Leadership - How employees feel about the head of the organisation, senior management and the organisation's values and principles
Leadership has the biggest influence on how employees feel about the organisation.
Leaders need to create inspiring visions and provide clear direction to positively Impact the My Company factor.
When it comes to Wellbeing, no amount of free fruit or stress busting classes are going to address an imbalance. Employee Wellbeing is a by-product of the leadership and management culture.
If there’s pressure at the top of your organisation, it won’t take long to be felt throughout.
This is one of the few companies where the values represent what actually happens on a day to day basis. All at 'Team CHL' through all levels are equally important in terms of their performance in their specific role. By creating a culture in which mutual respect is more than a PR aspiration, CHL have a place which feels like a co-operative. Staff at CHL are truly passionate about the success of the business and feel proud that they have personally been involved in what is considered a very successful business by its peers in the mortgage industry.
Employees are very personally involved in the organisation's efforts to support charities. It is employees who nominate and organise the charity events with the support of the company. Employees spend a lot of their spare time each month baking cakes for the monthly charity days. Employees often come up with unique, fun ways to raise additional funds like bacon buttie sales, BBQ food for sale or fun runs and charity bike rides, raffles and games or quizzes. CHL likes to take suggestions from members of staff about how to improve CHL's environmental efforts and when suggestions come through they are quick to investigate these and take them on board where they can. There is a sense of team responsibility for being environmentally friendly and CHL has a conscience in this area.
Employees are very personally involved in the organisation's efforts to support charities. It is employees who nominate and organise the charity events with the support of the company. Employees spend a lot of their spare time each month baking cakes for the monthly charity days. Employees often come up with unique, fun ways to raise additional funds like bacon buttie sales, BBQ food for sale or fun runs and charity bike rides, raffles and games or quizzes. CHL likes to take suggestions from members of staff about how to improve CHL's environmental efforts and when suggestions come through they are quick to investigate these and take them on board where they can. There is a sense of team responsibility for being environmentally friendly and CHL has a conscience in this area.
The CEO of Chester & District Housing Trust is described as open and approachable, and a charismatic and inspirational leader. He often delivers briefings and encourages feedback and has a regular internet blog. All managers at Chester & District Housing Trust are easily accessible and all offices are open plan.
Chester & District Housing Trust support a community enterprise scheme to refurbish broken electrical goods. They have supplied a house to a local charity as a demonstration house of simple methods to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions. They use this to involve local residents in environmental projects. They have also installed solar panels to rural homes that are isolated from the national gas supply. All new homes that are built are designed to meet very high environmental standards. The support and improvement of the communities in which they operate is a fundamental commitment of the business.
The CEO of Chester & District Housing Trust is described as open and approachable, and a charismatic and inspirational leader. He often delivers briefings and encourages feedback and has a regular internet blog. All managers at Chester & District Housing Trust are easily accessible and all offices are open plan.
There is an attendance bonus scheme for everyone who hasn't had a day off sick in a year. They get a cheque for £125. They also get entered into a draw and the winner receives £1,800 in addition to the £125 and the runner up receives £600 in addition to the £125. Once an employee has been with Cambridge for 3 months, take along 3 payslips and are given a card for the company shop. They can then purchase food and health and beauty products such as Marks and Spencer food and big bags of sweets!
An environment project team has just been established as part of the Lean initiative headed up by the Hygiene Manager. He and the Operations Manager have already introduced a number of initiatives to increase their recycling streams e.g. waste paper collection bins, plastic baling, metal collection. In addition they have been working with the Carbon Trust to identify means of reducing our Carbon Footprint.
An environment project team has just been established as part of the Lean initiative headed up by the Hygiene Manager. He and the Operations Manager have already introduced a number of initiatives to increase their recycling streams e.g. waste paper collection bins, plastic baling, metal collection. In addition they have been working with the Carbon Trust to identify means of reducing our Carbon Footprint.
