Purpose Boosts Engagement

They give their colleagues extra holidays over the Christmas period in addition to their allocation with plenty of prior notice so they have more time to spend with their families, this is a thank you for their hard work over what is a particularly busy time for their business from September - October. They have done this for the last 4 years. Feedback has shown them that this is very much appreciated.

They give their colleagues extra holidays over the Christmas period in addition to their allocation with plenty of prior notice so they have more time to spend with their families, this is a thank you for their hard work over what is a particularly busy time for their business from September - October. They have done this for the last 4 years. Feedback has shown them that this is very much appreciated.

A key element of Foot Anstey's strategy is to support the development of their lawyers as business advisors. This requires lawyers to develop broader skill sets alongside their pure technical capability to help them build effective business relationships and show insight with their clients. Foot Anstey have been working with their Partners and Associates on a varied and interactive programme of development activities to support this. The spirit has been to give their people an ‘exceptional' and different learning experience. Highlights have included: - Engaging with a major Business school to run facilitated group discussion sessions based on three ‘transformational change' case studies. This provoked discussion and debate as well as awareness of the impact of change. - Business Games scenario – the Associates worked in teams on a business board game scenario. Each group acted as ‘business owners' running a business with suppliers, customers, stock etc. and different scenarios based on the complete financial life cycle of running a business. There was healthy competition between the teams to see who could be most daring and entrepreneurial as well as successful in business and lots of practical learning too. Feedback from these activities has been very positive with high levels of engagement and participation. Foot Ansty are building on this further in 2014 by offering a one day MBA programme for Partners. All these activities have been using a different and interesting approach to developing key skills for the future and aligning these with the Firm's own strategy.

Fesitval Housing run Modern Apprenticeship programmes taking young people from the age of 16+. They progress learners through to Level 3 qualifications. On completion they can continue to develop through undertaking Btec, NVQ, HNC, HND and Professional qualifications. Support is available for all staff to undertake a recognised Vocational, Professional or academic qualifications, 90 % of roles have a specific qualification linked to them e.g. Housing Officers relevant qualification is Chartered Institute of Housing Level 4. Such courses are supported 100% financially. Festival Housing currently offer professional traineeship in HR and Finance with a view to expand to other areas of the organisation. Qualifications are offered via day, block release at college and distance learning. They work closely with local University, other housing associations providing bespoke level 5 Leadership and Management qualifications. They offer development through the delivery of learning activities including e-learning, course attendance external, bespoke in house courses, reading, forums, workshops and conferences. In house courses run with a mix of external and internal trainers. Year 2012 to 2013 Festival carried 3196 training days. This equates to an average of 6.9 training days per member of staff. Vacancies which are identified as key roles can be offered as secondment opportunities of up to 1 year's duration. This allows staff to experience different roles within the organisation. Work experience is available to people looking to change careers or re-join the world place. They work closely with schools and colleges to offer students work experience opportunities.

To lead well, it is necessary to understand what you are leading. Fetival's Chief Executive, Guy Weston knows their business thoroughly, has the widest possible overview and understanding of the industry and the external factors influencing it, but he also knows his staff members by name and speaks to them all in the same way and understands what areas of the business they are most concerned with. The door of his office is always open and they often see him on the office floor or out and about at the depots and other offices. He presents the BreakFest Briefs, tells everyone about his holidays and asks about everyone else. Everyone knows about his football team and he joshes about everyone else's. However, when he's doing business he's completely focused, fair and a good listener. He knows his stuff and when he doesn't have enough information he asks for it before making a judgement. When there are awards to be given, thanks to be made and acknowledgement of excellent work and dedication to Festival and their clients, Guy is there to thank staff personally and he does not quickly forget those achievements. Figures of authority will always find themselves in the firing line for making decisions about contentious issues, but if every member of staff feels that they can express their opinion about that decision directly to that person then they have done the job fairly. That situation exists here at Festival.

The Leadership of Fairbanks is distinctive through its approachability and work ethic. Every member of the management team lead by example in all areas of their work and make time for employees should it be necessary on a work related or personal topic. Most members of management, at any level, attend and participate in company social events. From the Managing Directors down, all staff are known by name and made to feel valued and appreciated. The company has a ‘promote from within' attitude which motivates employees at all levels to work hard and demonstrate their dedication to the company as this will be noticed. Whilst not everyone can be promoted, events such as award dinners are offered to all staff, recognising that the company would not be what it is today without everyone playing their part.

Encore have enlightened leaders who take a servant attitude. Their goal is to support others to achieve goals. They believe in the maxim that 'I look good if I make others look good.' They attract respect for walking the walk, they see the importance of growing people. They recognise the importance of empowering successors. Annually the MD of Encore holds branch workshops, discussing and agreeing the ENcore business plan with all staff. After this is a 'Dragons Den' suggestion scheme, for anyone to present an idea which will save the company money or improve the efficency, the idea to be outside of normal daily activity, with cash rewards for the successful ideas.

Managers and team leaders are responsible for conducting 6 monthly reviews with their individual team. Depending on the various job roles within the business, managers or team leaders will provide evidence to support what they are discussing with the employee, for example, in the sales department they are able to produce KPI figures for each employee, these are in turn rewarded with bonus payments based on their achievements. Performance reviews set out achievable and realistic goals and objectives for the next 6 months, and both the manager and employee set agreed timescales to achieve these in. There are many opportunities for more informal feedback, both face to face, via announcements in meetings and via whole-company or departmental emails.

Best Companies! Duplo International are unique in their industry in striving to achieve this award year on year. They anaylse the results and feedback the results which leads to improvements and changes within their business.

The most important thing that the NextiraOne senior management team does in terms of employee engagement is to support the Company's culture and their people. All the senior management team display the values of the Company and are concerned for their team members and their development which is illustrated in the way they operate. The Managing Director's leadership style reflects the Company's vision, mission and values. He is an excellent example and role model of the Company values that he most certainly lives and breathes. He leads the business with respect, authenticity, honesty, compassion and humility. Such a leadership style has created a special culture and environment that is built on these characteristics; that in many ways feels like a family with high levels of trust, honesty and communications. The Managing Director is very organised and efficient in how he operates which creates a very calm atmosphere. He is a very influential figure, but he is totally undemonstrative and approachable to everyone. He also recognises the importance of people at all levels and he is extremely keen to develop the employees and support ‘home grown' talent.

DeepOcean is a member of Darlington Cares. Darlington Cares is a partnership of leading employers committed to making Darlington a better place. The project works by centrally coordinating the skills, expertise and volunteering power of members and matching these to community and charity projects where they can have the most impact. The Darlington Cares programme ranges from physical outdoor challenges through to utilising business expertise, all of which deliver tangible benefits for the local community, and workforce development opportunities for employers. DeepOcean's HR Director is on the board and fully supports both the initiative and involvement from employees. DeepOcean arranged a project to clear an area of wild vegetation at West Park Nature Reserve in Darlington, which coincided with World Environment Day in June. Meadow seed was then planted, which will grow into wild flowers for the local community to enjoy. During one of the companies busiest ever periods, DeepOcean was still able to send 12 volunteers for half a day during work time to support the project. All employees were given the opportunity to take part.

