Best Companies Factors: Fair Deal

CD (UK) Ltd

The Health and Wellbeing team are all Mental Health First Aiders and they take action and lead the group. The organisation also has a Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Plan, which includes a calendar of activities to help team CDUK.

The organisation provides its staff with plenty of opportunities to support local charities and has a very active community group. It raise funds by doing various activities, including the Dragon Boat Race. It is also planning a litter pick for the local community later this year.

CDUK provides a profit-related pay scheme based on turnover and individual KPIs. It also has a Hero of the Quarter Award for someone who has best demonstrated the organisation’s values. It further gives Birthday and Long Service Awards, and has a thank-you portal to recognise help, support and hard work.

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Construction & Engineering

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Brighter Places

Brighter Places supports personal growth through initiatives like the Brighter Places University programme and traineeships. These efforts have led to one in four promotional opportunities and 50% of management opportunities being filled by internal colleagues.

Brighter Places offers a Flexi Benefit scheme of up to £700 for wellbeing, a 6.16% pension contribution, and 30 days of annual leave. The organisation also provides an interest-free loan of up to £1000 and up to 14 weeks of company sick pay, ensuring a fair deal for their employees.

The ethos at Brighter Places is one of collaboration, trust and respect, encouraging a sense of belonging and team spirit. The company actively fosters a blame-free and supportive working environment, ensuring everyone feels valued and part of the team.

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Housing Associations

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ElectraLink

ElectraLink offers performance based pay increases and performance bonuses which are divided into three tiers. Tier One is for every employee and is based on company profit, paying out up to 100% if targets are beaten. Tier Two is team based targets for joint goals, and Tier Three is individual targets.

In 2023, ElectraLink introduced its Leadership Academy which is mandatory for anyone with line management responsibilities. It covers topics such as fair and inclusive recruitment, leadership styles, engaging your team, emotional intelligence, metrics, performance management, managing through change and building, and sustaining successful and high performing teams.

The organisation strongly believes in the importance of developing its people. On an annual basis, everyone sits down with their manager to have a development conversation and produce Personal Development Plans. Those identified as future talent can also access additional funds and ElectraLink is currently supporting three employees through their MBA.

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Technology

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Masentó Group

Weekly ‘Think Bigger’ teams calls with all employees highlight successes and celebrate the journey. Regular socials take place outside of work hours, where the team are invited to attend fun and competitive activities together. There are also two group holiday incentives per year, where the team chose where they would like to go together.

Masentó Group's leadership team are engaged on an 18-month programme of one-to-one coaching and group sessions with an external company. Some of the topics covered are the power of influencing, embracing discomfort, understanding the different personality styles of their teams, clear communication and being accountable.

There are two company holidays per year and a chance for employees to win a luxury spa break for themselves and a guest. At Masentó Group's yearly AGM, it award its 'Top Billers' and 'Living The Values' winners with trophies, champagne, and a chance to win a luxury watch.

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Recruitment

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Petty Pool

The Trust dedicates two employee days per year for all its staff. These include a hiking challenge and an outdoor waterpark.. Staff can try water sports such as paddle boarding and an inflatable assault course. Anyone who doesn't wish to be adventurous can enjoy a picnic and relax by the water.

The Trust has an emerging leader programme which includes coaching, training, and developing its top talent. Managers also receive mentoring with senior leaders who have an open door policy where managers can get advice or guidance when it's needed. Petty Pool encourages managers to network with other organisations to support best practice.

Petty Pool’s uses rewards and recognition to encourage its employees to start living, demonstrating its values and empowering others to do the same. It hosts yearly awards in four organisation value areas and a couple of fun spontaneous recognition awards with all staff across the organisation.

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Education & Training

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Uniform Group

Uniform is passionate about creating an open dialogue about mental health and it has four qualified Mental Health First Aiders across the group. It also has a menstrual health policy, designed to protect and support team members. Employees have access to medical support via Simply Health, and wellbeing services, including counselling, via The Circle Line.

Uniform benchmarks salaries to ensure fair pay for all employees. It also offers length of service awards, including £2,000 in holiday vouchers after 10 years. The organisation further rewards employees by regularly offering to pay for them and their families to go to a restaurant and have a meal on the company.

Every quarter, Uniform hosts a company-wide lunch where a different team cooks for everyone. The events are always coordinate with when its remote people are working from its Liverpool HQ so everyone can get involved. The lunches are themed, such as in April which was Venezuelan-themed, serving traditional arepas and home-made lemonade.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

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Ryder Architecture

The people at Ryder Architecture enjoy annual team trips to expand their knowledge and strengthen bonds, as well as opportunities for international secondments. The organisation captures life beyond work, from charity events to family days, and invest in a culture that is built by its people, for its people.

Staff are supported through the provision of 80+ hours of training per person, per annum through the Ryder360 Learning Programme, which encompasses all aspects of personal development and covers personal skills. This is to support the continuing professional development of its people, including those working towards charterships.

Ryder Architecture’s internal summit, Blueprint is a unique aspect to the business. Hosted each year, the leadership team shares the practice’s goals for the year, announce promotions, and present awards which recognise great achievements, stand out contributions to the business, and outstanding project work.

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Architect & Surveyor

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Price Bailey

All members of staff are invited to join the employee share scheme once they have completed 12 months' service with Price Bailey. The scheme gives them a stake in the success of the business and recognises the value of their contribution.

Price Bailey has a fleet of electric pool cars available to all employees when they need to travel between the firm's offices or to visit clients. There has been an enthusiastic take-up of hybrid company cars. The firm also has a cycle-to-work scheme alongside paid travel when using local Park and Ride facilities.

Price Bailey added a circuit-breaker day to the Christmas holiday, giving staff extra time off in recognition of their hard work and commitment. The firm's IT systems were shut down to ensure everyone had a proper break from work.

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Accountancy

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The Portfolio Group

The company's managers are developed internally, with a Director mentoring each manager through weekly one-to-ones, providing advice and guidance. Managers are also given the autonomy to lead their own teams, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for training and development.

The company provides market-leading commission schemes and offers clear, transparent guidelines on targets and expectations. The annual all-expenses-paid incentive trip, such as the recent one to Monaco, is a reward for achieving targets and is open to all employees.

Team spirit is fostered through shared experiences like the company holiday to Monaco and other regular incentives, including sports and charity events. The "wrap up" meetings bring all three offices together, ensuring every team member is connected and aware of company-wide achievements, successes, and promotions.

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Business Services

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Newable

The company builds team spirit and a sense of belonging through social events like Thirsty Thursdays, Fish and Chip Fridays, and annual summer and Christmas parties. These initiatives promote camaraderie among staff and contribute to a vibrant work culture.

Newable's leadership encourages employees to uphold the company's core values: Dream Big, Get Going, Grow Together, Always Improve, and Pass It On. These values guide the company's decision-making process and inspire employees to strive for excellence.

Newable offers a comprehensive benefits package including up to 30 days of holiday, a pension, sick pay, a free mortgage service, payroll giving, and an annual flu jab. This package is designed to reward employees fairly for their hard work.

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Financial Services

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Fairness Counts

CD (UK) Ltd

Brighter Places

ElectraLink

Masentó Group

Petty Pool

Uniform Group

Ryder Architecture

Price Bailey

The Portfolio Group

Newable

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