Ongo have environmental practices in place such as a cycle to work scheme, encouraging the use of public transport, encouraging working from home, energy efficient IT and also making employees aware of the organisations energy consumption.
caba's developing a leadership framework to help managers become confident leaders capable of meeting the charity's future challenges. It already gives its leaders and managers the freedom to be creative and innovative. It trusts them to challenge actions that aren't in line with the charity's values and behaviours.
caba gives all candidates the interview questions in advance to promote a level playing field, particularly for those who are neurodiverse. There's also a buddy system to ensure new starters have a familiar face to turn to outside their team and plans for a new starter network.
There are many opportunities for employees to have their say and get involved, including monthly all-staff meetings and issue-specific away days. There's also a voluntary employee forum and ones for wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion. And cross-team projects allow staff to flex their skills beyond their daily roles.
The company offers apprenticeships to school-leavers and to increase the skill and knowledge levels of existing staff. It is increasing its investment in employee training and their learning requirements are identified from appraisals.
The company values are "passion, team and work-life balance". Staff are inspired to be passionate about what Wacoal does and believe in its products. They are encouraged to work as a team with a common goal and the culture discourages doing long days or answering emails outside working hours.
Wacoal supports local charitable initiatives and women's shelters. Redundant products are sent to Africa to support community projects that provide underwear to women who cannot afford it. It donates to organisations such as The Cowshed, which helps people in times of crisis, such as women fleeing domestic abuse.
Regular learning sessions and opportunities to share successes, including a post-probation period celebration event, connect new recruits with their fellow new starters. There's also a new employee onboarding hub and a checklist managers can customise to ensure they have the right information and can meet the right people to set them up for success.
Mentoring schemes are big at England Netball. Employees can develop their leadership skills as mentors or mentees for underrepresented groups across the sporting sector. And a second scheme pairs mentors with mentees to support specific development goals to help them take the next step in their careers.
Everyone gets two volunteering days a year, working together as a team or individually, for a local cause close to their hearts. And there's always something to do socially, whether its staff netball sessions to build social connections or lunchtime celebrations for sporting events or festivals such as Eid.
Daily stand-up virtual meetings allow teams to discuss the day ahead while enjoying their morning coffee. These 15-20 minute calls also provide the opportunity to start the day with a human connection and the chance to ask colleagues for advice on work issues.
An environmentally preferred purchasing policy encourages employees to be mindful of the way in which they manage their travel, purchase office equipment and stationery and manage their home office. Company offices have been equipped with energy trackers, all waste is recycled and use of recycled and non-toxic products is encouraged.
Recent staff socials have ranged from a Ukrainian cookery class to scavenger hunts, with some wine and chocolate tasting thrown in. The events were run remotely using funds ring-fenced early in the pandemic. Exercise hasn't been forgotten and a professional yoga instructor and personal trainer run classes online at lunchtime.
Employees are encouraged to do apprenticeships. The charity has introduced a leadership academy that offers a blended learning programme and it has seen positive change, growth and development in those who have taken part. The HR department supports aspiring leaders to develop in their role.
The comprehensive rewards and recognition benefits package on offer includes giving out monthly golden tickets to those who have lived the charity's values or gone above and beyond. The golden ticket can be exchanged for a prize in the "goodie cupboard".
Family and friends fun days bring everyone together to live one of the charity's values: "Challenge, have fun and smile." Regular newsletters, along with all-staff meetings and communications, keep the culture alive. News and staff feedback is shared through the HR department's People Hub.
The leadership team uses a range of channels and digital to share information and encourage feedback from employees. The CEO and CSO shares regular video messages. The videos are unscripted to maintain authenticity. The videos are easily accessible on smart devices and all comms activity then comes together in its weekly newsletter to all staff.
The organisation has implemented technology so that people can join team and board meetings remotely and in person at the same time. Thakeham also has a working group covering all departments who meet every 2-3 months to discuss ideas, thoughts and suggestions that are fed back to senior leadership so that actions can be implemented.
Thakeham funds and encourages all employees to attend a regular health screening through Nuffield health. The organisation has trained Mental Health First Aiders and champions and also provides access to an in house counsellor at no cost for employees. They can see the counsellor in the office, via teams/zoom or at her practice off site.
Fair pay is fundamental at the organisation, particularly for those co-owners at the lower levels of pay. It is a Real Living Wage employer. To offset the gender pay gap, it has overhauled its role banding, increased transparency over the rates for different levels, and installed measures to ensure that these bandings are consistently applied.
Riverford has a whole host of developmental opportunities for its people. Including captured learning, personal and professional needs during 1:1s, establishing aspirations, and providing learning to support the individual in improving confidence, performance, and motivation. It also runs an internal management programme that focuses on performance coaching and development conversations.