Colne offers health insurance for staff pre April 2012, with all new staff now offered Health care cash plan as part of its benefits package. Other benefits include payment of the cost of eye sight tests and a contribution of £75 per annum towards new glasses when needed, 50% or £15 monthly payment towards gym membership, provision of a 'fruit day' once a week for all staff, annual flu jabs, bicycle loan for members of staff who wish to use a bike to attend meetings. Colne appointed a health champion in 2010. This has produced regular email briefings from the health champion on a range of issues from healthy eating to managing stress. Staff were also offered a free health check as part of a Health and Well being roadshow it hosted in September 2013, which included tests for cholesterol, measuring blood pressure and individual advice on healthy lifestyles following completion of a questionnaire. Between January and March 2013, Colne also arranged a virtual walk to one of the charitable organisations it provides a payroll service to, Recycle, whose bicycles are shipped to South Africa, with the winning team being awarded with vouchers for a treatment at the local health spa. The local ACE partnership, has also attended staff meetings in the past 12 months and provided presentations on alcohol awareness, healthy eating and stress awareness and coping mechanisms. Colne also has detailed personnel policies for managing stress, including the option of referral to, and funding of, counselling and support services.

Feedback from their last annual staff survey told them that CSM needed to better engage with employees and their CEO reported at the last conference that this would be the focus for this year. An engagement strategy was developed and implemented and a range of activities have taken place. Examples are: forum sessions have been held with staff groups across the business, appreciative enquiry interviews were held with the Leadership Team, tenant focus groups have been held, regular updates have been given on engagement at departmental meetings and engagement is a standing item on team agendas, the senior management team has concentrated its efforts on being more visible, "walking the floor" and "going back to the floor" - the Director of Operations spends an afternoon a month in the call centre, they worked with their apprentices to develop a new and improved apprentice and trainee offer, their CEO held an interactive session with all operative staff to get their views on how the service could improve and feedback was given to all involved to inform them of actions taken and progress and this continues now on a regular basis.

Centrica support their managers and leaders to set the standard and expectations and role model behaviours, to help develop their people to make Centrica Storage a great place to work. There is an online recognition scheme called RecogniseMe in place. Tools are provided for the managers to take ownership for delivering and supporting their people's development. Coaching for managers at all levels.

Wellbeing at Centrica Storage is a fundamental pillar of the company's employee strategy. The company is committed to healthy employees for a healthy organisation and works to be proactive to support their employees and ensure they are well and safe at work. It is embedded in their occupational health and HR strategies to help their people. They have a dedicated and enthusiastic Occupational Health and Wellbeing manager who drives awareness and best practices across the business. Two key initiatives this year are their Health and Wellbeing Fairs, where they worked with the NHS and their Wellbeing partners, and their voluntary health checks to help employees be proactive about their health. Both these programmes have proven highly successful, with huge participation, both on-shore and off-shore. They encourage and support their employees by bringing health and wellbeing awareness into the workplace.

The appraisal process allows employees to provide feedback on the areas that affect their role and the wider company concerns. They have the opportunity to promote their ideas and thoughts on how to improve areas of the business. This information is discussed during the individual appraisal and then all comments are collated and put forward the Senior Management Team for review.

The company has an ethos of wanting to engage with the communities in which it works and for many years, in conjunction with the Local Education Authority, has run a scheme where permanently excluded students, aged between 14-19, are offered one day a week work experience. This is available for a whole school year. This has often resolved discipline problems and raised the skills level of the student. As importantly it has raised the expectation of the student and some have gone on to become apprentices within the construction industry. The company has become recognised, by the Devon Education Business Partnership and the local authorities Education and Skills Board for providers of best practice for work experience. The company is also recognised as one of the few employers in the construction industry locally who provide work experience for learners with learning difficulties or disabilities.

However busy Cabot's people are, in whatever role they have they actively provide opportunities for employees to take a break from their work and do something positive that will enhance their overall wellbeing. ‘Know your Numbers', is a free service for employees who go along and have their BMI, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors assessed. They receive personal, confidential feedback and advice on their numbers and information on lifestyle changes that may help to improve their health. We receive great employee feedback from people who have already taken active steps to improve their health and wellbeing based on the advice they received during their sessions. “My weight has been an "issue" for over a decade.........I have now finally changed my eating habits in a sustainable way and increased my activity levels - already lost half a stone and feel so much better!” This year, the Company has also offered free on site back and neck energising massages and a 6 week stop smoking clinic during working hours which have also made a positive difference to many of Cabot's employees wellbeing as illustrated by the following quotes: “Personally, I can categorically say that I would not have quit smoking if had not gone to the Stop Smoking Clinic, so thank you.” “The Well Being Massage is a pleasant experience that leaves me in a positive mood. I find it very therapeutic and relaxing hence helping to concentrate better on my daily tasks”

Sponsoring beehives is among the more unusual environmental initiatives at Brookwood. The company has a Planet Matters Team of people who discuss and implement new initiatives, running vegetable and herb plots, using local suppliers, fairly traded products and refillable water bottles. There's a Waste Less programme to reduce and monitor food wastage and last year the firm had a Planet Matters Day. Every single one of its catering operations in schools – all 96 of them – took part, planning a day to raise awareness that the planet matters to it, its schools, and pupils who eat in its restaurants. They helped pupils grow herbs and vegetables for the kitchens, and encouraged them to reduce food waste and drink tap water in reusable, not plastic bottles. People say it genuinely cares about the environment. More than a third of employees got involved with charitable activities in work time last year, and the firm supports the charities Build Africa, Magic Breakfast and Springboard. It encourages people to do their bit.

Brookwood offers term time only contracts to a high proportion of employees, and this ensures they have a good work/life balance, particularly helping parents work. People say it really does help them find the right balance and stops the job interfering with responsibilities at home. Managers get private health care, and senior managers also have psychiatric cover to mitigate the risk of stress. People don't feel their health is suffering because of work or believe they are under too much pressure to perform well. It probably helps that there's a defined school dinner time, because employees say work deadlines are realistic too.

Managers ensure each staff member has an accurate up to date personal development plan and monitor this on a regular basis. Have regular support and supervision structures with each staff member individually at least every six weeks. Proactively respond to queries from staff.

The leader of BRE his highly visible, he takes time to get to know his employees. His messages are consistent on the strategy and direction for the organisation and he builds upon their successes. The Senior Management team have brought together the different parts of the business and the directors and their staff now work across business areas.

Boston College are an effective and innovative community leader in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. They regularly hold and attend meetings and participate with a range of statutory, community and voluntary organisations to help improve social cohesion within their increasingly diverse town. Through their business networks and strong links with local employers, they have been able to extend their influence to the workplace. Their ‘Employers Open for Business' project worked with ten employers of varying size and scale to help them avoid the legal pitfalls and realise the business and social gains that can be had from taking a pro-active approach to equality and diversity. In total the employers, which included a national construction company, residential care home and hair salon, received 60 hours of free training and consultancy support tailored to meet their individual needs, benefitting over 100 employees many of them apprentices and work-based learners. Boston College also took 60 delegates to the Holocaust Centre, Newark for a 1-day thought provoking educational programme on the dangers when prejudice, discrimination and intolerance go unchecked in society. The project has been showcased at three national dissemination events across the country. A film of the project has been widely disseminated, together with a good practice guide to equality and diversity in the workplace. Their work in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion continues and has been sustained through their employer contacts and business network meetings that they regularly host and deliver, as well as more directly through work with their learners and other stakeholders.

Managers have been provided with training to the extent that over 50% of middle ranking managers have attended at least a level 5 qualification management course. This equips managers with the skills to optimise staff workloads within achievable levels and understand recognition and reward for their staff. The guidance of the management framework encourages managers to recognise and value their staff. This is reinforced through regular meetings, coaching and mentoring and team meetings. The staff survey showed a 6 point increase to the question 'My line manager makes me feel valued' to 70% and a 5 point increase to the question 'Often thanked by my line manager for my efforts' to 67%.

