What are companies doing with regards to 'Leadership'

The senior management team constantly promotes core values to their current customer and prospects as it is part of their organisation presentation and introduction. The core values are indeed a real competitive advantage and are definitely part of their strategic objectives and are reflected in their employees individual objectives too.

L&D programmes include: Trusted Advisor (which challenges assumptions they should come up with the right answer in order to build trust with others); Persuasive Communication (challenges a natural reliance on PowerPoint heavy presenting, to instead present in a meaningful, memorable and enjoyable way to the audience); and Coaching Conversations equipping employees with valuable questioning and listening skills so that clients can fully explore their business issues in a supportive way. They also have a programme that aims to equip consultants to feel confident to talk externally about their skills and experience. Shortlisted for CIPD Award Best L&D Initiative, 'Go to Expert' enables individuals to embrace the opportunity to share their expertise, whilst remaining authentic and to think differently about the world of sales - understanding the different stages of the buying cycle, recognising that every conversation is, in some way, a sales conversation and to be viewed as ‘Go to Experts' in their field and effectively equip them to position themselves externally in this way. This programme contributed to achieving ambitious growth targets. Furthermore, they have seen a step change in the way their consultant's position themselves to clients with a greater emphasis on how they help businesses in their terms.

The company host an annual quiz inviting many businesses in Reading to take part which is increasing in popularity year on year. They take part in the annual ‘Legal Walk' in Reading along with other organisations that have an interest in the law. Blandy & Blandy also submit an annual team to the town's ‘Pancake Race'. Their probate team participate in many initiatives including ‘Dementia Friends' and recently in a Reading event organised for supporting older people. The last Friday of the month is a MUFTI day with employees donating £1 to wear more casual clothing. In addition to this the company have a Christmas jumper day, Jeans for Genes and have a toy collection for Helen and Douglas House hospices.

Blandy & Blandy encourage junior staff to pursue qualifications to enable them to become fee-earning legal executives or assistants. Other functions are encouraged to pursue professional qualifications such as marketing and finance.

Being an international company with offices all over the globe, Blackbaud are lucky to be able to offer their employees ‘international placements' as rewards for outstanding performances. It is not unusual for them to have colleagues from their Charleston, Sydney and Brisbane offices doing regular stints in London and vice versa. The company find that this not only fulfils lifetime ambitions for their employee's but it is also a great way of intercompany skill and knowledge sharing.

Being an international company with offices all over the globe, Blackbaud are lucky to be able to offer their employees ‘international placements' as rewards for outstanding performances. It is not unusual for them to have colleagues from their Charleston, Sydney and Brisbane offices doing regular stints in London and vice versa. The company find that this not only fulfils lifetime ambitions for their employee's but it is also a great way of intercompany skill and knowledge sharing.

BKL want team-members to develop their careers and progress at the firm. The company take pride in being a meritocracy. They have a dedicated talent team, creating clear job descriptions, competency frameworks and targets so team-members receive frequent, useful, on-going feedback. They use a range of tools such as team appraisals, regular reviews and 360 feedbacks to ensure the team get the right level of support. BKL encourage team-members to track their own development and give them the tools to do this, such as work/training passports. Passports help trainees understand expectations for work and training opportunities they have whilst studying with BKL and follow on into qualifications. This provides a detailed plan of what training they should receive and when, the type of work they will be exposed to and responsibilities they will take on. The passports are reviewed on a regular basis with the HR team to ensure each individual's development is kept on-track. This is integrated into their appraisal (PDR) system and is a valuable tool for setting targets. For trainees, they provide full study support, including paid time off throughout their training contract, through highly-regarded study providers. Team-members have access to a wide range of training and development opportunities, including external professional qualification courses, practical skills, management training and CPD level training. There are regular internal programs like Induction sessions, Tax seminars (run by their award-winning Tax team), audit master-classes, IT skills and personal development sessions. All new team-members are assigned a buddy to help support them.

The values of the firm are integrated into everything they do and the senior management team lead by example. The partners see the values as paramount to the success of BKL. The partners were instrumental to the values launch at Chickenshed; and actively continued discussions about the values through follow-up sessions with team members. The values form a fundamental part of how BKL interview, recruit and select new team members; their induction process involves a partner providing an introduction to their values to all new team members. In the PDR appraisal process, values are integral to setting targets. They also use them in their competency profiles and how they measure behaviours. Partners regularly nominate team members for exemplifying the values of the practice and encourage others within the firm to nominate colleagues. The values are highlighted in the company regular communication sessions - ‘From the Horse's Mouth', to which all team members are invited. They are used in a wide variety of communications within the firm, such as articles in their newsletter, often produced by senior management. Even their tea and coffee mugs help remind them of their values, as well as the art work in the boardrooms, signage in the stairways and BKL stationery. Key decisions for the practice are always made using the values. When faced with difficult decisions on how to proceed, the partners use the values as a framework for deciding on the best possible options for the firm and encourage team-members to do the same

At Bindmans, the business plan has recently been updated for the next 3 years and presented to all their colleagues. There is also a competition for colleagues to describe 'Bindmans in a nutshell', there is a prize for the best catchy phrase that can be used to describe and market the firm.Also, a welcome pack is sent in advance of a new employee's start date that has details of facilities around the firm's location (lunch time venues, dry cleaners etc.), key policies and an introduction to the firm with the induction schedule. New starters have a full day of induction with follow up sessions. There is an organisation chart with photos. New starters are also introduced around the firm.