Burgess Hodgson are a training firm in that they recruit trainee accountants on an annual basis. They believe they are the largest recruiter of trainees in Kent. This makes them unique where other firms only employ qualifieds. They firmly believe on training and promoting from within. This comes at a significant cost. Each trainee costs between £10-15,000 to qualify and they take on four or five a year. At any one time, Burgess Hodgson could have as many as 20 people training for official qualifications.
Burgress Hodgson operates an environment of 'positive' reward. Those staff deemed to have performed exceptionally and delivered service quality beyond their job role are remunerated accordingly. They also reward staff for introducing new clients. This is usually a percentage of the first year's client fees.
Burgress Hodgson operates an environment of 'positive' reward. Those staff deemed to have performed exceptionally and delivered service quality beyond their job role are remunerated accordingly. They also reward staff for introducing new clients. This is usually a percentage of the first year's client fees.
The Leader knows who everyone is and knows a lot about them. He cares very much for them as individuals and has shown his support in numerous ways over the years in times of personal troubles as well as professional difficulties. He took part in the various fund raising events and could be found in the car park each Monday washing cars with everyone else or collecting the entrance fees at the family day. Everyone enjoys the fact that we do not have a heirarchical approach and the Leader himself is very approachable and very passionate about BRITA and the team.
When employees deserve recognition for high achievements then the Department Head or in some cases the Managing Director will send out a communication to the company to recognise the achievement and ensure that the individual's contribution is highlighted to their colleagues. Ad-hoc bonuses are also used where particularly good work has been done. For example, when ISO 9001 accreditation was achieved, the employees who completed the project were given an additional bonus. Ad hoc bonuses have also been paid out for exceptional sales achievements.
When employees deserve recognition for high achievements then the Department Head or in some cases the Managing Director will send out a communication to the company to recognise the achievement and ensure that the individual's contribution is highlighted to their colleagues. Ad-hoc bonuses are also used where particularly good work has been done. For example, when ISO 9001 accreditation was achieved, the employees who completed the project were given an additional bonus. Ad hoc bonuses have also been paid out for exceptional sales achievements.
For those employees who need to work from home occasionally, laptops and blackberries are provided. The firm's policy is that everyone works in the firm's offices as members of a team, unless there is no alternative, to foster a sense of community and discourage long hours working. In this way Bristows aim to decrease the incidence of depression, isolation and anxiety. Opportunities to work flexibly are widely taken up by staff in all employee groups.
For those employees who need to work from home occasionally, laptops and blackberries are provided. The firm's policy is that everyone works in the firm's offices as members of a team, unless there is no alternative, to foster a sense of community and discourage long hours working. In this way Bristows aim to decrease the incidence of depression, isolation and anxiety. Opportunities to work flexibly are widely taken up by staff in all employee groups.
For those employees who need to work from home occasionally, laptops and blackberries are provided. The firm's policy is that everyone works in the firm's offices as members of a team, unless there is no alternative, to foster a sense of community and discourage long hours working. In this way Bristows aim to decrease the incidence of depression, isolation and anxiety. Opportunities to work flexibly are widely taken up by staff in all employee groups.
The leader of Avanti is an inspirational entrepreneur and leader who paints his vision clearly so that their people understand and act to deliver. He is also present at an all-staff quarterly meeting that ends with a Q&A with him. All senior team members manage by walkabout. Being a workforce of less than 100 with most based at the Head Offices, they all work closely with each other, especially their Senior Management Team
Excellent work is highlighted at staff quarterly meetings as are employee promotions. All-staff quarterly meetings are hosted by their CEO and company update emails from the CEO keep them informed of their progress. Avanti actively welcome new joiners and all new starters are introduced at the staff meetings and an email is circulated introducing them and their role to everyone. Avanti also have an intranet for all employees. They are also introducing a SharePoint based, file sharing infrastructure for all staff to be able to access information through one portal.
Excellent work is highlighted at staff quarterly meetings as are employee promotions. All-staff quarterly meetings are hosted by their CEO and company update emails from the CEO keep them informed of their progress. Avanti actively welcome new joiners and all new starters are introduced at the staff meetings and an email is circulated introducing them and their role to everyone. Avanti also have an intranet for all employees. They are also introducing a SharePoint based, file sharing infrastructure for all staff to be able to access information through one portal.