Biggin Hills sponsor the Bromley and Blackheath Harriers athletic club. They give an annual financial contribution to the local residents' association. A range of events are hosted throughout the year which are of interest to their staff and the local community and, in some cases, are designed to raise money for charity. Recent events have been: October 2013 Heritage Hangar Open Day September 2013, Sit in a Spit - Spitfire experience, August 2013 Musical Salute to the Few. The MD is invited as a key local member of the Biggin Hill community to switch on the Christmas lights.

There is a really open culture here at Berry Bros & Rudd, and their leadership team are accessible and keen to engage with their employees.

Through Bedfordia's Striving for Excellence, performance and development framework, learning and development is discussed on a regular basis - minimum quarterly and an individual training plan is agreed. This can include on the job training, coaching, job shadowing through to external training courses on specific topics and funding to complete a professional qualification. One of Bedfordia's key values is Striving for Excellence, which encompasses always striving to achieve their best in whatever they do - they could not achieve this without a real focus on developing their people.

With the introduction of Beyond Zero, all employees have the confidence that what they say matters. This is one of the unique aspects of working for BAM Nuttall. To actively encourage feedback from staff, they went out to everyone with the Beyond Zero workshops and encouraged people to come forward at a personal level. Any personal discussions, positive or negative, were undertaken confidentially so their personnel could speak freely. There are many ways in which they gather feedback from their staff from the dedicated Beyond Zero email address to just talking to people. The most effective is the Safety and Environment observation cards. All sites, offices and depots are provided with cards. Everyone is encouraged to record observations, anonymously if they wish, to report issues and near misses or simply to share good practice. They can be health and safety issues, environmental issues or any other event worthy of being brought to other people's attention. People can record details of any action they have taken in situations, to share their ideas and to prompt discussion or action at management level. All our staff are regularly reminded of the importance of giving feedback. At the end of 2012, BAM Nuttall held a successful awards ceremony, available to everyone across the country via their intranet, celebrating what was best about Beyond Zero. It was a simple way of demonstrating how Beyond Zero can make a difference on site, in the office and most importantly, for the well-being of each of their employees.

B P Collins places considerable importance on building and strengthening their relationships with their local community and each year they donate to and support a number of national and local charitable organisations and activity based events as part of their charitable giving programme.

The best example of how Arup supports employee development is related to the training the leaders receive in the development of their coaching skills. The reason that Arup have chosen this example is because this investment makes an impact right the way through their business. To date over 100 (70%) of their Directors have attended an intensive 3 day Coaching Mastery workshop including all of their region board members and have been encouraged to use these skills to get the best from their people. It is reported that this programme is promoting the development of initiative taking in their people because the coaching approach is encouraging a more empowered response. Additionally coaching as a prominent leadership style relies on the quality of questions the leaders ask. Obviously what follows is the reality and perception that the majority their leaders listen versus instruct. Also as the coaching training places a strong focus on self-awareness it means the leaders are instrumental in nurturing a feedback culture that is so essential for people to develop. Each year and even during difficult times Arup have maintained or increased their investment in this programme. The Directors involved take pride in their coaching skills and take some post programme supervision in order to keep their skills honed. In addition they have started to broaden the population who are trained dependent on their developing others' responsibility.

In November 2012, a team of willing gentlemen took part in MOvember. The Company matched all funds raised to a maximum of £500. The Company makes these decisions on an ad hoc basis depending on the cause and in consultation with COM2. Self Unlimited is a charity which supports adults with learning difficulties. Artelia have run volunteer days at several of the charity's sites helping out with gardening, fence building and general maintenance. They have also provided professional advice on construction and property matters on a pro bono basis.

The most important aspect in this respect is the maintenance of staffing levels. At a time when many organisations have been asking staff to do considerably more, Arena have continued to increase staff counts across the organisation. This means that pressure on individuals is minimised, the likelihood of work related stress is reduced and employees are able to keep a healthy work/life balance. Arena have also moved their North West operation into brand new premises, refurbished major parts of the headquarters building, extended and refreshed the Derbyshire base and drastically improved the North Leeds logistics base. The result is a more spacious, modern and enjoyable working space and atmosphere for the bulk of their employees.

Having been dedicated supporters of Bolton Lads and Girls Club since 2006, ao.com constantly think up new, innovative ways to do their bit for the local childrens' charity. ao.com recently became a sponsor for the Bolton Atlantic Challenge. Four Bolton businessmen will row 3000 miles across the Atlantic in a bid to raise £250,000 for Bolton Lads and Girls Club's Junior Mentoring Project. Alongside fellow Bolton-based businesses, ao.com have donated £100,000 to become a sponsor of the challenge, which is even more close to their hearts with a member of their very own team on board. Marketing Executive Finn Christo has spent the past two years training for the event which will begin on 2nd December, with the full support of his colleagues and the Senior Team here at ao.com. His dedication to the event made it an easy decision to become a sponsor in order to give back to an extremely worthy local children's charity and back a member of our team all the way.

Paul is the Managing Director at Added Value UK. Added Value asked some people to give a few words on his leadership style. “Paul's leadership style is distinctive through being equally focused on both the commerciality of the business as well as developing the creativity. Typically leaders can sway towards one of these attributes but Paul is able to deliver credibly on both and inspire and bring the team along with him. He role models creativity in his work and employee engagement activities and believes delivering creating solutions is the key to our commercial success.” “I think he manages an unusual balance of being a really strong leader – strategic, inspiring, having a clear vision and so on, but who does so in a way that is fun and funny, warm, engaging and approachable.” “He's a family man with strong principles. He believes that some things are more important than work. When you need support he is quick to give it. When you don't he stays out of your way, giving you space and responsibility.” Paul is never shy of saying thank you to the team and always makes sure everyone is included, here's an excerpt from a company wide email at the end of 2012: “Unbelievable year. Mental, but amazing. I just wanted to say that it's been truly brilliant working with such a bunch of talented people all in flying form. It shows what we're capable of and how remarkable we are as a team…”

acdc actively encourage team building events to foster interdepartmental awareness, cross functional departmental activities and improve communication. Examples of different events and sizes include the acdc annual company conference where all employees are taken off site to a nearby hotel for the afternoon and evening and this is fully funded by the company. The format for the conference includes a review of the previous year and a look ahead to the company's key goals and objectives in the forthcoming year. This enables key messages to be communicated consistently to all the employees. At the end of this year's conference acdc held a team activity which involved devising an advert for their lighting products which resulted in greater knowledge sharing, communication and better relationships from this fun team activity. Once the conference and team building activity has ended they provide a buffet, free bar and disco for all employees to enjoy and discuss the afternoon's activities or any other questions or comments they may have in a relaxed, informal environment, which encourages improved communication and awareness, Additional team building activities include the sponsoring of company netball and football teams, an annual Christmas Partly, Family BBQ, Running and Cycling Clubs, various charity events including Movember and the Burnley 10K, as well as Go Karting and other activities. acdc also hold formal team building events for their Senior Managers and leaders of the business to improve teamworking, strategy, direction and communication.

The Leader of the organisation is dynamic, engaging and shares information including the company business plan and updates face to face with all staff.

The company sets aside 1% of pre-tax profits for charitable giving each year and the funding decisions are primarily made by the family council who represent the shareholders. Their focus is on giving back to the communities where they do business and most of the funds allocated to charities based in Scotland which is where the company is registered and is the family home. The company have a matched giving policy and all employees are entitled to apply for matched giving either to match funds raised or for voluntary hours given to a charity. All employees can claim matched giving up to a maximum of £1,000 in any one calendar year.