Riverford gives all co-owners the opportunity to refer a friend for any of its live vacancies. If the referred candidate is successful in getting the role, once they have passed their probation period, it pays the co-owner who made the recommendation £400. The friend they recommended will also get £100 – this is an unlimited
They work closely with Mencap by providing garden space for their service users to build and establish a vegetable garden. The produce they grow is used in the hospice kitchen and food waste from the kitchen and cafe is composted for use in the garden.
To improve employee engagement they introduced a monthly 'ideas hub' to generate discussion and feedback on what is going well and what is not going so well within the organisation. During these hubs, staff were encouraged to identify and introduce the topics for discussion.
They have a Moving on Together Group, a group of staff from across the organisation who champion team interaction and communications. They group new leads on the annual staff event and have developed a communications framework based on staff feedback.
SSTL have an effective induction process for new joiners. On their first day, the new employee will meet a member of the HR team to run through a welcome pack of information which sets a timetable of what they can expect to happen over their first day, first week and first 3 months.
The Management and Leadership programme is made up of 12 modules which will develop managers skills in the management and development of their direct reports. It will include modules to help with recruitment all the way through to performance and leading change.
SSTL have an effective induction process for new joiners. On their first day, the new employee will meet a member of the HR team to run through a welcome pack of information which sets a timetable of what they can expect to happen over their first day, first week and first 3 months.
The organisation uses SharePoint as a source of news for everyone in the company. It hosts an annual company conference to allow everyone to get together, alongside smaller team and directorate meet ups. Everything is reinforced by the “LHP way” and its new People & Culture Framework which details the behaviours expected from staff.
All managers at LHP attend a four-day programme which teaches them some basic managerial skills, with topics including: what is good leadership, effective communication, performance management, managing a team, my impact on the organisation, delegation, motivation and morale, decision making, analysing what is going well, and action planning. Managers can also study numerous other modules.
Teams at the organisation are encouraged to build working relationships through regular team meetings that provide structure and support to a typical day or week. Teams also have quarterly get-togethers and wellbeing events are hosted by the wellbeing team. LHP also arrange community events such as canal rubbish cleaning.
CEO and Principal Mike Gaston posts weekly Moment with Mike vlogs and there is an informal evening Time to Talk meeting with the Vice-Principal. Senior leaders all work to metrics set against the college's Drive to 25 strategic plan, and this filters through to teams in terms of performance plans and objective setting.
With the college based at three different campuses, the pandemic actually encouraged people to work together on platforms such as Microsoft Teams, without having to gather in the same geographical place. This had the silver lining of cutting commutes and preventing travelling time or traffic getting in the way.
Many managers are currently completing apprenticeships both internally and through the local university, and everyone at manager level has the support of an aligned people services business partner. Internal and external coaching is offered, as is a thorough induction process for new managers.
The organisations Living Well, Working Well ethos actively promotes home and remote working. Communicating well with colleagues is key to its success. There are 13 different channels of communication, from face to face through Yammer as well as traditional phone/e-mail channels.
London & Partners state their vision, mission and strategy in all of their core documents and reinforce them regularly.
Exciting opportunities are provided for management secondments. They allow those who aspire to be a manager to take on the role in a safe environment, where they have the autonomy to make their own decisions while being supported by a mentor. They also share in the company's success through its performance bonus scheme.
'Getting to know our leaders' sessions have been introduced, with colleagues interviewing them about their career journey. The idea is to inspire those keen to progress at the Trust. The organisation has also invested in a new Learning and Development Manager to help staff map their career paths and identify training needs.
There are plans for listening groups across the Trust to dig deeper into engagement survey results. The leadership team wants to understand better why people feel the way they do, so they can address the issues and make plans to resolve them in a meaningful and impactful way.
Four social committees have their own events fund to organise get-togethers in and around the Trust's offices in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, from festive and Halloween parties to bake sales and other fundraising activities. There are also virtual events, from wellbeing activities to one celebrating the Trust's 30th birthday.
New recruits are made to feel welcome before they start with a special pack and regular updates. On day one, they get all the equipment they need to hit the ground running and gifted merchandise. As an ice-breaker, a Q&A with them is shared on internal channels, and their manager treats them to lunch.
Employees get an annual Airtime Rewards-sponsored day to volunteer or fundraise for charity. The company donates a minimum of £500 when colleagues complete charity events. And when an employee's completed their probation, the company contributes to the charity they mentioned in their new starter Q&A.
The company has a social committee tasked with arranging all events, from summer and winter parties to dinners, bowling, competitions, karaoke and escape rooms. And staff don't need to worry about being out of pocket as there's a £250 social budget set aside for everyone.
Employees who recommend a successful hire get £250 three months after the new recruit starts – £500 if the starter is in a more senior position. And awards are also made to team members who successfully recommend somebody for a temporary or fixed-term vacancy. They get £50 in shopping vouchers.
All employees get dedicated time with their line manager for two annual performance development reviews. All staff have access to online learning, and the organisation is undertaking a learning needs analysis to capture CPD for each directorate and any informal coaching needs. It also plans to introduce an accredited management development programme.