At Bindmans, the business plan has recently been updated for the next 3 years and presented to all their colleagues. There is also a competition for colleagues to describe 'Bindmans in a nutshell', there is a prize for the best catchy phrase that can be used to describe and market the firm.Also, a welcome pack is sent in advance of a new employee's start date that has details of facilities around the firm's location (lunch time venues, dry cleaners etc.), key policies and an introduction to the firm with the induction schedule. New starters have a full day of induction with follow up sessions. There is an organisation chart with photos. New starters are also introduced around the firm.

In an industry where only 10% of staff work part time, Berkley PR support over 30% of their staff to work part time hours. The radio is on playing music that only the under 30's know the words to. It is interrupted every once in a while by a ‘whoop' or a ‘shriek' as someone sees that they have secured a great piece of press coverage for their client, some of their staff are especially good at doing this. The highest paid 24 year old earns £29,600. It's a young and dynamic atmosphere but a nurturing one at the same time. While the vagaries of the school run, the under 10s' football squad and chicken pox may be alien to their cohort of young aspirational millennials, they benefit from the culture and the example set by the (mostly part time) senior team that a successful, hardworking career and a happy, balanced personal life can go hand in hand.

The company's quarterly offsite meetings are a time to relax and raise consciousness about the fantastic company they are all part of. Over the many years of running QRMs they have experienced a wide range of activities varying from making James Bond films in the grounds of luxury hotels including an evening Oscar ceremony, Watersports, Boat Trips along the Thames, trips to Marbella, Longleat, etc. This is a unique opportunity, within working hours, for staff to interact and communicate outside of the confines of the workplace.

The Charles Russell Bard Award is BARD's premier recognition and reward program for outstanding corporate and community citizenship. Winners receive an all-expenses paid trip to New York with a partner. The Eureka award is for an employee who has a moment of brilliance. Maybe they have come up with a cost saving suggestion of significant consequence or put together a new process/initiative that contributed to a successful end result. The Outstanding Service Award is for the employee who exudes Bard's values of ‘Quality, Integrity, Service and Innovation'. The Allstars Award recognises and reward exceptional results and contributions of a team that had a significant impact on the business. The Presidents Club is for sales employees who have maintained their target 3 out of 4 years consecutively and receive a trip of a lifetime to the Four Seasons Resort on the island of Mauritius and partners. The Directors Club includes £3,000.00 bonus on entry, extra day's holiday, a 2 day annual meeting full of treats such as helicopter rides, wine tasting etc. The One is the quarterly sales person of the quarter and includes criteria other than sales numbers i.e. additional training, supporting colleagues. The winner receives their name in lights and £500 John Lewis vouchers.

By engaging in the best companies survey process it has demonstrated that engagement is on the strategic agenda for the business. The focus is on receiving employee feedback and acting on it, rather than on the score they receive. An employer branding initiative has been launched by the company.

They have a dedicated training budget open to all employees to develop their careers. Progression plans are put in place, allowing all employees to monitor and track their development in their role. Quarterly and annual appraisals are offered to all staff as well as 360 feedback sessions with an independent, external representative. In addition to this, all employees are encouraged to take part in internal training sessions, from Social Media Academy classes, to French Club, Code Club and professional masterclass sessions in PowerPoint and Excel. Managers are also encouraged to participate in management training courses to help them progress their careers and develop stronger people skills.

They have a dedicated training budget open to all employees to develop their careers. Progression plans are put in place, allowing all employees to monitor and track their development in their role. Quarterly and annual appraisals are offered to all staff as well as 360 feedback sessions with an independent, external representative. In addition to this, all employees are encouraged to take part in internal training sessions, from Social Media Academy classes, to French Club, Code Club and professional masterclass sessions in PowerPoint and Excel. Managers are also encouraged to participate in management training courses to help them progress their careers and develop stronger people skills.

The company's mission, vision and values are communicated in all that they do, in their actions, what they say and how they say it and in their interactions with one another, and relationships with those they work with.

The company offers a range of learning and development opportunities. At the early stages they contribute between 80 - 100% of the cost of formal qualifications and provide time off for study, as well as making studio facilities available for colleagues and their fellow students. For mid-level colleagues they offer many opportunities to get involved in the day to day activity of practice life, to gain experience, tap into creativity, and to build knowledge through sharing activities. Activities range from weekly CPD events, evening master classes with external experts, team presentations, external led training workshops, and many different fun design competitions. They run surveys asking colleagues to select the topics and areas that they are interested in learning more about and programmes are created from there to included voice coaching, presentation skills master classes, time management sessions, and leadership training. All of these are developed in tandem with the strategic business plan for the UK each year. Most training is open to all colleagues, however there are a few initiatives which are aimed at certain groups or individuals according to skill level or role within the company. Management and leadership training for example is a perfect example of this whereby learning the ropes of people management and team leadership is important to certain colleagues and not others, depending on the stage they are at within their careers.

The company has their values printed on blocks and placed around their offices in the UK, Australia and America. They use these tiles all over their collateral and are all constantly reminded of their purpose and goals.

Constantly at the forefront of technology, they are Market leaders in the implementation of Skype for Business and innovators within the UC hosted market. The leaders' commitment to staff development is consistent and rewarding allowing the company to be competitive and exceptionally knowledgeable in their field of expertise. They respond to the customer quickly and efficiently and work quickly with partners to meet customer demand. Leaders are always available and constantly consider suggestions from the business. Processes are created with the customer experience in mind, understanding them and our value to them. The company is dedicated solely to one channel partner and they develop strategies and forecasts in support of this partner without having to compromise to accommodate other parties. Their commitment is dedicated to their service which has been determined by their leaders. The company deliver the best available service, on time and within budget and are able to do this because of the level of commitment from their leaders with regard to their on-going training and support.