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

Cross-business coffee catchups, which were arranged as one-to-ones between people who would not typically engage with one another, have led to collaborations between departments on projects. As well as monthly all business updates and quarterly newsletters, the company also introduced Yammer as a way of highlighting the work of a different team each month.

The e-learning system PiiQ allows staff to access thousands of courses. The company also uses the software to upload its own training sessions and webinars so that they can be accessed at any time. During the pandemic many employees have chosen to learn a new language.

At monthly Foody Fridays or Munchie Mondays, depending on the teams' working patterns, takeaways are delivered to all team members. The business encourages teams to go out together and have fun at quarterly events, which it funds.

Communication is a priority within Motorpoint, and, as the organisation grows, it focuses particularly on maintaining leadership visibility. Chief executive Mark Carpenter hosts a monthly Happy Hour to update staff on the business and make sure that its values are lived. All staff can attend and questions are welcomed.

External education consultants visit every centre twice a year to train and advise staff. The company also uses a Business Coaching Programme to give its managers foundational skills in coaching and mentoring. It also invests in teaching qualifications for trainee teachers and provides Growth Mindset Training to foster resilience.

All Managers receive support through regular phone calls and through zoom online meetings by their line managers/senior management for their roles, workload and for mental wellbeing. This works effectively for coaching and mentoring as well on regular basis to solve any issues and to keep all managers engaged for supporting staff companywide.

Sales teams can earn commission-based bonuses to boost their salaries. Senior managers though this was unfair to employees in service delivery and support functions so introduced a set of KPIs for those in those roles which, if met, would result in annual salary increases.

Putting staff wellbeing at the forefront of the business, Key Training appointed safeguarding leads and a mental health and wellbeing champion for anyone to speak to if they have concerns. The company also runs desktop yoga sessions and other wellbeing initiatives to keep employees healthy, happy and connected with colleagues.

Staff are encouraged to take regular breaks and exercise, be it stretching at the desk, a walk, yoga, gym or home workout. Awareness and top tips for good sleep practices are available and a wellness day was held to promote healthy habits across the business.

Jefferies holds companywide sessions annually to discuss the firm’s strategy, performance and direction. Team feedback is then facilitated in groups in order to generate ideas, promote change and improvement where needed. In addition a brand new intranet has been developed to increase communications and access to organisational clarity.

Howdens is unusual in that it rewards team effort. Everyone within each depot benefits from team bonuses, based on the profitability and collective success of the depot. This approach encourages team motivation, camaraderie, commitment to excellence and a shared sense of responsibility for customer service.

At focus groups, chief executive Andrew Livingston meets six depot managers over dinner to listen to their feedback on any topic. Engagement surveys are run in depots to understand how employees are feeling and to get feedback on local issues. Regional directors lead the follow-up for swift, targeted action.

Hotwire is invested in diminishing the stigma around mental health, ensuring people have all the resources they need to educate themselves, take care of their mental health and support colleagues. The company developed a mental health toolkit with valuable resources that employees can access 24/7, as well as an Employee Assistance Programme.

After four years' service, employees can take a sponsored sabbatical choosing between three-months' leave at half pay, six-weeks' leave at full pay or a one-off bonus instead of the time off. Hotwire has extended this to offer six weeks' leave at full pay after every four years of continuous service.

An anonymous suggestion box allows staff to voice their opinions freely, without having to talk to someone. The company receives feedback from it every two weeks. A survey on employee satisfaction revealed that staff were missing the social aspect of working in the office. The company responded by giving staff £30 to buy a webcam.

The company's Ella – 100 Days programme was developed for a customer, but DCSL liked it so much it decided to use it. It is a digital leadership development programme that provides the inspiration and practical tools needed to succeed in the first 100 days in a new management role.

CMI has moved away from documentation to conversation. Regular meetings have been put in place for managers and direct reports to discuss objectives, what is going well and what support is needed. All senior managers are studying for the CMI level seven coaching and mentoring qualification.

Chief Executive, Ann Francke, holds weekly sessions with all colleagues, providing business updates, shoutouts to good performers and Q&As. Also, she has introduced “Coffee and a chat with Ann”, where five or six colleagues from across CMI get together virtually for 30 minutes.

Two-thirds of staff are women, but the association recognises the need for greater female representation in senior leadership roles to reflect the make-up of staff. At manager level, 59% of roles are held by women, but Accent Group is committed to ensuring there are progression pathways to make more senior leadership roles available to women.

The association has recently launched a new performance framework and provided training for all managers. Its people business partners have a specific customer base, which enables them to act as supportive critical friends with each manager within that. Part of this includes providing bespoke training for people-related processes.