Employees benefit from regular communications and opportunities for feedback. 'The Loop' is sent out weekly, and there's a dedicated employee forum and monthly' virtual coffees' where the leadership team gives updates and answers questions. The Chief Executive leads an annual Town Hall reinforcing key principles, thanking colleagues and celebrating successes.
Managers get bespoke support depending on their development needs with access to various external tools and training opportunities via their line managers. There are expert HR manager briefings to support them and established workflows to help them navigate any complex people management issues.
Teleware has recently achieved carbon-neutral status and is now helping its customers do the same. Moving to a remote-first model, reducing travel and waste and office downsizing has vastly reduced its carbon footprint. The company’s also planted around 130 trees as part of an environmental initiative.
The induction of new recruits is both remote and face-to-face. There’s a series of digital ‘team talks’ with team members from across the business and regular HR check-ins to make sure they’re settling in well. And like all employees, they get access to an online training platform personalised to their role and level.
Liquid has run a successful virtual work experience course for students interested in a career in public relations, highlighting the exciting work it does for its clients to attract potential new employees. It's also inviting students back into the office to get an all-around agency experience.
Liquid "strives to create a lasting, positive impact on communities." It helps local causes through donations and pro bono work and is currently supporting 17 local projects. Over the last four years, it's donated more than £400,000 to organisations such as Whitley Fund for Nature, the Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust and Acorns Children's Hospice.
The agency's monthly 'No Rest for the Liquid' company-wide meeting supports its 'integrated and collaborative working environment." Senior team members give business updates, and working groups lead interactive presentations to offer insight into their work and job roles. And there's a weekly newsletter celebrating birthdays, promotions, and what teams have achieved for clients.
The organisation’s three core values (Respect, Quality, and Teamwork) sit at the heart of everything it does. It holds quarterly all staff team meetings, off-site, and at all these events it has team awards, one of which being the LOVE Award (Living Our Values Everyday), to acknowledge those who promote the organisation’s culture and values.
CIMSPA has put together a list of resources that people working in sport and physical activity can use to help people who have fled the war in Ukraine. Chief executive Tara Dillon says: "I believe sport and physical activity can be a lifeline for many who have arrived in the UK."
CIMSPA’s wellbeing committee (Welbots) supports employees with signposting, awareness activities, and creating the opportunity for social interaction. Employees have access to a range of benefits including a healthy living allowance, access to the CALM app for themselves and up to 5 family/friends, an employee assistance program, and initiatives to get them out at lunchtime.
It has now established a training team with its Learning and Development Lead and in-house Training Manager. They are dedicated to support the learning requirements of employees and teams. As it continues to build its learning culture, it has launched a number of learning platforms including LinkedIn Learning and Webshield Academy.
The Learning and Development Team are soon launching its new Management Development Academy to enable Trust Payments’ managers and leaders to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to bring personal, team, and business success. It covers several modules including planning and organising, project management, problem solving, decision making, communication, and objective setting.
Its attraction and retention strategies revolves around the importance of creating a workplace that is positive and purposeful and that fosters engagement. One way in which it secures such environment is to have strong leaders that are coached and developed to listen to people and to recognise and exploit their full potential.
The organisation offers strong and consistent mentorship, from other senior managers and very open and transparent communication. It promotes within the organisation, to allow for internal development opportunities - however provide full support and transition processes when doing so.
All new starters are assigned a buddy in their team who they can go to for asking questions or an informal chat. Everyone is taken for lunch on their first day, either with their buddy or along with other new starters and a couple of members of the team.
With a largely young workforce, TFS keeps them engaged by keeping things lively and sociable, arranging gatherings and activities inside and outside of office hours where possible. It promotes its EAP to all employees so they can seek external support if preferred. It also supports employees’ personal missions, especially with charitable causes and keeping fit.
With invitations to social events, new recruits are part of the Tees team before they even start. They get a thorough induction schedule to make effective connections from the get-go, and IT training is standard. A team lunch also supports them to have the best onboarding experience.
The new 'Tees Better Future Fund' offers grants of up to £5000 for projects that support learning and education and promote good health and wellbeing in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire. It builds on the good work the firm and its employees regularly undertake, whether charitable Pro Bono work or sponsoring community events.
A new wellbeing team of reps from across Tees' offices is looking at ways to improve the firm's approach to health and wellbeing. There are regular internal and inter-business sporting events, and employees get a day off for their birthday and enjoy deals and discounts through the company's benefits platform.
The organisation has a committee dedicated to creating fun for teams to energise and engage them. It organises a monthly drinks event at its own bar on site which is themed differently depending on events, as well as organising an annual team sports day and team awards such as "the values champion".
