Giving Something Back - The extent to which employees feel their organisation has a positive impact on society
Giving Something Back focuses on the organisation’s social responsibilities. If key factors such as ‘Leadership’ and ‘My Manager’ are performing well, it can influence the improvement of all the other factors, boosting your overall engagement.
A ‘Think Green’ campaign put a focus on the environment thanks to its aim of improving the energy efficiency of buildings through engagement programmes for both employees and student residents. The campaign included both e-learning and building technical programmes, as well as encouraging better recycling and simple tips for energy conservation.
Leaders consistently refer to iQ’s values through communication, live events, or business updates and play a key part in recognising when the values are being demonstrated. Recently, the Senior Management Team sponsored and supported the development and rollout of a behavioural framework aligned to the values, which is now being adopted across the business.
As well as an extensive catalogue of learning provided via our LMS, every team member has access to an unlimited number of funded Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications in a range of subjects such as Mental Health, Customer Service and Fitness and Health. There are also talent programmes, apprenticeship schemes and a high-performance coaching programme.
Undergoing an office refit to help improve its environmental footprint, tmgroup’s bases will include recycled furniture, solar panels, and electric car ports and car sharing initiatives. The group monitors its carbon footprint, regularly holding meetings to discuss how further reductions can be achieved. It also champions paperless working and helps its clients make the transition to digital.
Managers have had increased support during the pandemic and the business has invested heavily in their personal development. This includes training on mental health and the benefits of being a mental health first aider, as well as guidance from HR around handling the changes around remote working and remote management.
Initiatives such as a Teams-based channel called tm:talk provide a social space for staff to share experiences, thoughts, and celebrate success to ensure collaboration and community whilst not working in the office. HR also set up a campaign called ‘You Matter’, where staff are invited to chat for 30 minutes on all aspects of wellbeing.
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.
LHP aspires to be a net zero organisation and has developed an ESG strategy with a carbon plan that sets out how this can be achieved. This strategy weaves together key examples of the high-level actions it will take to move towards net Zero, which are already built into a range of key strategies.
The introduction of a weekly Executive Management Team (ELT) vlog is helping to raise the visibility of LHP’s senior team, which is supported by Spotlight (a monthly staff ezine) and a new, much-improved intranet (Basecamp), which offers a social media engagement tool and instant staff recognition module.
All managers have scheduled 1-2-1s with their own line manager and have designated times for catch-ups as groups – both formal and informal. Coaching is available through an external agency and a two-part Management Development Programme is in place for everyone with a line management responsibility. For senior managers, a separate, in-house programme has been developed.
Initiatives such as the Cycle to Work scheme and a city-centre based office to support commuting by public transport are just two of the initiatives Simitive has in place to lessen its environmental impact. Combined with this, it runs a paperless office and employs fully cloud-based IT systems.
After becoming increasingly concerned about the health and wellbeing of its staff during periods of lockdown, the company launched an employee wellbeing programme including 24/7 access to helplines, free counselling sessions, ensuring holidays and breaks were taken, as well as access to confidential conversations with Heads of Department, HR, and Directors.
In order to keep a culture of collaboration and interest during the pandemic, the company held regular meetings on a company and team level, as well as coffee mornings and fun events such as Taskmaster. These were all held in addition to weekly 1-2-1s for all staff members, as well as six monthly development reviews.
With a set target to be a Zero Carbon business by 2023, Space Architects is committed to what it says is a challenging - but realistic - target. Alongside specific reductions in use in certain business areas, it will also incorporate tree planting and the use of photovoltaics on its building to achieve its goal.
Communication takes place throughout the week at the firm – from a Monday morning call with the CEO through to ‘Pizza Friday’ – where an hour-long overview of everything that has happened in the business during the week takes place. There is also ‘Thinking Thursday’, where a topic is discussed along with a learning activity.
The leadership team demonstrates the company’s valued in what they do every day – through their behaviours and the decisions they make. Leaders invite a culture of open communication where any issues are discussed and addressed, and they try to ensure all colleagues feel valued.
With an established Climate Strategy Group, Ecclesiastical is recognising and responding to the climate emergency. Employees are very much part of the movement, by not only being represented in the Group but by being asked to participate in surveys to understand sustainable habits and invited to initiatives to reduce food waste.
A ‘Shout-Out’ scheme to encourage words of thanks and kindness has been established in addition to more classic recognition such as performance-related pay. Alongside an email or handwritten card, managers can also expense a small gift for the most deserving employees. Special recognition is also given where there is particularly good demonstration of values and behaviours.
The company’s ‘4 Ways to Wellbeing’ communications are focussed on improving on existing mental health support. Alongside this, access to professional support has been enhanced, thanks to the design and implementation of a mental health pathway, which joins up Ecclesiastical’s employee assistance and private medical provision with a specialist third party to provide single-source support.
A staff forum network, known as ‘Gateway Together’, exists to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Designed to promote a constantly evolving positive and inclusive culture, it has led to a number of events initiatives including Eid celebrations, Pride, Men’s Health, Black History Month, and International Women’s Week.
Gateway’s office refurbishment included a new recycling system, as well as other initiatives that focused on a commitment to mitigating its impact on the environment. These include LED lighting, the use of hybrid vehicles and electric charging points, as well as a ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme and a bike loan initiative.
Collaboration and inclusion activities consist of weekly team briefings internally, as well as a number of external team bonding activities. These include taking part in virtual ‘escape rooms’, as well as the establishment of a ‘Birthday Month Club’ to encourage celebration across different teams.
Recognising the challenges facing the fundraising initiatives of charities during the pandemic, the organisation gave each of its sites a budget of £10,000 and invited staff to recommend local charities to benefit from a proportion of the funds. In total £50,000 was donated to charities across the South West of England.
An internal Future Leaders Programme has seen the organisation create its own bespoke management training programme, designed to identify, and develop, future managers. Offering a unique training package tailored to the individual, the programme teaches the essential skills required to be a successful manager and includes project work across the business.
Throughout the pandemic the organisation provided helpful tools on mental and physical wellbeing, managing mental health during coronavirus, adjusting to working from home, and maintaining a good work/life balance. It also ran a photo competition to encourage employees to get outside to take daily exercise and share pictures of their local area.
During an employee engagement day, staff had the opportunity to join ‘Spin the Wheel’ competitions, which saw winners given the opportunity to donate to their chosen charities. Part of the company’s current HR strategy is a focus on supporting charities which align with its values and support the Early Years Sector.
Employee-led development is encouraged at all levels, with opportunities for staff to get involved with external partners, such as colleges and universities, to deliver talks as part of their own self growth. Staff can undertake a range of training courses externally, as well as receiving support from a dedicated internal trainer.
An internal survey is sent to all staff to nominate one of their peers who they believe has gone above and beyond in demonstrating the company’s values in their work. The winning ‘Connector’ of the Quarter (as employees are fondly known) is congratulated and presented with a gift during a stand-up.
