What are companies doing with regards to 'Giving Something Back'

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What effect will focus on the 'Giving Something Back' factor have?

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.

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Retail

cardfactory

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Staff receive a 15% discount at Card Factory, as well as reduced prices on a range of goods and services, from holidays and mobile phone contracts, to shopping, through Mycardfactory. Annual leave is at least 28 days.

Through its charitable arm, Card Factory Foundation, the company has raised more than £7 million for Macmillan Cancer Support since 2006. It is the lead sponsor of the Wakefield 10k and has been supporting Wakefield Hospice for the past four years. Staff help to sort stock in the warehouse or undertake gardening work.

Colleague connection days where colleagues were encouraged to come into the office and reconnect with those they may not have seen for a while were launched. They were a great success. Food vans provided meals, there were skips so staff could clear out the office space and various activities they could join.

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Manufacturing

Ultimate Products

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The company has set up a new reading corner to offer a quiet spot for staff to take some time out on breaks to read. It offers a library of books to choose from and take home. Reading has benefits for mental well-being, including reducing stress, improving sleep and boosting emotional intelligence.
Internal training concentrates on improving skills, such as getting to grips with Excel. External training provides staff with fresh and innovative learning that cannot be done in-house. Mentors play a critical role in coaching new joiners. Digital training aims to cover standard subjects required for new staff and refresher courses for others.
Last year the company raised almost £25,000 for the MS Society. This year it delivered 32 pallets of donations to the Polish border to aid Ukraine and raised more than £500 for the cause. It also made Easter egg donations to Oldham Children's Services. This year it has been raising cash for Oldham Foodbank.
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Education & Training

University of Bolton

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There are two mental health e-learning training packages available to staff and students and two mental health first-aiders on site. An employee assistance programme offers support, advice and information. Confidential counselling and online cognitive behavioural therapy sessions are provided.
Team away-days take place at the group's outdoor activity centre, the Anderton Centre, in Rivington, Lancashire's mini Lake District. Managers work in partnership with centre staff to run water- and land-based adventure and problem-solving activities as team-building exercises.
The University of Bolton Group donated 50 bikes to Ukrainian refugees in the town, so that they are not reliant on their hosts for transports. It also pioneered a free legal advice centre to support the Bolton community. It was staffed by law students and overseen by lecturers, .
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Technology

eduMe

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New employees are part of the eduMe family before they even start. They get a welcome gift in the post, frequent check-ins, and introductory courses. Every new joiner gets a 30, 60 and 90-day joining plan and two buddies – one from their team and one from the wider company.
Every employee gets £500 a year to spend on learning and development. They are free to spend it on courses, conferences or books – anything to boost their skills and flourish personally or professionally. Developing a collective skillset is seen as a way to grow the business.
The company responded positively to feedback that it could be doing more to boost its social responsibility credentials. Everyone in the company now has access to OnHand – a volunteering and climate impact platform. It also offers staff ten paid volunteering hours which they can use via the platform or for other charitable causes.
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Retail

Ooni Pizza Ovens

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As a member of 1% for the Planet, the company gives to environmental partners. It donates another 1% of annual turnover to the Ooni Impact Fund, which supports environmental, social and humanitarian causes. Partnerships reflect its values and focus on zero hunger, responsible consumption and production, climate action and life below water and on land.
Staff nominate colleagues who have lived by one of the five company values. The nominations are announced by the executive team in company-wide meetings and/or sent to the individual’s line manager for discussion during one-to-one meetings and reviews. Annual awards are voted for by staff. Winners receive an extra £500 from the company's 'passion fund'.
Every department has had more flexibility about where they work over the past 18 months. Applications to work fully remotely/overseas have been considered on a case-by-case basis. All team members have been able to decide how much time they want to spend in office. The only exception is the product development team.
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Technology

Huler

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Huler wants to ensure staff feel as through they have a voice and the company fosters a friendly and open work environment. It offers different avenues for employees to share their opinions and feedback in a safe environment. Staff are encouraged to give "in the moment" feedback to their managers, peers and the people team.
Staff have access to a learning and development budget, which can be used to improve soft skills or role-specific skills, and to gain formal qualifications. Employees are given protected time to learn, grow and develop and e-learning modules are tailored to meet their needs.
In the past 12 months, Huler has raised more than £3,500 and supported charitable and community initiatives. Team members climbed three of the UK's tallest mountains for the Dougie Mac and Katharine House hospices. The company is also donating 500 square meters of woodland to the National Trust as part of its environmental strategy.
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Marketing & Media Agencies

Wolff Olins

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Quarterly company meetings have become a global forum, where strategy is shared, work showcased, staff successes recognised and progress in terms of the organisation's principles demonstrated. A pass-the-mic section allows staff to share personal inspirations. Regular informal open-mic sessions with food and drink give staff the chance to ask questions or seek clarification.
The company salary-benchmarks roles annually to keep employees' pay in line with the industry. It means staff who have been with Wolff Olins for a long while do not need to jump ship to get better pay. It doesn't negotiate on salaries to avoid promoting a "those who shout loudest win" culture.
Wolff Olins makes a financial contribution to the Brixton Finishing School, in London, which aims to increase diversity in the marketing, advertising and communications industries. It runs training programmes for underrepresented communities. The company's staff give their time to create content for courses and to mentor students.
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Recruitment

Sphere Digital Recruitment

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Sphere offers enhanced paternity pay, flexible working hours and 3pm finishes on Fridays. Quarterly and twice-yearly pay reviews are based on targets and are not at the discretion of a manager, in order to eliminate bias.
Staff turnover is below the industry average — 18%, versus an industry average of 40%. Sphere believes that the clarity and transparency it ensures with regard to training, progress, commission, pay and incentives helps to retain employees.
Past charity events include a "sleep-out" to raise cash for the homeless. This year, Sphere is also staging events including a sky dive, games night and fancy dress days in aid of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children’s Charity, which helps seriously ill children. It also ran a campaign to support Ukraine and donated £5,000.
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Business Services

Hilton Smythe Commercial

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Senior management have changed their vehicles to hybrid and fully electric cars and there are electrical charging points fitted at the business. The company is also planting trees to offset its carbon footprint.
The company aims to ensure that when staff request time off at short notice, it can be accommodated. Close communication has been kept with anybody who is suffering using texts or taking them out for lunch or coffee to engage in supportive conversation.
A visit to a theme park makes up the annual team-building event, and there are others during the year to enhance communication between colleagues. Engagement is also encouraged through Christmas parties, early finishes, dress-down days, exclusive discounts and free treats and gift vouchers for good customer service feedback.
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Not For Profit Body's

YPO

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The board and senior leadership team demonstrate the company values of "we care", "we are helpful" and "we are straight-talking" by having an open-door policy for staff, and staff suggestion scheme. Board members take part in walk-abouts in the warehouses so that the operations team can ask them questions directly.
Family and friends of staff join in at the annual Family Fun Day, which includes children’s games, raffles, refreshments, a local radio DJ, a tombola, an arts and crafts table and Santa’s grotto. Money raised goes to charity. Staff achievements and successes are celebrated on the day with an awards ceremony.
A social-value strategy has been launched, along with a group to manage and coordinate the business's contribution. Its environmental role focuses on reducing and minimising any negative impact of YPO's operations on the environment. It will include a climate-change strategy to help meet net-zero targets.
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