on employee wellbeing. Initiatives like the Employee Assistance Programme, wellness hub, and promotion of work-life balance contribute to the positive impact on employees' health and performance.

Pertemps' Employee Benefit Trust allows employees to share in the company's success. Long-service awards, additional annual leave days, and the option to dress-down on Fridays further demonstrate Pertemps’ commitment to treating employees fairly.

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Recruitment

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ROAST

TIPi Group's TIPi Academy is a testament to their commitment to personal growth, offering training to individuals keen on entering the digital marketing industry. Employees also benefit from external mentoring opportunities and management coaching.

TIPi Group's CSR Committee ensures the organisation gives back to society. Through initiatives like volunteering at a soup kitchen and encouraging individual fundraising, the company shows its commitment to societal contribution.

TIPi Group's fair treatment of employees is evident in the monthly MVP recognitions and anniversary bonuses regardless of length of service or position. These rewards are announced in monthly company meetings, adding to the sense of fair treatment.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

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La Fosse

La Fosse rewards employees’ achievements in meaningful ways beyond traditional rewards. The organisation’s annual heavily subsidised Ski Trip and quarterly incentive trips offer unique experiences that reward hard work and dedication.

La Fosse has a commitment to social impact, demonstrated by the establishment of its Charity Board and its commitment to donate 1% of its annual profits to selected charity partners. In addition, the organisation encourages employees to participate in volunteering activities, fostering a culture of giving back to society.

At La Fosse, leadership is about transparency and alignment. Its leaders ensure everyone is informed and aligned with the company’s purpose through monthly Company Meetings and regular "Ask Me Anything" sessions.

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Recruitment

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Intercity

Intercity has a wellbeing strategy based around NHS guidance, which states there are 5 steps to improve mental health and wellbeing: connecting with other people, being physically active, learning new skills, giving to others, and paying attention to the present moment.

Intercity offers an employee bonus paid as a percentage of colleagues’ salary and is linked to the organisation’s annual performance. It includes non-financial metrics, such as Net Promoter Score, to encourage and reward positive performance that drives attraction and retention of customers, which is integral for the business to succeed.

Intercity has a calendar of social events, including an annual pub quiz event, and the Intercity Festival which has live music, games, a BBQ, and drinks which brings colleagues together and strengthens relationships. Teams also have a budget for socials which have previously included clay pigeon shooting, bowling, indoor curling, mini-golf, and baseball.

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Telecom

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Franklin Fitch

Franklin Fitch brings its people together through a number of initiatives. Employees can join in with a Run Club and with the company’s 5 a side football teams. Other activities include the organisation’s ‘City Social’ where teams explore different locations and restaurants in their city, and individual team nights out.

The Franklin Fitch Academy has dedicated academy managers for each of the organisation’s main languages (English/German) who support employees from the beginning of their journey through to more senior training opportunities with internal and external providers, coaches and mentors.

Every month the whole company works towards breaking company records as part of ‘Raise the bar Fridays’. The reward for breaking a company record plays into bonus structures for the end of the year and, more immediately, gives all employees a 3pm finish on the first Friday of the following month.

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ESET UK

ESET UK has mental health first aiders to help any and all employees. These mental health first aiders are signposted across the business so all employees are aware how to contact. The organisation also provides a wellbeing benefit of £35 a month that employees can spend on anything that is beneficial to their wellbeing.

As well as providing free hot and cold drinks in the office with fruit and biscuits, and lunches when meetings take place over lunch, ESET UK gifts each employee with seasonal goodies such as chocolate at Easter, a love letter on Valentines day, and a Christmas hamper at Christmas.

At the Christmas Parties and Summer Away Days, the organisation incorporates entertainment with team-building, celebrating success and brainstorming ideas for future progress. It also provides every team with a budget to engage in regular team building activities. These activities vary from physical challenges such as climbing Snowdon, to cooking classes, meals out and ice-skating.

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Technology

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Fairness Counts

Softwire

Sharpe Pritchard LLP

Riverford Organic Farmers

QCS Staffing

Pertemps Recruitment Partnership

ROAST

La Fosse

Intercity

Franklin Fitch

ESET UK

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