Everyone in the Sipsmith team sets an annual Sustainability KPI for themselves working with their manager to deliver tangible improvements on their commitment to craft a better future. This means Sipsmith’s teams are actively rewarded through its pay and bonus model for meeting its environmental goals.
Sipsmith hosts deep dive workshops led by HR and their managers on their specific team results and with the leadership team to better understand the results and develop an action plan for what improvements could be implemented. The actions taken enabled each team to manage their own engagement improvement plan to their specific needs.
Employees are selected based on their values and personal qualities. Having made this selection, it has extensive training opportunities to ensure they develop the necessary skills. All group leaders complete a 6-week induction training course before they take sole charge of any groups of children, during which they are supported by a buddy.
The centre runs a travel to work scheme which incentivises either walking or cycling to work. Staff can raise money for charity by either walking or cycling to work and entering details of this on the staff website. Robinwood make donations which amount to several thousand pounds each year.
Robinwood Activity Centres develop children as individuals and as members of a team, with safety, enjoyment, and learning are priorities. It aims to respond to customer feedback to provide the best customer experience and to respond to staff feedback to create the best place to work.
New starters get a corporate induction on their first day supported by a comprehensive handbook with information on structure, training, IT systems and what to expect during their probationary period. The HR team checks in with recruits at two and six weeks to ensure they're settling in and to address any concerns early.
Small changes are helping reduce PICS' carbon footprint. Everything from writing to toilet paper is now recycled, plumbed-in water coolers have replaced bottle systems, a Net Zero lead has been appointed, and it's working with Sherwood Forest Trust to plant hundreds of trees – committing to doing it every year on the organisation's birthday.
PICs' health and wellbeing forum supports staff with services such as clinical psychology. It's training more Mental Health First Aiders to help employees organisation-wide, and there are plans for an Employee Assistance Programme. Staff are encouraged to take advantage of health service discount schemes and boost their health through the Cycle to Work scheme.
All lower-paid employees got a winter cost-of-living salary increase, with all employees getting a higher-than-usual rise in the spring. Performance-related bonus awards are on offer, and staff get £500 once a candidate they've successfully recommended for a role passes their three-month probation.
A new performance management platform supports staff with their development goals. It includes a feedback function allowing employees to give or request feedback from each other, with ‘Feedback Fridays’ encouraging staff to participate. Colleagues can also nominate each other for monthly awards, using the system to select which value they demonstrated.
Medicheck's VIBE team is tasked with arranging social events, from those celebrating Pride Month to exercise challenges and fundraising events. There are also the staple Summer BBQs and Christmas parties. And staff are encouraged into the office on wellbeing day for activities like wellness walks or a massage.
As well as feedback to line managers directly and an employee survey, the organisation has two dedicated email accounts for employees to make suggestions and express concerns anonymously. All questions are read out and answered by the MDs every two weeks to maintain transparency and openly share concerns that other employees may also have.
HSO has an internal Learning Management System in place for all employees to access training courses. It uses the LMS to stay abreast of new enhancements to technologies, soft skills and industry updates. The LMS gives employees the flexibility to be able to learn on the go by accessing it on their desktops or mobiles.
Managers can give a gift voucher to any employee they feel has gone above and beyond. Employees are recognised and rewarded for their long service with the company from 5years+. The employee is allowed to choose a gift or voucher of their choice for the value of £150-£900 depending on their long service milestone.
Referrals are Daemon's most effective way of bringing in culture-fitting new talent, with one in five new hires via the scheme. An employee who successfully recommends a person for a permanent position gets £2,500 within 12 months. And there's even £200 for a team member who refers somebody on a contract basis.
Daemon's corporate charities are Breadline Africa, which provides educational infrastructure, and Staffordshire Women's Aid. Its staff raise money through activities like runs and step challenges. They also do free-of-charge technical work to help the charities increase web traffic and online donations. Contributions to Breadline Africa have helped build a school facility using a shipping container.
The founders and leadership team have been communicating the 'North Star Ambitions' focused on people, culture, growth, clients and impact, ensuring everyone knows how to contribute. Each ambition has an owner who supports goal-setting across the business. Employees get twice-yearly updates on progress.
Managers are supported by senior managers through monthly one-to-one sessions, yearly appraisals and personal-development plans. Training and upskilling is tailored to the individual, and takes the form of in-house teaching and the use of external coaches.
Braving the Shave, a danceathon and the Mighty Hike for Macmillan Cancer Support are among the fundraising activities staff have taken part in to raise money for charity, as well as shoebox filling for a homeless shelter. During mental health awareness week cash was raised for The Befriending Scheme, which supports vulnerable young people.
In addition to pay rewards, Christies Care has a quarterly, "extra mile" award for which staff nominate colleagues who they think have gone over and above in their roles. It also has annual awards that are linked to the organisation's values, when staff achievements are celebrated.
By attracting high-calibre talent, and retaining, motivating, and engaging employees through fair, competitive, and responsible remuneration structures it continuously builds on not only CFC principles but puts a spotlight on each and every individual in the organisation, these are the key components to its success.