The company has funds especially for fun and social events. £220 was spent per person between August 2009 and August 2010. This included the Comedy Store Christmas Party, Softball in the Park, Company Drinks, Company Conference, Quiz Nights and a Summer BBQ. Formal team building is provided 1–2 times per year and included a soft ball event in Regents Park.
David Alberto makes it his business to visit centres regularly and speaks to all employees when he can. He is known as an inspirational leader in Avanta. His open door policy encourages all to speak with him whenever they need, take ideas to him and any Suggestions offered are taken seriously. David's invitations to events are spread widely so everyone has an opportunity to attend where possible. David starts any Induction day off with a presentation of the company, with an open and answer question and answers session. He has created an open culture and close family feel to Avanta, and has maintained this through a strong period of business growth. The current SMT started working with David in 2004, when the business started and they have continued to be part of this growing company alongside David, working as a team to build the best possible business that they can.
David Alberto makes it his business to visit centres regularly and speaks to all employees when he can. He is known as an inspirational leader in Avanta. His open door policy encourages all to speak with him whenever they need, take ideas to him and any Suggestions offered are taken seriously. David's invitations to events are spread widely so everyone has an opportunity to attend where possible. David starts any Induction day off with a presentation of the company, with an open and answer question and answers session. He has created an open culture and close family feel to Avanta, and has maintained this through a strong period of business growth. The current SMT started working with David in 2004, when the business started and they have continued to be part of this growing company alongside David, working as a team to build the best possible business that they can.
Managers at Elementus attend a variety of external courses such as ' People Management Skills for new managers'. New managers are trained externally over 1 to 3 days with their current training provider 'LDL' where they tailor the coaching to the specific management role. All new managers are also mentored by a member of the executive team. In 2010 Elementus introduced a new position of Customer Sales and Service Deputy Manager. This has been introduced to bridge the gap between consultants and managers and prepare them for Customer Sales and Service Manager positions when they become available. They currently have 5 people in this role.
Managers at Elementus attend a variety of external courses such as ' People Management Skills for new managers'. New managers are trained externally over 1 to 3 days with their current training provider 'LDL' where they tailor the coaching to the specific management role. All new managers are also mentored by a member of the executive team. In 2010 Elementus introduced a new position of Customer Sales and Service Deputy Manager. This has been introduced to bridge the gap between consultants and managers and prepare them for Customer Sales and Service Manager positions when they become available. They currently have 5 people in this role.
A wide variety of training is completed every year, this includes; Internal technical training; which would include new procedures, quality awareness, using equipment etc, internal health and safety training; which would include display screen equipment usage, chemical usage and manual handling etc and internal environmental awareness training. In addition to this employees can also carry out external professional qualifications such as NEBOSH Diploma, AAT Level 4 NVQ in Accounting, BIOH P402 Asbestos Surveying etc, external technical and quality training provded by BSI and external commercial awareness training; which would include selling skills.
Within the community Apex recognise that as an 'employer of choice' they must develop their standing as a responsible business. They recruit locally through the Job Centre and local advertising. They enable employees to undertake voluntary activities through their 'Working in the Community' initiative and support lots of charities through financial donations and other fund raising activities. Wherever possible they source from local suppliers and service providers who they treat fairly at all times. To promote local businesses they also have some local discounts negotiated and they have specifically targeted smaller local businesses and charities to support with our 'Working in the Community' work. .
To ensure employee recognition the organisation have a Team of the Month award nominated by fellow colleagues, they also have a The Team of the Month award funds are provided for the winning team to go out on a social event of their choice. At Directors discretion other team rewards/bonuses may also be awarded. Team building events occur 3-5 times a year. Most recently the Senior Leadership Team undertook ‘Insights' training to consider how they work together and interact as a team. This programme involved a number of team building sessions. The 'Work in the Community' initiative was also attended and proved to be a fabulous team building event.
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