Virgin Money's CEO, Jayne-Anne Gadhia, never takes no for an answer and never accepts things at face value. She always looks for the win: win EBO (Everyone Better Off) solution and inspires her colleagues to do the same. Above all, she is a brilliant and engaging communicator whether addressing an audience of 1,500, having a one on one conversation or writing to every colleague every Friday.

The company ownership structure means that a charitable trust fund, 'The Russell Trust', owns 28% of the company shares. This trust uses the dividend from its shareholding, around £250,000 per annum, to make charitable donations to the local community. They have engaged with the local community and local councils to build the Tullis Russell Environmental Education Centre (TREE Centre). This centre supports their environmental branding and will provide environmental education to the local community and schoolchildren.

It has been Trident's belief for some time that Housing Associations have a wider responsibility to support and shape the communities which it serves. Trident's stock is predominantly in an area that is geographically isolated, has a high rate of benefit dependency, a high level of financial exclusion, unemployment, social isolation and lack of community engagement. They house some of the most disadvantaged, excluded and underrepresented communities in the region with issues such as mental health, drug and alcohol dependency, cultural diversity, refugees and those that have experienced homelessness. Trident has initiated a number of initiatives that have seen an increase in community cohesion, life skills, personal confidence and social interaction empowering the community to work together to address issues that matter to local people through initiatives such as coffee mornings, breakfast clubs, training sessions, martial arts classes, money advice surgeries, an Iranian Support Group and more recently a number of Trident Torch Events (to build on this Summer's Olympic theme). The money advice surgeries worked with over 360 customers last year maximising £87,369 worth of income and advising on £331,075 of debt. They engaged a local loan shark agency to deliver training and advice sessions to over 120 customers and staff raising awareness on a key issue in the area, signposting affected customers. The breakfast club and Iranian support group provides social interaction, personal confidence and a free breakfast for many customers who struggle financially.

The company employ two permanent fitness instructors who work in the Bracknell office gym. They also pay gym membership for employees in all other offices. Their on-line health and well being portal gives access to a comprehensive wellness information centre, which addresses a wide range of medical and well being issues, and their interactive online lifestyle programme. Towry entered 112 employees in 16 teams in last year's Global Corporate Challenge, and between them they clocked up nearly 56,000 measuring their daily step, swim and cycle count. The daily step average of 12,926 per person (5.15 miles) was an 11% improvement on last year.

As a hotel The Savoy are committed to being green. They focus on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. All of the unused and unwanted food gets placed into an uncontaminated bin when it gets taken away to be recycled and used as energy. They also do bi-annual Thames Foreshore cleanup to keep the environment clean and for the community to be able to enjoy a clean landscape of the Thames. The Savoy also continue to heat hotel water with the heat obtained from the refrigerators in the hotel.

TLG Senior management team has long supported social events throughout its history and continue to actively encourage staff to engage in social events including fund raising activities within the community, many of which have proved not only to be sucessful but extremely memorable. TLG is happy to boast an average tenure for employees of over seven years, which for a company of over 250 staff is exceptional. The company hosts and finances an annual themed Christmas function for all employees to attend.

TLG Senior management team has long supported social events throughout its history and continue to actively encourage staff to engage in social events including fund raising activities within the community, many of which have proved not only to be sucessful but extremely memorable. TLG is happy to boast an average tenure for employees of over seven years, which for a company of over 250 staff is exceptional. The company hosts and finances an annual themed Christmas function for all employees to attend.

For the past 10 years, The Clyde group has awarded an annual bonus to staff based on the profitable performance of the individual companies and Group as a whole. A personalised letter in advance of the bonus explains why this bonus has been awarded and how each team member has played a role in the success of the Group. To further foster the team spirit within The Group and to reward staff for continued hard work, Dress down/Charity days are held each month with staff encouraged to come to work in casual clothing but also to participate in charity days. Staff volunteer to promote and run charity events within working hours. Staff are also encouraged to submit new ideas for improvements within the organisation either to service provided or working conditions, with the successful ideas communicated via the weekly staff email bulletin.

The company's Management Team is accessible and approachable, which they believe accounts for their levels of staff engagement. A fun example of this was their Valentine's Cup Cake Day, all for Make-A-Wish. Members of staff could pay to put forward a Director of their choice to deliver a cup cake and personalised message to their Valentine. All day long the Directors, and particularly the company's CEO, could be seen running up and down the stairs, with cupcakes in hand, flourishing messages!

Each month, all employees at STEAK are encouraged to nominate their 'most valued player' (MVP). This is somebody that they consider to have contributed most significantly to the STEAK team. The winner is announced at the monthly company meeting, and receives a certificate and £100.

The St Jude Medical Employee Forum has been established for 18 months as a vehicle for staff and management to have an open discussion on any topic that has an effect on the business and personnel. The Forum membership is represented by every area of the business and the members actively seek topics to raise at bi-monthly meetings. The company also have informal surveys which are issued to solicit anonymous feedback on specific matters or events for consideration and implementation of initiatives, which have been beneficial to SJM. In addition, all staff are encouraged to raise issues and discuss with managers as well as colleagues, the employee forum rep or mentor. By relocating everyone to completely unfamiliar and unusual surroundings, the SJM office staff were invited on a boating experience day to discuss the way the office is branded and perceived, how individually and collectively they work and how things could improve. Fresh, open and honest discussions were had, an alternative mission for the office staff was agreed upon.

The cornerstone of employee engagement is ensuring outstanding contribution and performance are recognised by the Company. The annual Staff Awards are one formal way in which St Jude Medical rewards superb achievements. There are 8 award categories nominated by employees, including the coveted Managing Director's Award, ultimately decided by the Country Manager. This award in particular recognises an individual who has made an exceptional impact on the business. A letter, cheque and trophy are presented to all winners – and a winner's plaque erected in Capulet House. Following a day's team-building activity, last year's awards ceremony was held at the Celtic Manor hotel in Newport and was attended by the winners, runners-up and the management team.

SRLV have a private health scheme that all employees are eligible to join. They offer free flu jabs to all staff every year.

In a staff attitude survey in 2008, employees informed South Tyneside Homes that they wanted to see the company improve health within the workplace and provide more support around health promotion. In 2009 they undertook a comprehensive 'Staff Health Needs Assessment' with all staff which highlighted that, amongst other things, they wanted the opportunity to have personal health checks, provide support for smoking, the use of an on-site gym, and to make the workplace safer and reduce the number of accidents. The survey allowed staff to have a voice in well-being initiatives and provided the basis for the companies strategy and direction over the following three years. As a result, they have built a free staff gym, which now has over 25% of our staff holding membership. Smoking cessation sessions are held weekly in the workplace with specialist advisors to support staff in quitting. In addition, every member of staff is encouraged to undergo a full NHS Health Check every year within work time and this has led to several staff becoming aware of an unrecognised health condition.

Shropshire Housing Group use their Leadership Group and Performance Management Group as an opportunity for junior managers and more junior staff members to develop presentation skills. This is seen as a useful platform for them to have a go at "practicing" in front of critical friends and is a great development opportunity. In addition they permit a cross range of staff to become champions in their own right and use their abilities to train work colleagues e.g. IT software champions, lean ways of working champions and E&D champions are just a few examples. They have also put together a CMI L 3/5/7 for staff/ managers and directors. They are looking to introduce a Career Development Plan for each job role within the orgnaisation.