CFC recently opened an Innovation Hub that provides a modern and tech-friendly office space for the tech team to collaborate in. Additionally, it has launched a careers platform to attract candidates to CFC. This platform is much more visually appealing and candidate-engaging, with video job overviews, manager profiles, and transparent recruitment steps and processes.
CFC is a 34% employee-owned company which means it benefits from having employee ownership alongside an incredibly engaged senior management and leadership team who act as role models for their teams. The core values are demonstrated through its belief in market-leading insurance products and customer service and a constant drive for innovation.
One of its recent employee engagement surveys identified how Seed should support the team with progression; the organisation created a clear development guide which gave staff a clear view of how to develop. The structure gave focus on development in the areas employees wanted without being restricted by a single job title.
Community work is something that is very important to Seed and as such, there are many ways in which it gives back. It currently donates monthly to several charities such as Great Ormand Street Hospital and Forest Carbon. It also has a dedicated charity committee that arranges regular charity events for the team to attend.
Seed introduced a 'buddy system', where every month employees would be buddied up with a colleague and have 20/30-minute weekly calls where they could catch up about anything non-work related. It introduced this as a way of imitating the 'water-cooler chats' that would happen in the office.
The organisation utilises open communication between all levels of the business through its Employee Voice Champions (responsible for improving the employee experience at RSM UK), Talk to the Top (employees meet with the leadership team to discuss issues), and Diversity and Inclusion Network Groups (helping to shape the organisation’s EDI policies).
In the 12 months up to 31st March 2023, the RSM UK Foundation made charitable donations of a value of over £730,000. These donations included over £15,000 to Trees for Cities to support ongoing environmental projects and more than £110,000 in partnership with UNICEF in its appeals for Pakistan Floods and the Syria-Türkiye Earthquake.
RSM UK has an annual wellbeing campaign called ‘JanYOUary’ which is designed to help its people to invest time in themselves, supported by a month-long calendar with activity ideas. Each year, the campaign’s focus is adapted to keep it relevant. The organisation has also signed the Global Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health pledge.
Stowefest is the annual get-together for all the firm’s legal teams. There are opportunities for training and development and to hear from inspirational external speakers. And 2022 saw the first ‘Best in Stowe’ awards gala dinner. There were more than 100 nominations, with peer-nominated categories including Best Newcomer and Most Valuable Player.
New starters benefit from an enhanced induction process. They get IT equipment and access to the firm’s people system before they start. They’re also allocated a buddy and have a virtual meet and greet with the CEO. An extended settling-in period has replaced the probation period, and they can access benefits from day one.
Employees already benefit from retail discounts and medical cashback, and there is now additional cost-of-living support. All staff can apply for up to £500 from The Stowe Helping Hand Fund if they find themselves with an unexpected bill they’re struggling to pay, such as a broken boiler or car breakdown.
Schillings runs a bespoke leadership skills development programme in development that reflects its values of culture and purpose. This develops its leaders to find their authentic leadership style and voice, alongside their ability to flex and deploy other relevant leadership styles as needed in different situations.
Schillings listens to its employees and has teams called Partner Engagement Teams. These are small teams of ten people, led by a partner. These teams are cross discipline and a mix of grades and roles. They provide the firm with a 2-way feedback loop and allow them to address and consult new ideas and changes.
Partners at Schillings are encouraged to attend business development meetings with a colleague from another part of the organisation – this could be a Partner or another senior fee earner. Its wellbeing, EDI, and social committees work together to ensure the work they are doing is complementary to and enhances the work of the others.
Visibility and communication is essential to the organisation. The results of the last internal pulse survey were shared with staff in January through a company-wide video call by the Chief Operating Officer. The company culture is driven by these surveys, so communicating them with staff is treated with the importance it deserves.
It provides food parcels to its residents and people who use our services when and where needed. These are often gifted or donated by organisations, local churches, and groups within the local area. It has also distributed essential supplies including face masks, hand sanitiser, and hygiene products.
The organisation offers a recognition award of up to £500 to employees who make an extraordinary effort, contribution, and/or sustain an exemplary level of exceptional performance. As some of the company’s projects remain open over the Christmas break, it has introduced a payment for staff who cover Christmas Day.
Eames Group’s High Achievers Club rewards employees who have performed well over the last quarter with various fun activities, such as a day at Goodwood Races, Division socials at Crystal Maze and day trips to France. The organisation rewards those who have performed exceptionally over the last year with an all-expense paid trip abroad.
Every starter has an ‘L&D introduction’ meeting with the Head of People and Performance, to gain feedback on the interview process, review expectations set by their manager and understand what training they require. New starters also have an HR induction and meet the Operations and Marketing team to help create a culture of inclusion.
