What are companies doing with regards to 'Leadership'

Senior Managers, the company's Chairman and Managing Director have increased their visibility around the office by attending team meetings and simply by walking around the office and speaking to employees. This face to face contact with employees on the “shop floor” has had a significant impact on employee engagement. It has encouraged effective questioning and following through on actions, employees feel that they are being listened to and their opinions count.

The leaders of Tamdown believe strongly in giving something back to their community and giving to charity. Tamdown set up the Tamdown Foundation with the aim is to raise £100,000 for charities in 2011. Five charities have been nominated by members of the Tamdown team; each charity has a very personal link with a member of staff. Tamdown committed 1% of its profits in 2011 to get the fund underway. Fundraising events taken place throughout the year include: Tamdown Annual Triathlon, Summer Charity Ball, London to Paris Bike Ride, 24 Hour Swim, Tamdown Quiz Night. So far the Tamdown Group has raised in excess of £75,000 through fundraising events. This figure does not include 1% of the business's profits so the company are on track to reach their £100,000 target.

Each new member of staff at Summit Media, both at the Wolds and at the Farm, undergoes an initial four week intensive training period provided by their line manager and colleagues. A tailored personal development plan is put together which is then reviewed at weekly one to one sessions with their individual line managers. These sessions are designed to monitor progress and to provide guidance. They also have regular coaching sessions covering topics and disciplines specific to the industry. There are bi-weekly training sessions at group level specifically aimed at improving industry knowledge. External training is carried out by Google and MSN and the company's tracking and analytics provider. New staff are also encouraged to participate in online webinars and to undertake personal training in their own time to gain the Google GAP and Microsoft qualifications.

Each new member of staff at Summit Media, both at the Wolds and at the Farm, undergoes an initial four week intensive training period provided by their line manager and colleagues. A tailored personal development plan is put together which is then reviewed at weekly one to one sessions with their individual line managers. These sessions are designed to monitor progress and to provide guidance. They also have regular coaching sessions covering topics and disciplines specific to the industry. There are bi-weekly training sessions at group level specifically aimed at improving industry knowledge. External training is carried out by Google and MSN and the company's tracking and analytics provider. New staff are also encouraged to participate in online webinars and to undertake personal training in their own time to gain the Google GAP and Microsoft qualifications.

Managers at Skrill hold bi-weekly performance reviews, personal introductions based on skills, regular team lunches, bi-weekly feedback sessions, weekly team meetings and weekly team reports in order to support, encourage and develop staff members.

Once a month Skrill has a "Beer & Chips" event in each office where new joiners and new departments are invited to take part in the "CEO Hot Chair", giving them opportunity to ask the company's leaders any kind of questions.

SFP Group is absolutely committed to supporting employee development. At the start of every year, the company identify the training needs for every individual, and determine what courses are most appropriate and the associated costs so that budgets can be agreed. The best example in recent times is the support SFP Group gave to three of their team to take their respective JIE insolvency and accountancy examinations that required long periods (more than one month) of study leave. All three passed. Indeed it is important to stress that prior to joining the SFP Group, two of the three individuals had no experience or qualification in insolvency. Now they have gone from juniors from Managers who, in the next few years, will be office holders. There are other similar examples across the group and in different departments, from broking to marketing.

SFP Group is absolutely committed to supporting employee development. At the start of every year, the company identify the training needs for every individual, and determine what courses are most appropriate and the associated costs so that budgets can be agreed. The best example in recent times is the support SFP Group gave to three of their team to take their respective JIE insolvency and accountancy examinations that required long periods (more than one month) of study leave. All three passed. Indeed it is important to stress that prior to joining the SFP Group, two of the three individuals had no experience or qualification in insolvency. Now they have gone from juniors from Managers who, in the next few years, will be office holders. There are other similar examples across the group and in different departments, from broking to marketing.

Red Commerce has two dedicated internal trainers (and they are currently recruiting for a third) whose sole focus is improving their employees development.

Managers at Red Commerce ensure that the reviews they conduct have a '360' element to them, so that after each review both manager and team member have a list of actions to complete. Managers have regular informal feedback sessions with their teams and run regular breakout sessions with their teams to talk about hot topics and share ideas and information. At least once a month, managers will ensure that they spread some time with their teams in a less formal (i.e. social) setting to encourage honesty and openness, as opinions tend to flow more freely in this setting than around the desks! With regards to rewards, managers will offer both individual and team incentives for performance against a variety of targets, daily, weekly or monthly, and will also send emails around the business to highlight outstanding performances.