The continuation of the Global Corporate Challenge resulted in staff members reporting that their fitness had improved, their diet was healthier, as well as employees being encouraged to take a break away from their desks especially during lunch hours. Management has the ability to relate to employees at every level, putting them at ease so they feel comfortable, and have the genuine desire to want to understand and address the issues that employees are facing within their workplace. Management is also interested in staff members just as much at a personal level as at work level.

The recent sales conference, involved almost all staff from ShP. A BBQ was backed up by a range of wine, PIMMS and beers and all enjoyed the evening to the early hours. Staff based at home, office based and warehouse all had a great time together and many chatted and conversed with people that they do not on a daily basis due to work requirements. All agreed it was great to find out things about people that you would not know outside of these events. This culminated in the presentation of iPads to staff for that sales period.

Shine has the most outstanding group of Account Directors who operate between the account manager and associate director levels. They hold an enormous wealth of knowledge on best practice account management, client handling, as well as being great custodians of company culture. In 2012 founder, Rachel Bell, moved to a CEO role and promoted Richard Brett to Managing Director. The leadership team created a 'shadow board' out of the long-standing account director team and Rachel took on a mentoring role to develop the leadership skills and business acumen of this middle management level. The team meet monthly over breakfast with the CEO who plays a mentoring role in helping them hone their leadership skills and business acumen. The monthly meetings allow them to shape and discuss how to progress these plans. It is also a great forum to share coaching tips around negotiation issues either with team members or clients.

The ‘personal growth' of staff is something Shine takes very seriously; all employees are encouraged to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to self-empowerment. Central to Shine's employee charter is to encourage its team to never miss an opportunity to learn. Training and development is a major focus of the agency, with an investment of 10% of annual profit into bespoke training programmes for every member of staff. Every training request from reviews is facilitated in the ‘Shiney Happy People' training programme and Shine Business School. This is further supplemented with a £36,000 fund for individual sessions designed to tackle specific development areas. Testimony to the success of this approach is the fact that 38% of staff were promoted in the year and, perhaps most notably, four new ‘home grown' Associate Directors were welcomed onto the Board. Over and above Shine's structured training programme and its ‘Shine Business School' for senior managers, the company offers all staff the chance to apply for professional development courses such as CIMA accountancy qualification or a CAM Degree (Communications, Advertising and Media).

2011 was a challenging yet rewarding year and across the whole Group success has been celebrated and recognised: Staying First has a new identity, Domus has won new business, they're officially Guinness World Record holders and also Gold Investors in People Champions.

2011 was a challenging yet rewarding year and across the whole Group success has been celebrated and recognised: Staying First has a new identity, Domus has won new business, they're officially Guinness World Record holders and also Gold Investors in People Champions.

In the last year they have held and supported several charity events for 'Movember', Children in Need, Children Today and Harris Hospice. Furthermore, they give their supplier gifts to their nominated charity for them to distribute to patients and use as charity raffle gifts.

Secure Trust Bank encourages all staff to take time off during their working days to volunteer their time for the nominated 2012 charity, QAC. This is reinforced by the CEO who 'tops up' the money raised in events from his own pocket. The events throughout the year are driven by the department managers who are often found at the front leading their team during the event, i.e. the IT team helped re-organise the library and the Lending and Project teams helped redecorate rooms by painting walls. All events although organised by a specific department involve everyone within the business to a greater or lesser extent, often creating a competition between departments.

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners was founded on the premises of teamwork and the importance of communication. The management style of the practice reinforces this by providing as many opportunities as possible to encourage direct communication between the partners and employees at all levels. This breaks down the traditional hierarchical boundaries between different groups within the practice and prevents corrupted feedback to the management team.

Rocela views communication as a two way initiative and has implemented a number of methods to listen to their employees, seek ideas and feedback. A quarterly company conference which covers performance and staff news. The Q&A session is an opportunity for anyone to ask questions or offer feedback. A companywide email group used by any member of staff who wishes to communicate news or ask a question. The most recent Employee Questionnaire was issued in September 2011 and this covered a variety of topics including; Communication, Line Management, Values, Benefits, Performance feedback and Development. Below are a few “stats” from the survey: 96% of Rocela employees took part in the survey , 87% of the respondents felt that Rocela communicate well on a company level , 95% of the respondents felt that communication was good on a team level , 96% answered positively to the question regarding customer service/ client care and89% answered positively in relation the Rocela Performance Management process Rocela has a formal Performance Review Process. This is particularly pertinent for those people working from home or based in an alternative location to their Line Manager. 1to1 meetings take place across the business approximately once a month. They are a great opportunity to ensure that people's views are heard. The key topics that are discussed at these meetings are achievements ,frustrations,role alignment and career alignment. Their Executive Team operate a “real” open-door policy and encourage people to speak to them on any topic – either face-to-face or on the phone.

The UK and global senior management team aim to be visible throughout the business which helps not only with employee engagement, but also helps with morale and motivation in the business, as the recruitment market continues to be challenging. As their leadership team have all started with and built their careers with the company, it is encouraging for staff to know that their managers have been there and know what they're going through. The leadership hierarchy is very shallow and as such, it is common to see the directors and even global senior executive members sitting alongside the consultants in an open-environment. This helps break down barriers and demonstrates that the leadership team is accessible. Whether to assist on client meetings, training or general day-to-day activities, the leadership team works very closely with the sales consultants. To recognise consultants for their contributions and hard work, the company hosted a sales competition with 16 winners receiving VIP access to various Olympic competitions. Their managing director launched the competition and the directors worked very closely with employees to ensure they were on track and meeting targets for the highly sought-after prize!

The CEO has embedded a culture within the organisation that nurtures and provides the environment for innovation and employee self-expression. The open-door policy and employee communications within Riverbed enables each and every employee to directly communicate their ideas and thoughts to Jerry Kennelly and his executive team.

Riverbed Technology is committed to enhancing the quality of life of employees and their families. By offering competitive salaries and comprehensive packages of various benefits they strive to create an environment that attracts the most highly qualified individuals.

Self assessment is an essential part of their continuous improvement. This process allows all departments and teams to analyse their strengths, areas for improvements and their satisfactory areas, through effective monitoring and on-going self assessment. All staff are fully engaged in this process and the outcome helps to focus on improvement across the business and to raise the standard and quality of training provision. A full self assessment process is completed once every year, with a formal review every 6 months, which is documented in a full report. This is also supported by a Quality Improvement Plan, which details all key improvement areas and documents the progress of key activities and actions. This plan is reviewed on a monthly basis and updated accordingly. Self assessment is a key part of their business culture and everyday approach.

Paramjit is a very warm, approachable and visible leader. He is on first name terms with all Qedis' people (and their families, too!), frequently posts updates on their internal social networking site to let them know what he is up to, and uses their employee action days for sharing and communicating messages that in other firms would be restricted to the leadership team only. He sits alongside everyone in the office, and invites all new employees to shadow him for a day as part of their induction. He has found a way to infuse his style into the organisation without creating any form of leader-worship culture, he's incredibly humble yet has the respect of everyone and he encourages this behaviour in others . Paramjit gets the best out of his people through encouraging their input to and ownership of important company initiatives, displaying a great deal of confidence and trust, not only in those more senior within the company, but right down to the newest intern. He is also very open with his plans for the future of Qedis, actively encouraging everyone to think about the role they would like to play in shaping the organisation: as shareholders they all own a part of it. Above all, Paramjit is truly passionate about Qedis, and it shows! He likes to be ‘hands on' and is involved in client delivery, recruitment and the day-to-day running of the business as well as the strategic aspects of his leadership role.