Eames Group regularly organise company-wide team events to bring the whole business together, but also recognise the importance of building relationships in smaller teams. Each business unit has their own budget for socials, team building exercises and reward programmes. Additionally, weekly team meetings take place face-to-face to maintain strong connections between employees.
Business priorities and objectives have been set and clarified through the organisation’s HRA Business Plan and Performance Framework programme priorities. The Executive team filter messages down into the business via meetings with Heads of Service who then communicate these to their Managers, who then communicate to their teams.
To maintain culture regardless of where employees work, all colleagues are encouraged to live by the values of one team. Face to face meetings are encouraged throughout the course of the month so that colleagues interact with one another to assist with increased communication, collaboration and a sense of belonging to the team and organisation.
The ‘We are CBH’, 'Time to Talk' and 'Toolbox Talk' sessions provide opportunity for teams to communicate and allow colleagues to be heard. In addition to this, the People Manager group held 3 times a year provides a forum for colleagues to receive updates, understand priorities and work through any challenges collectively and collaboratively.
The leadership team and other key staff use an all-staff cinema event to communicate the company’s overarching strategic goals. These goals are utilised throughout ARAG’s performance management system to ensure all staff can clearly see what their efforts mean to those goals. Clarity of message is reinforced through fortnightly updates led by the Managing Director.
Clarity is an essential value to ARAG. Company comms are achieved through a number of ways, including online video calls from key managers and leadership team members, general initiatives and outcomes that staff are not only responsible for but passionate about, news posts, intranet pages, videos, animations, and more.
ARAG’s Wellbeing Champions meet regularly to discuss what they can do to help staff both proactively and reactively. Recent discussions have included the benefits of music and the reasons to hold meetings whilst walking. The company puts wellbeing at the heart of its manager check-in process, so colleagues know there are spaces for tough conversations.
As well as a pre-starting welcome gift, recruits are introduced to their company ‘buddy’ to help them ease into their new role. Every quarter, there’s a new starter event where joiners get a complete overview of the strategy and values and get to join others in the same boat for fun, team-building activities.
Employees are empowered to own their development. They're free to suggest courses or training relevant to their role or personal growth, and internal courses cover various behavioural, people and management skills. There's also coaching supported by personality profiling and opportunities for secondments, additional responsibilities and internal moves.
Employees are supported by a team of Mental Health First Aiders and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme for information, advice and counselling. The company has links to Sheffield Credit Union, meaning staff are helped to consolidate and manage any debt, including making payments direct from payroll. Vivedia also offers interest-free emergency loans to its employees.
During their induction, new recruits get time with the Managing Director to help them understand the company's history, vision and values. They also get to meet many key people from all levels, from the finance director to the admin team, to reassure them that there's always somebody on hand to help.
As it's a challenging process to become chartered and can take years to achieve, Tenos offers its employees expertise and project diversity to ensure they have the experience they need before they put in their Chartered Engineer applications. The company also has a formal mentor scheme.
Everyone benefits from generous annual leave and flexible working with no set days in the office. Staff also get free healthcare – which includes 'staying well' initiatives, as well as an Employee Assistance Programme and a Cycle to Work scheme. In addition, all employees received £1000 to ease cost-of-living pressures.
Almost one in five new hires have come via Node 4’s generous employee referral scheme. Staff get £1200 if they successfully recommend a candidate. An initial £500 is awarded when they complete their three-month probationary period and the remaining £700 after they’ve been employed for six months.
Node4’s Trans4mation Leadership Development Framework is an internal five-level training programme for all tiers of management and leadership across the business, from helping new managers navigate policies and processes to boosting senior leadership experience, including the option of an ILM Level 5 qualification. The principles of ‘Exceptional Service as Standard’ (ESaaS) are embedded throughout.
Mental Health First Aiders are on hand across the organisation for any employees who may need a listening ear. National awareness days are used as a focus for wellbeing activities, such as stress management webinars, and positive wellbeing is encouraged through charitable giving, volunteering, team socials and exercise challenges.
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting workers throughout the UK, Barnsley Hospice has ensured that its staff, whatever their role or position within the organisation, are receiving a fair salary that is above the real living wage. In 2022, 100% of the organisation’s staff received a pay rise.
All employees are invited to the monthly Staff Forum where they can share any concerns or suggestions. Feedback provided at these events have resulted in several improvements within the organisation, including a suggestion box which is reviewed during the following month’s forum, a book swap club, EV charging points, and coffee and cake days!
Barnsley Hospice takes the wellbeing of its staff very seriously, offering a number of programmes to support them, including a 24/7 helpline, up to 6 counselling sessions covered by the hospice, psychological debriefs to help colleagues come to terms with their experiences, and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives such as a walking group.
Stanton House has a dedicated Learning & Development team and five development programmes specifically designed for different stages of its employees’ careers, and as 1:1 coaching sessions. It also provides companywide situational support workshops which supports its diversity agenda. Stanton House additionally supports employees by funding external qualifications and providing additional time off to study.
