Leadership

Kia UK

All senior leaders and managers undergo leadership training and are regularly assessed against specific competencies. There is also a formal biannual appraisal process. Senior leaders keep teams updated throughout the year on company performance and hold an in-depth town hall every quarter, to which all are invited.

With its people-centric corporate focus, Kia offers apprenticeships with the most up-to-date manufacturer-specific knowledge and competencies delivered at the state-of-the-art Kia Academy Training Centre in Nottingham. Graduates from the 24 to 36-month courses are eligible to continue their career progression with a Higher Apprenticeship, Level 4/5.

In recognition that employees play a huge role in hitting company targets, team members are able to nominate their colleagues for outstanding performance. Winners are acknowledged in front of the whole company during quarterly briefings and awarded a £250 voucher.

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Automotive

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Howdens

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.

The company has just celebrated a 10-year partnership with Humberside Fire and Rescue. It supports 14 on-call fire fighters and two medical first-responders. They’ve attended more than 1,800 emergencies and 1,140 medical first-response calls since 2011, saving more than 60 lives.

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Manufacturing

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Chartered Management Institute

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.

In 2021, CMI introduced a paid day for all colleagues to give back to the community through voluntary work, as well as supporting those who do additional volunteering throughout the year with flexible working. The organisation continues to encourage recycling across the business and sends zero waste to landfill.

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.

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Not For Profit Body's

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BDB Pitmans

A health and wellbeing fortnight each January aims to increase staff understanding of aspects of health and wellbeing, as well as identify what they can do to boost their own health. Events over the two weeks include training on mindfulness, exercise, sleep and nutrition. A Mental Health Awareness week also takes place in May.

Five business impact groups operate within the firm. Their mission is to raise awareness of particular issues. They are Shine, the firm's multicultural network, Best Self, its LGBTQ+ group, Breaking Even, which focuses on gender equity, Mind and Body, centred on mental health and disability and Balance, for working parents and carers.

Two new programmes are being launched this year: Building Better Managers and Building Better Leaders. The management training will provide participants with the skills to motivate and energise their teams. The leadership scheme is open to those who already have experience and will develop their abilities to inspire people to perform better.

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Law

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CONMED UK

Surrounding the company's headquarters is the rolling Wiltshire countryside, and many staff take advantage of the walks in the area, getting exercise and fresh air. There is also a gym on the business park.

Chief executive Neville Lorimer walks through the office so that he can see people on their hybrid working days and, so that no one feels left out he stops to have informal chats with them. He is aware of what is happening in each department and is on hand to advise and guide the team.

Last year, ConMed created Embark, a management development programme, which contains learning and competency elements. It covers all aspects of management development, including training on recruitment, onboarding, performance conversations, individual development plans, maximising talent, team building, employee relations and welfare, and recognising and dealing with bullying and harassment.

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Manufacturing

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Hexagon Housing Association

Instant recognition awards are the means by which colleagues can thank staff members who have gone above and beyond to help them or a customer. Nominees are sent a "thank you" message and gift voucher and the awards are publicised on the intranet, where colleagues can comment and add their congratulations.

During Black History Month, staff are encouraged to share their family stories on the intranet. Workshops raise awareness of issues faced by LGBTQ+ customers and staff. The office has recently been refurbished and a new multi-faith room, offering a quiet space for prayer and reflection has been added.

The leadership team has increased the use of the intranet to ensure staff members remain up to date, including opportunities to provide feedback on corporate objectives. Staff conferences include discussion sessions on the organisation's values, led by the directors.

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Housing Associations

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Octopus Energy Group

A steel drum band was invited into the London office for a Rum and Drums night. The Brighton office has a Pride party before taking to the streets for the parade and, in Leicester, an annual Christmas Lights party celebrates Octopus being part of the city "switch-on" celebration.

Staff can move around the business. This has led to someone who started in customer service as a graduate going on to lead the launch of the customer service in Texas, a smart-meter specialist consulting as an ecologist for tree-planting schemes and a billing specialist heading its green marketing strategy.

If team members want to raise an issue they can approach any one of the senior management team directly, including the chief executive. An important aspect of the company's culture is that it is open, transparent and accessible, so that anyone can speak up if they have problems or ideas they would like to discuss.

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Utilities

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Proxima

The charity and wellbeing committees often join together to create events, such as the Wellness Fortnight in July, when everyone was encouraged to join in wellbeing initiatives, such as a "lunch and learn" on the benefits of physical exercise, a company-wide "plank" challenge or a 24-hour team charity row.

Chief executive Gareth Evans and the board have daily leadership meetings to ensure there is clarity between them. From these daily meetings, there are regular video updates from Gareth that are posted on our company’s Workplace platform so staff can watch these video updates at a time that works best for them.

The X Fund is run by a committee of six employees, who manage a budget for non-essential training needs. Throughout the year, staff can submit applications to the X Fund to request funding. Paid study leave is given to attend the course.

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Consultancy

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Exposure Ninja

In 2021, most of the management team took an MBA-level course through Nottingham Trent University. The course included modules on women in leadership and effective change management.

A formalised personal development plan process aims to encourage the team to complete a self-reflection exercise before their PDP discussions. Through the employee assistance programme, employees can discuss their career anonymously with a third party who will support them with their ambitions and offer advice.

Last year, the company introduced 20 hours' paid volunteering time a year for each staff member. They can use if for a charity or social enterprise of their choice, or to volunteer for Exposure Ninja’s digital marketing mentoring programme and/or charity event.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

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Orion Electrotech

Office layouts have been reorganised so that senior staff work in an open-plan setting. The move ensures that they continually interact with other employees and creates the sense that everyone is involved in the day-to-day working of the company.

"The beating heart of our business is our people. They are Orion and represent everything that Orion stands for. Therefore, employee engagement is central to our business decisions as we strive to build an environment that our employees both admire and flourish within," says director Ross Benham.

Staff with two or more years' service can take up either free health insurance or gym membership. Employees who are off sick continue to receive full pay, removing the stress caused by a drop in income.

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Recruitment

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Leadership Drives Engagement

Kia UK

Howdens

Chartered Management Institute

BDB Pitmans

CONMED UK

Hexagon Housing Association

Octopus Energy Group

Proxima

Exposure Ninja

Orion Electrotech

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