During the second half of 2010 the business decided that they should look to set up something that allows all employees in the business to be involved in something tangible that provides help and support to disadvantaged children. A select number of employees worked hard on developing an idea that would be significant enough to excite employees, something local to be able to get involved in and to establish something with longevity and sustainability. After much deliberation on what this could be to help unfortunate children, the team decided on the idea of providing free holidays. The idea then grew quickly into buying 2 fabulous holiday homes at the popular holiday site Haven holiday blackpool. What we then needed to work out was how we would identify the right children who would benefit. In association with North Yorkshire council children services, they established a partnership that allowed the people looking out for those children in need to nominate those children and familes in need the most. In 2011 the idea was launched as a fully registered charity called The Principle Trust and to date has been successful in raising sufficient funds to benefit 237 children. All employees are involved in one or another and contribute proudly to the fund raising effort the charity requires, and give up their free time to help and assist where possible.

Practice Plan has phased return to work policy for all staff, risk assessments, regular meetings and updates. The company also provides free fruit, a cycle to work scheme, gym memberships, flexible working and encourages people to take care of each other.

At Porter Novelli, the well-being of employees is taken seriously. The company has piloted a programme which involves a series of lunchtime sessions to support your Mind, Body or Soul. For example, a personal trainer came in to give free exercise and dietary advice, the company also had pop up shops from Aveda and Stella & Dot. These invited experts improved staff's knowledge on things ranging from personal finance to ordering wine at client lunches.

Each year Pets at Home hold their annual conference for the retail team. Last year the company had an Olympic theme, where they highlighted their achievements from the previous year and outlined their goals for the year ahead. Pets at Home asked their colleagues to 'Pick it Up & Pass It On' to cascade these messages back to the teams in store. The company also used the conference as an opportunity to launch their new first value of putting pets before profit. They celebrated success by awarding a 'Pet Star' award to Kate Jones, Customer and Culture Manager, for her achievements during her 15 years' service and most recently in setting up the Customer Helpdesk. The evening was rounded off by a celebration of hero's, both sporting and otherwise, which invariably lead to some interesting fancy dress outfits and a lot of dancing!

All staff within the company have a structured training programme that is evaluated under the company's ISO accreditation. The company's structured training programme has been further developed over the past 12 months. Operational staff are encouraged to undertake their NVQ qualifications and in the past 12 months in excess of 10 operational staff have completed their NVQ Level 2, and have chosen to progress to Level 3. Individuals are fully supported and work time is set aside for them to complete their modules to ensure work-life balance in maintained. Sales/Recruitment staff now undertake not only the company's bespoke structured training programme, but the company have also set aside a budget for individual coaching. The individual coaching is on topics chosen by the individual and his/her manager during their monthly business reviews and has proven to be highly successful.

In January 2012, People 1st hosted a belated Christmas celebration in Northern Ireland. The trip coincided with the launch of the organisation's customer service training programme, WorldHost, in Northern Ireland. This provided an opportunity not only to give all their teams the chance to see the shape of the market in one of the devolved nations, but also to celebrate the challenges and changes met by the organisation during 2011. People 1st flew all employees to Belfast and all flights and overnight accommodation in Belfast were paid for by the company. The celebration was organised by their Northern Ireland team and included a drinks reception at the hotel, a live comedy performance by award-winning Belfast comedienne Nuala McKeever, followed by a three-course dinner. While the Christmas celebration was an extremely social and enjoyable occasion, it presented many opportunities for learning and networking. Members of the senior management team and department representatives participated in the launch of WorldHost, and all other staff members were able to learn about the programme in the context of the market in Northern Ireland.

To enhance the well-being of employees the organisation includes staff in decisions, listens to their suggestions, supports regular activities of the Staff Representative Group, puts emphasis on safe working, and creats good working environments, management and practices.

Last summer, the Payzone social committee decided to organise an Olympic themed BBQ. The BBQ was designed as a fun and completely free event for all. Emails were sent to the business prior to the BBQ to create a buzz, whilst keeping some aspects a surprise for the evening. An outside catering company was hired to provide the food and the Social Committee was in charge of everything else buying in drinks, games, prizes and decorations. The outside of the office was decorated with Olympic banners, bunting, flags and balloons and games were set up around the area. Games were set up for all to play and carried prizes and got everyone interacting with others from around the business. A highlight of the night was the managers' triathlon with 14 of the management team battling it out to be crowned champion, whilst being cheered on by their teams. The evening was a definite success with the majority of the business in attendance.

The "What If…" employee led engagement initiative at Payzone UK Ltd has included the redecoration of a meeting room, in order to create a calm work free zone as well as a creative "think tank". The room has been themed to promote positive thinking and well-being. Decorated as a greenhouse, it includes artificial grass as the carpet, a blue sky with fluffy clouds, party bunting hung around the walls and flower stencilling. Funky chairs are provided and a welcome mat on entering. When the room was unveiled, it created a buzz of fun and laughter within the business and indeed continues to do so to this day. Employees have said that spending time in the room helps them to unlock their creative potential and eases the stresses and strains of working life.

Party Delights Ltd believe that by giving the employees a clean and pleasant working environment, along with a sensible working day (37.5 hours per week), work/live balance is maintained.

One thing the senior management team have done this year is give employees a real chance to give their personal view about what sort of place they want to work in over the next five years. Employee responses are really shaping what the charity will look and feel like in the future. They are creating new Mission, Vision and Values for the charity; they wanted them to be real world, and not marketing jargon. So the people with the best views were the staff and customers. The first stage of engagement was to ask staff what they thought of their current Vision and Values. This was done by a brand consultancy. This feedback was taken to their staff conferences, where they created a memorable, interactive process asking staff to share their opinions on potential new Values. Everyone from the charity had their say about the sort of organisation they wanted to work for in the future. The session concluded with each employee voting for the ten words or phrases that best described the Trust. 500 votes later and the exercise in employee engagement resulted in new Values for Papworth Trust. The result was an honest picture of what employees thought.

The senior management team at Panasonic UK are committed to action and listening to employee's feedback. For example, the company introduced flexible benefits in the organisation and has rolled out a performance based bonus scheme for all staff below manager level.

A key element of the staff induction process is a meeting with Roy Williams, the Chief Executive of One Vision Housing. Every new starters meets with Roy and this helps to establish the culture within One Vision Housing which is open and aimed at making people feel valued from day one. Another distinctive thing about Roy is how front-facing he is. He holds regular staff briefings in which he will address all staff and update them on key information from across the business. Roy is extremely personable and approachable and there is no feeling of elitism. Roy is also careful to ensure that there is no feeling of hierarchy when it comes to him and his senior management team. He chairs the Staff Group where employees are trusted to make decisions which have an impact on the rest of the organisation. More than anything, Roy is extremely passionate about what he does. When he says that he has some of the most talented staff in the sector, staff believe it. Staff feed off his enthuiasm, trust him for his guidance and admire his candidness.