A large part of Stanton House’s success comes from the open communication it has with its teams. The organisation has appointed a Board-level Director of Change & Communications, whose remit includes inviting junior staff to participate in Board and Management meetings to ensure input towards discussions and decision-making from every level.
In 2022, Stanton House raised over £20,000 through bake-offs, auctions, and physical challenges for Harry’s Hat. And it has raised over £67,500 for medical supplies and to help refugees escape the war in Ukraine, directly contributing to the evacuation of over 400 women and children.
Employee Innovation Days, which happen every quarter, mean all staff stop paid work to explore, learn or nail down something that interests them. These are great days to work with others from across the business on whatever is important to them.
In 2022, the organisation raised over £15,000 for charity, supported local code clubs, and provided pro bono development work for charities. It launched The Ghyston Foundation which offers STEM outreach, supports employees’ charitable endeavours, and is committed to donating 10% of its annual profits to charity – with a target of £1million donated by 2032.
In 2022, Ghyston implemented two pay rises to counteract the cost-of-living crisis, and reviewed its employees salaries against the market place to ensure that they were being paid fairly. An additional inflation pay increase was implemented in January 2023. All of the organisation’s employees are paid above the living wage.
Designed in-house by Seven Resourcing, UGrad+ is one of the UK's only undergraduate recruitment courses. It allows sixth-form and college leavers to learn at degree-level while earning postgraduate pay. It recognises that university isn't for everyone and that recruitment careers aren't often highlighted as an option for teenagers.
Community and charity are fundamental to the agency's work. It offers free recruitment for charities such as Ormiston Families, which works with families affected by offending or poor mental health and has donated more than £10,000 from events and challenges. It's also provided mentoring for primary school pupils and funded renovations and learning materials.
Daily 'Energisers' of fun and fast-paced games get employees geared up for the day ahead. There are virtual quizzes and competitions, and teams enjoy monthly social events, including all-expenses-paid meals and nights out. And every Friday, there are free lunches from popular high street eateries encouraging colleagues to sit together and reflect on the week.
A monthly ‘Glee Update’ is an opportunity to share important information and celebrate employees’ stand-out work over the past month. It includes the ‘Gleeson Lottery’, where staff can nominate supportive colleagues for prizes. It’s also a chance for the team to get together in the new office bar for post-meeting drinks.
Every team member gets a day off a year to volunteer for a charity of their choice, and the company rents its rooms for a charitable donation. And Gleeson Recruitment Group is proudly more than two years ‘climate positive’ – on target to have helped plant 25,000 trees by the end of 2023.
The company takes a holistic approach to wellbeing from early finish Fridays and weekly meditation and yoga sessions to private healthcare and an enhanced Employee Assistance Programme. This offers colleagues the reassurance of paid leave in various circumstances, such as undergoing fertility treatment or when needing support through menopause.
The Leadership team set the standard in terms of conducting 1:1 meetings with all direct reports every month, part of which relates to values, which include accountability and open lines of communication. Additionally, the MD and directors meet with all new starters as part of their induction framework to illustrate and instil the company values.
As a business, Quill Pinpoint hosts quarterly meetings with all employees to bring people together remotely, it also has annual meetings, bringing everyone together face to face. These meetings include a summer social event with families and friends and regular quizzes via teams.
The organisation is committed to reducing its energy consumption, water usage, waste disposal, and carbon footprint practically and cost-effectively. Through initiatives such as recycling waste, lighting sensors, smart power switches, transitioning to paperless offices as well as energy-efficient air conditioning units.
Managers are encouraged to develop through formal training and feedback. Following the employee survey, managers of three or more people receive a personalised report against the key factors of management excellence, feeding it into their personal development plans. They can also access three-level management training programmes from first-line management to senior leadership.
In 2022, employees raised over £490,000 for charities worldwide – £335,000 during the global annual ‘Move for Charity’ fundraising week. ISG also procures responsibly to maximise spending with social enterprises. And its teams get involved with local schemes, from virtual reading sessions with primary school children to donating coats for vulnerable families.
ISG is broadening its talent pool, helping people into a career whatever their experience. It has a strategy to get more women and people from different ethnic backgrounds – under-represented in the industry – aware of opportunities and able to access them. It’s also keen to welcome ex-military, ex-offenders and those returning to work.
All employees can access a full-skill development platform via the HiB Academy. And every team member gets two hours a week during work time for their learning and development, recognising how tricky and burdensome it can be to juggle study with work and home life.
HiB supports charitable and community initiatives through its community panel. It uses its annual budget for various initiatives, from providing fencing and gates to boost security at a Warwickshire recreation ground to sponsoring kits for local sports teams. And it's provided complimentary products for homeless accommodation in Birmingham.
Employees working from home can expect regular check-ins to ensure they're working within their contracted hours and not using home working to manage their sickness. There are also open discussions on workplace loneliness, and celebrations always include remote workers, whether lunch allowances or virtual quizzes.
