A newly refurbished office with employee breakout spaces and gardens encourages a social, friendly atmosphere and teamwork across the business. And Whitecode Consultancy takes on a fun family feel with a variety of social activities across the year, such as a summer party and quiz nights.

Questions and feedback are encouraged at the monthly business-wide breakfast meetings. Staff are updated on company progress and have the opportunity to make suggestions. Any issues raised are addressed asap, and progress updates are given at the next meeting. There are also weekly team meetings to discuss workload and any problems.

The induction of new recruits is both remote and face-to-face. There’s a series of digital ‘team talks’ with team members from across the business and regular HR check-ins to make sure they’re settling in well. And like all employees, they get access to an online training platform personalised to their role and level.

Managers get bespoke support depending on their development needs with access to various external tools and training opportunities via their line managers. There are expert HR manager briefings to support them and established workflows to help them navigate any complex people management issues.

July 2023 saw the first NYLON Week, with the US team coming over for the summer party and a week of in-person collaboration. There are many smaller team-building initiatives too, likely weekly lunches with pop-up food stalls. And the Pride Employee Resource Group is the company's largest, with LGBTQIA+ members sharing experiences and organising events.

'The Golden Pen' is the company's weekly recognition award – an opportunity for teammates to celebrate each other's work. During the Monday meeting, the 'pen' is awarded by the previous holder, with the CEO giving the winner a shoutout. All winners from the previous four weeks get a voucher prize in the monthly meeting.

Its new Consultus Way of Working (WoW) encourages proactive communication between teams. It is a collection of tried and tested tools and techniques to help its business encourage continuous improvement. It covers everything from first-time managers struggling to set their team objectives to implementing RACI as part of project delivery.

Consultus has many success stories such as Alison’s. Since starting as a receptionist, she has had several promotions, and she now holds a director position at the company. "Working for Consultus provides huge opportunity for its employees and I am living proof that through hard work, focus, and determination the sky is the limit.”

It has action groups such as S.H.E Champions, a charity committee, and a wellness group which actively engage employees in activities and projects aimed at promoting wellbeing, diversity, charitable endeavours, and overall health. It also provides access to Medigold Occupational Health Support, offering employees valuable resources for managing their health.

Employees are encouraged to create a Personal VTO (Vision Traction Organiser), outlining their personal and career aspirations for the next one to five years. This document serves as the basis for a discussion with their manager, and any necessary training opportunities or flexible work arrangements required to support their personal objectives are identified and prioritised.

The agency's monthly 'No Rest for the Liquid' company-wide meeting supports its 'integrated and collaborative working environment." Senior team members give business updates, and working groups lead interactive presentations to offer insight into their work and job roles. And there's a weekly newsletter celebrating birthdays, promotions, and what teams have achieved for clients.

Liquid has run a successful virtual work experience course for students interested in a career in public relations, highlighting the exciting work it does for its clients to attract potential new employees. It's also inviting students back into the office to get an all-around agency experience.