NRG is very charity focused, they have selected Maggie's Cancer Care Charity for the past four years as their charity of choice. They do not just limit their fundraising activities to Maggie's but continue throughout the year to hold dress down days supporting various charities – Children in Need, Comic Relief, Jeans for Genes etc. NRG's Chief Executive is Chair of the fundraising Board for Maggie's North East and gives her time free of charge and their staff are hugely supportive of her and have raised over £25,000 in the last four years. One of the main challenges the staff undertake is the Monster Bike and Hike which takes place annually in Fort William, Scotland. A gruelling 72 miles made up of 31 miles on a mountain bike followed by a 41 mile hike – all in 24 hours! Teams have also participated in the Three Peaks Challenge climbing the three tallest peaks in Great Britain again within 24 hours. Prior to taking part in these challenges, the teams have raised money by organising various events including: quizzes for staff and client companies raffles coffee mornings gents having various parts of their bodies waxed! NRG no longer send Christmas Cards to clients but make a donation to charity each year. Their Managing Director is also an active committee member of the Theatre Development Committee - created to develop funds for Newcastle's flagship Theatre, The Theatre Royal, to ensure community engagement activities including workshops, dance, creative groups, within the community. She is also a member of Sunderland Business Group - which is a group of private sector organisations working with the public and third sector to support children in schools through work experience.

Their senior team have revised their communications strategy over the last 12 months and this has had a significant impact on employee engagement. Firstly they have reformatted the way they run team meetings. These do not operate on status bases principles but are a a lively and interactive session between all team members. Team meetings take place each month and each senior team member gives an operational update on their area of the business. Meetings are held at each of their sites and at different times of the day to enable maximum attendance. Meetings have also been recorded and made available on television screens in our breakout rooms and on the intranet for team members who have not been able to attend sessions. The senior team also introduced daily operational updates for the business throughout their peak period. These business updates have been made available via email and on the intranet and have opened up communication channels across the business.

Nissan's management team always use feedback employees provide them with to review the organisation and identify opportunities to make Nissan GB a better place to work. Bespoke actions plans are then developed and the management team work closer with HR and functional Directors to implement these in the business.

ng homes have developed a ground-breaking plan to improve how waste is dealt with in North Glasgow. This programme won the award for the Best Partnership Initiative at the Scottish Waste & Resources Awards. The idea for the project came from ng homes who partnered with Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) who help deliver a range of measures to help people and organisations on the journey to Zero Waste. ZWS agreed to fund the initiative and are now working together with ng homes, Glasgow City Council, LRS Consultancy and the North Glasgow community on innovative ways to recycle and re-use waste materials in the north of the city. In recent months around 300 local people have attended ng homes community events promoting recycling and reuse.

Debra Ward is unstoppable in achieving their vision. She leads a team that is passionate, talented and dedicated to making their vision a reality. Debra comes up with wacky and fun ways to make sure their culture is lived and breathed every day. Supported by the Senior Leadership team (nicknamed the Jockey Club), they are driven in making every one of their team members engaged, passionate and dedicated to what they do. It is this underlying principle that comes from the Managing Director that makes them unique and a great place to work.Deb and Dave's Excellence Adventure - the national tour. In the Autumn of this year, Debra Ward (Managing Director) and David Howorth (Director of Operations) hired a VW Beetle and toured the UK. Their team members work on client's sites and often do not have much contact with each other (other than our team building events or when attending training courses). The aim was to visit as many of their team members as possible - to say "thank you and well done" for the exceptional contribution they make to the company.

Mind Candy went to MoshiCon in Centre Parcs last year and this year it is in Disneyland Paris, as well as a Christmas party and Sportsday for the company and their families.

Mind Candy find certain practices work really well in the way their organisation listens to employees. They have a Strategy board, HR catch ups, six week catch ups with new starters and there is an open door policy layout with no private offices.

MBUK hold monthly 'town hall' company briefings. focus groups, monthly team meetings, feedback requests after major events and team action planning as a result of Best Companies' survey.

MEU have an open door policy and encourage staff to make use of it. The company regularly let staff know that they value their feedback and ideas, hence we now have the ideas/suggestion box. A recent addition has been the company newsletter which they fill not just with news about the company but try to make it interactive with competitions and personalise it with items about individuals. This has been working really well, with staff wanting to get involved with the input/copy for it.

Since McArthurGlen's largest UK Designer Outlet, Cheshire Oaks, was built in 1995, McArthurGlen has been continually engaged with Cheshire Wildlife in conserving an ancient wetland habitat that now surrounds the site on three sides. This strip of woodland is home to a colony of Great Crested Newts which are an endangered European Protected Species. A scheme partly funded by McArthurGlen, helps the management and maintenance of this licensed site including the reintroduction of black poplar trees which are native to the area. The Cheshire Oaks Facilities and cleaning teams are seeking an accreditation to enter this restricted zone to further aid in ensuring that the environment is kept clear of litter and pollutants. Cheshire Wildlife report an estimated growth in newt numbers of around 30% over the past three years.

Since McArthurGlen's largest UK Designer Outlet, Cheshire Oaks, was built in 1995, McArthurGlen has been continually engaged with Cheshire Wildlife in conserving an ancient wetland habitat that now surrounds the site on three sides. This strip of woodland is home to a colony of Great Crested Newts which are an endangered European Protected Species. A scheme partly funded by McArthurGlen, helps the management and maintenance of this licensed site including the reintroduction of black poplar trees which are native to the area. The Cheshire Oaks Facilities and cleaning teams are seeking an accreditation to enter this restricted zone to further aid in ensuring that the environment is kept clear of litter and pollutants. Cheshire Wildlife report an estimated growth in newt numbers of around 30% over the past three years.

Lloyd & Whyte Group Ltd believe their charity work has been extremely rewarding over the last few years, and it has been something that everyone has been touched by and contributed to at one point or another. The substantial sums raised by the company's various nominated charities, have given people in the community the opportunities and support that people take for granted on a day to day basis. The company are collectively very proud of what they have achieved and can see the impact it has on others outside of the Group.

Lexmark strives to be an environmentally responsible provider of products and services. From the way they design with the environment in mind, to how they engineer their packaging to reduce materials, all the way to the collection programs they provide and the company's environmentally progressive approaches to recycling. Lexmark's MD is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce where he actively participates in providing insights on key business areas.

At Lexmark International Ltd, they have reward schemes, bonus schemes; provide job descriptions, development plans, pay reviews, performance management processes, organisation strategy.

KPMG's Employee Recognition Programme Encore remains leading edge and provides an effective way to recognise the company's employees. With reward budgets remaining tight, it is a relatively low cost, yet highly valued way of keeping employees feeling valued and appreciated. KPMG's innovation this year was to align the tool with their new global strategy, so that KPMG could directly reward individuals who demonstrated the attributes that are key to driving the business forward. KPMG were placed in the shortlists for the Personnel Today Awards 2012 ‘Award for Excellence in HR Through Technology or Social Media' and CIPD Awards 2012 ‘Excellence Through Technology' categories. When an employee is nominated for an award, the reason given will relate to one of the company brand attributes and this is clearly communicated to both the individual who receives the award and their line manager.

Kiln promotes healthy living by providing free fresh fruit every day, the aim is to get staff to avoid sweet snacks and help them take a healthy option instead. The company also provides coaching from outside of the company to help employees address issues that are impacting on their work life, they organise a yearly flu jab programme which takes place in the office, all employees over the age of 35 are able to attend a Well Man/Woman medicals, those who are over 45 are able to attend an Executive Health Assessment, an even more exhaustive medical. Kiln also provide a 75% contribution to yearly gym membership fees with selected gyms partners that are located close to the office locations, to enable staff to go to the gym during lunch breaks if they wish to.