All managers at FluidOne goes through several training programmes internally and externally to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary tools to be a great manager. During their first 3 months, they follow a specifically designed programme to help them to understand internal management policies and procedures.
FluidOne conducts regular pay benchmarking and pay reviews to help it to identify and eliminate any disparities in pay based on protected characteristics. It also has a transparent pay policy that outlines the factors used to determine pay, such as experience, education, performance, and job responsibilities.
Each new employee at FluidOne receives a welcome pack that includes a water bottle, mug, pads, pens, and a printed copy of the organisation’s values. The induction course includes health and safety training, company structure, policies, procedures and wellbeing benefits, and initiatives are available to employees from day one.
Employees are recognised for their efforts and hard work with rewards and incentives. There are bonuses for passing exams and team nights out for hitting targets. And if staff recommend a candidate for a role, they can get £500, £1000, or more (depending on the seniority of the position) if they’re appointed.
Charity and community are part of the fabric at Fitzrovia IT. In the last 12 months, employees have participated in two 10k runs and raised £2000 for the MS Society. The company is always happy to match the donations or sponsorship raised by its employees.
Employees now have access to a workplace health programme with annual health checks, online GP appointments, counselling sessions and other benefits, including health screenings and gym memberships. The company is also happy to pay if employees want to take a gym class together or hire a venue for a game of football.
The college recognises that all employees play a vital role in its success. Its Emerging Leaders programme, led by the CEO, usually has a cohort of around 15 staff members who aspire to become leaders. The programme focusses on self-awareness and development alongside core competencies in areas such as people management, including employment law.
All managers have the opportunity to participate in the management degree apprenticeship run by the college in conjunction with University of Suffolk. The college also runs Mental Health First Aid training each term for all staff and Emotional Awareness training for managers, teaching wellbeing intervention support.
East Coast College have produced pulse surveys with action plans based on the responses to provide a better workplace for its employees. It has further implemented a suggestions and feedback form on the intranet which is reviewed by Management termly, and the CEO conducts listening groups each term with groups of staff.
The ‘Yellow Dip’ induction (reflecting the uniform colour) includes the company history, mission, vision and values and a ‘walk and spot’ around the park. All new starters get a bespoke four-week plan, a ‘buddy’ to ease them in and branded items to make their lives easier, including water bottles and keyrings.
Employees are encouraged to suggest professional development opportunities to support their ambitions. Team members can benefit from bespoke learning courses like project management certification and Excel skills. There are also English classes for non-native speakers. The management team has external support to develop the skills and knowledge to build cohesive, results-focused teams.
Every team member can nominate colleagues who’ve gone the extra mile through the EW Allstars reward and recognition programme. It celebrates staff in four categories – 'Be Great', 'Be Amazing', 'Be Extraordinary' and 'Be Kind'. On ambassador approval, the nominees get money in their prize fund to spend with a host of retailers.
During the past 18 months, Warner’s has invested in supporting personal growth through promoting self-awareness in preferred ways of working and discovering any potential blockers by using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It has also run team days with a guest speaker.
The company focuses on positive biodiversity impacts in line with its "nature positive" mission. Initiatives include Operation Honeybee, a campaign launched with its Honeybee gin that aims to educate and engage stakeholders to join the company in finding ways of alleviating some of the pressures facing pollinators.
Warner’s introduced “change agents” to ensure that actions based on feedback from staff were implemented. One team member from every area of the business was enlisted and progress was shared at monthly town-hall meetings. Another new initiative is giving paid half-days off to staff to give something back to the community.
All new recruits receive an in-depth starter pack before they join the company, with everything they need to get started. They're allocated coaches, and there are plenty of opportunities to ask questions with meetings with their peers, managers and all Managing Partners arranged for their first few weeks.
Managers are only ever hired from within, having already benefitted from internal training in areas such as copywriting, client servicing, confidence training and building rapport. They also get internal training with the Managing Partners and external training when they're new to post and as they develop.
The company describes its socials as "second to none" with "amazing turnout." Its monthly get-togethers are always fun-focused, with activities such as mini golf and visits to street food markets. And there are wellness ones too, including a trip to Kew Gardens and one to see Romeo & Juliet at the theatre.
The company takes a flexible, hybrid approach to office and home working. At the same time, it also recognises that more junior team members learn best from physically being around those with greater skills. As a result, staff at Account Manager level or below generally spend four days a week in the office.
Some employees have been with the business for more than 20 years, and others just a few months. This diversity creates a willingness to teach, train and share. With four of the five-strong management team promoted from within, there are plenty of opportunities to progress.
The agency’s values are fundamental to every activity. One of the key ones, “to leave the world in a better place than we found it,” can be seen in the Christmas party planning, where meals were donated to Crisis for every company one purchased. Agency profits have also supported a school build in Ethiopia.
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