Pure Recruitment Group holds a Quarterly Communications meeting where the company provides employees with information about the business and staff are actively encouraged to submit items for discussion and new ideas.

Pure Recruitment Group holds a Quarterly Communications meeting where the company provides employees with information about the business and staff are actively encouraged to submit items for discussion and new ideas.

PPDG Group offers all employees the opportunity to nominate a colleague for a value of the month award. The award is used to identify those members of staff that are deemed to best embody their company values. PPDG operates very differently to competitors within the Welfare to Work industry; they do not have arbitrary targets for individuals and whilst operational performance is important, it is not the sole purpose of what the company seeks to achieve. The values awards highlight the other aspects in which employees are making a positive impact on the business and the wider communities the company serves. Each values winner is invited to a six monthly dinner at a top restaurant, where they meet other values winners and selected members of the Board of Directors. PPDG also take winners on a ‘seeing is believing' tour of some of the recipients of their GAYE payroll giving scheme; a central component of PPDG's values and beliefs.

PPDG have a comprehensive internal communications strategy, that aims to inform and engage employees in a variety of ways, including: Workshops. Last year their Executive and People Development Directors embarked upon a companywide road show to canvass the opinions of employees regarding a range of key business areas, from IT systems to benefits/rewards. The outputs of all sessions were collated and feedback to operational and departmental heads who are taking direct action where necessary. The results of the exercise and actions taken will be communicated to all workshop participants & discussed at all PPDG site meetings. Executive Briefing: a re-vamped version of a previous communication tool, the Executive Briefing is a discussion document that shadows the Executive Board meeting, with key business updates/strategic issues released to all staff via their intranet system. All managers are encouraged to discuss its content as a standard action point within team meetings.

The Company also has a CSR strategy which focuses on Wellbeing, Charity, Schools and Colleges and the Environment. Outsourcery sponsor charity annually and encourage employees to take part in events such as the Sport Relief Mile, BUPA Great North Run and the Manchester to Blackpool Bike Ride. Entering a company team in these events helps both build relationships across the business as well as improve the health and wellbeing of their employees. Internal events such as the pedometer challenge were also conducted, encouraging employees to work together in groups of five to walk the equivalent distance between their Bury and London offices in one week. Outsourcery have also worked with organisations such as the NHS to introduce on site stop smoking and health works groups and offered a weekly on site GP service with annual flu jabs for all employees.

Outsourcery strives to deliver expertise, supporting individuals to acquire and be recognised for knowledge. Supporting industry recognised qualifications and awards. Whether a professional award in project management, a qualification in management accountancy or a masters degree in human resources Outsourcery look to equip individuals with skills to achieve. Promoting development, Outsourcery have 3 training support policies. Vocational non work related course sponsorship. Professional role specific related course sponsorship.Technical Training . Microsoft competency based qualifications. Colleagues have so far gained expertise in Software Development AGILE, SCRUM. Management Accountancy accredited by CIMA, Human Resources accredited by CIPD, People Management accredited by ILM, Purchasing & Procurement accredited CIPS, Financial Accounting accredited by AAT, Project Management e.g. Prince2 qualifications, Marketing accredited by CIM. Outsourcery will be investing in development further in 2011/12 by introducing a graduate programme where a large number of employees will be involved , helping them develop leadership qualities. Succession planning is key on the agenda during 2012 . They have an internal induction programme. The Insights programme is also utilised by all employees. Train the trainer.

Line managers use one to ones and team meetings to share information and to discuss information that has been provided through Members' Days, email updates, etc. This is an important way of feeding information up the chain, and is encouraged.

OPM give their staff time for community benefit, and freedom to use that time as they see fit. Staff members get six days a year for volunteering. This has led to a range of innovative and impactful volunteering - community groups in Camden, staff work with a centre in Somerstown. Support includes running a community café and classes for people with English as a second language. For the past eight years staff have worked with the Calthorpe Project a community garden and centre, keeping the site in fit repair. They've also been raising money and campaigning for the Project to continue - an unfortunate victim of council funding cuts, despite the local authority being one of OPM's biggest clients. In terms of support to the ‘wider world', OPM staff run monthly fundraising projects, including bake-offs, bring and buy sales and charity auctions. Staff have raised thousands of pounds for the Pakistan floods appeal, Sudan crisis and Japanese earthquake recovery.

Share information in an open and honest way and ensure fresh and relevant information is relayed in a timely fashion. Facilitating team meetings and ensuring that information is cascaded through the organisation.

Share information in an open and honest way and ensure fresh and relevant information is relayed in a timely fashion. Facilitating team meetings and ensuring that information is cascaded through the organisation.