Juniper Training Ltd doesn't have a long-working hour's culture. Centres close no later than 4.30pm, and never open on weekends or bank holidays. The company have up to 30 holidays per year, plus bank holidays and attempt to grant as many flexible working requests as possible, with the option to buy an additional 5 days. Juniper send birthday cards to all members of staff, which each member of the management board sign/write a personal message. The centres have been refurbished to give staff a better working environment, and 3 of the centres moved to better premises. Juniper introduced free flu jabs, NHS health checks and cycle to work scheme. The company also hold birthday meetings where staff come together for an informal feedback meeting with SMT, have birthday cake & games and a half day finish. Several staff have late starts as they go to gym classes before work once a week. The company have held wellness sessions in centres, with one centre doing Zumba.

Interdean has an annual end of summer party to thank all the staff for the hard work done throughout the peak season. This year's event saw the Best of British on show with costumes, food and drinks, music, and an appearance by the Pearly Kings and Queens. Interdean also rewards individuals using performance related rewards. This is measured through Customer Satisfaction Survey scores whereby individuals will receive incentive payments on a monthly basis if they deliver exceptional service to their customers.

Interconnector award spot bonuses for one off pieces of work or displays of behaviour outside day to day expectations. In addition, the company funds social events throughout the year as a way of rewarding employees for their efforts.

OlyINKpics - To celebrate the 2012 London Olympics, in early July the entire sales and commercial departments dedicated their mornings to worthwhile community organisations and charities of their choice. In the afternoon, everyone met in Regents Park and were divided into cross-departmental teams, where they competed in different athletic events -volleyball, relay, long jump, etc. The event was well-received and was an excellent opportunity for those who don't normally work together, to get to know one another better.

HappINKness - At the end of 2011, 121 of Ink's employees wrote about what made them happy in the “HappINKness” book. The book showed what a fun and creative business Ink had become. Dreams - Dreams has proven a successful way of finding out what inspires and motivates Ink's employees. Typagora12 - Typagora provided an open forum for the management team to speak openly about where Ink is and share their visions for where it is going in the next three years. From the breakout sessions, brainstorming and presenting, attendees were able to come up with ideas and solutions for challenges that the businesses faces and may face in the future.

A central feature of their CSR programme is designed to help their residents get off benefits and into work. To achieve this they introduced a Business Start-up training programme for residents who were keen to start their own business. The Course was designed to give residents the skills, confidence and the support to start their own business. The programme was run in partnership with the Aspire Foundation, a charity that works to unlock the potential of people who've often been written-off by society. It was funded as a Big Society Initiative by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM), as it was seen locally as something that would deliver lasting social impact for people who are currently relying on benefits. In June 2012, Fifteen unemployed residents graduated from the 12 week course with business plans in place to start their own business. At a Dragons Den style presentation, at their graduation ceremony, in partnership with the RBWM, the graduates were awarded grants and possible contracts totalling nearly £8,500 to help them get their businesses going. The money will be used to help buy essential equipment and pay for insurance and training. The range of businesses that will be created by the graduates includes a craft shop, dog walking business, ironing businesses, maths tutoring and photography. Plans are in place to run a second course in 2013. Residents have said that the Business Start-Up training has changed their lives.

The most memorable event was Hostelbookers' 8th Anniversary Party held in May this year. Each year they celebrate their anniversary with a big party and this year the company took their staff to a private 10 Pin Bowling suite which they hired for the afternoon. Hostelbookers organised teams for bowling and held mini competitions e.g. giant games, karaoke, travel quiz and a fancy dress photo booth. They then took everyone to a restaurant which they hired out for the evening. There was a champagne reception, 4 course meal, prize and speech ceremony and then dancing until early hours of the morning. The whole day including food and drinks was completely free to their staff.

By leveraging the best thinking and learning programmes from across their organisation, Hilton seek to share knowledge with their Team Members to improve delivery efficiency, cost effectiveness, personal development and promote best practices. Hilton Worldwide University (HWU) allows them to bring together all of their learning and effectively share it across their enterprise. HWU has been identified by a separate and distinct icon, signifying learning across the company. Hilton deliver curriculum through five colleges, which have all been assigned an executive sponsor and work with a learning council to help develop the curriculum for their section. The five colleges collectively offer more than 2,500 courses that are delivered in a variety of ways including classroom training, e-learning, webinars, e-books, live and taped programmes such as “Leaders Teaching Leaders” and “Lunch and Learns,” articles, recommendations for on-the-job development experiences, social learning and apps.

By leveraging the best thinking and learning programmes from across their organisation, Hilton seek to share knowledge with their Team Members to improve delivery efficiency, cost effectiveness, personal development and promote best practices. Hilton Worldwide University (HWU) allows them to bring together all of their learning and effectively share it across their enterprise. HWU has been identified by a separate and distinct icon, signifying learning across the company. Hilton deliver curriculum through five colleges, which have all been assigned an executive sponsor and work with a learning council to help develop the curriculum for their section. The five colleges collectively offer more than 2,500 courses that are delivered in a variety of ways including classroom training, e-learning, webinars, e-books, live and taped programmes such as “Leaders Teaching Leaders” and “Lunch and Learns,” articles, recommendations for on-the-job development experiences, social learning and apps.

The company provides initial and ongoing in-house training, specialised training from external providers and access to formal qualifications.

The company regularly hold pub quizzes in aid of their chosen charity, but perhaps the most memorable social event recently was the GS1 UK Olympics which they ran in parallel to the London Olympics. The Company was divided into six teams, each given a name of a smaller country that does not normally feature high on the medals chart. They held events in table football, WII sports, table tennis and created a medals board. The feedback from the event was great and staff enjoyed interacting with people that they wouldn't normally have the chance to.

Graham & Brown's CEO has been instrumental in opening the Blackburn Youth Zone facility, which reaches out to local young people. They work closely with Darwen Aldridge Community Academy with their staff speaking at the school and helping develop the Arts department at the school.

The Co-CEOs of Goldman Sachs in EMEA, supported by the European Management Committee, this year committed to hosting quarterly region-wide Townhalls to which all their people are invited and encouraged to attend. These one hour sessions serve as a point of reflection and allow senior management to discuss how their businesses and divisions are performing, the firm's forward strategy and to answer in person any questions or concerns. A new initiative this year has been to invite members of the European Management Committee to join their Co-CEOs at the Townhall sessions to provide a more in-depth look at some of the key themes and recent developments in their particular division.

Over the last few years the company have raised thousands of pounds for many charities. They are always keen to support local charities and give something back to the community. Last year alone they sponsored their PR agency who ran the London Marathon for Merlin, and the friend of an employee who ran 1027 miles solo around the entire perimeter of Wales within 42 days. They also sponsored customers, including Ben the Ironman who ran 3 marathons for his son and Whizzkids, and another who is taking part in the Toughest Footrace on Earth for Hope Childrens Charity. Another 153 charities so far all over the UK are benefiting from their help in the FSI's "The Big Small Charity Draw". Another area of their charity commitment is helping the local community. They are proud sponsors of two local sports clubs, including a children's football team and cricket team.

Outstanding performance is rewarded in various ways: bonuses, pay rises, duvet days and other options. Each manager has 6 monthly and annual appraisals with team members, during which they have an opportunity to recognise their successes and achievements. They also praise all of their employees throughout the year.

The company has plotted out a clear career path and expectations for employees based on the successes of numerous existing GCS workers. This allows the business to compare and contrast the performance of newcomers with people who have already come through the ranks. This allows the directors to set realistic, achievable and motivational minimum expectation levels for all staff. The company offers numerous on-track bonuses and competitions to reward successes individually and as teams. The business also increases the salary of management to recognise their extra responsibility and offers the opportunity to earn bonuses based on the performance of their team.