For many years Think Money Group has been a Platinum payroll giving provider. However, this year the company decided to move away from Charities Aid Foundation to a new scheme administrator, Give All. There are three main advantages: Give All doesn't charge a fee so all donations make it to the charities; Give All operates entirely online and staff can administer their own accounts and, finally, Give All distributes money to charity with 48 hours rather than weeks. To make the move the company have to get staff to sign up to Give All. The company automatically set up their accounts with Give All - all they needed to do is to login, confirm their charities and confirm their donation amounts. 82% of staff did just that - matching the number that donated on the old system. In fact the company asked staff to increase their donations and many did - so they now give more than ever each month. After many years of supporting Seashell Trust in Manchester staff voted for a new local charity this year - Cash For Kids. Through Cash For Kids the company can support deprived children across Greater Manchester.

The company run regular "off sites" for teams in the business. For example, once a quarter the Internal Comms team organises an IT team offsite. This will involve all 100+ members of staff from IT. The event usually takes place in the purpose built auditorium and in the staff restaurant and takes a full afternoon. Typically it includes: Information share - members of various team or project groups will present short updates on their project and share learnings. The company survey staff before the event and ask them to put forward topics that they would like to know more about. They also have non IT speakers, such as the MDs of the business units, who will come and talk about their plans for their business. Ideas generation - the teams will split into groups to brainstorm a particular topic and will then present back Team building - usually some sort of game-based team. The company deliberately engineer the teams to bring together people who don't work together day-to-day. Social, each event ends with beer / wine and pizza being served in the staff restaurant. At the end there is a follow up with another survey to assess the event.

The company encourages employees to participate in charitable events and have a policy for matching employee donations which is well utilised. Staff initiatives have included cycle rides, coffee and cake events, marathon running, movember participation etc. The company have also developed a volunteering policy that encourages staff to take two days paid leave to volunteer in the local community. The CEO is a trustee for the Stevenage Community Trust, a voluntary organisation who raises funds and promotes charitable giving in order to enhance the quality of life of people living in the Stevenage area.

The company encourages employees to participate in charitable events and have a policy for matching employee donations which is well utilised. Staff initiatives have included cycle rides, coffee and cake events, marathon running, movember participation etc. The company have also developed a volunteering policy that encourages staff to take two days paid leave to volunteer in the local community. The CEO is a trustee for the Stevenage Community Trust, a voluntary organisation who raises funds and promotes charitable giving in order to enhance the quality of life of people living in the Stevenage area.

It is one of their annual objectives and it is a standard agenda item at the board meetings. They listen to the feedback from employees on what matters to them. This has resulted in key policies being improved and enhanced working conditions.

Managers hold monthly 1-2-1 meetings with their employees where learning and development is discussed. Employees are able to request financial support for training which will enhance their knowledge and skill set for their role. The company also offer in house training such as the company induction, email management and training specific to roles and divisions in which attendance is mandatory for all employees.

Location swapping between the Leeds, York and Harrogate offices is a very effective practice that the company undertake with their staff. Each month a selection of members from each sales team swap seats with a colleague in a different location for between a day and a week. This system of locations swapping has multiple benefits including; spreading best practice; increasing interaction between teams; challenging the ‘norms' that are created at each location by showing a different way to do something and creating meaningful relationships with colleagues that otherwise would only ever happen on email or at team gatherings. This practice also removes barriers of communication, because staff have worked alongside the people they are talking to, enabling a smoother flow of information. This practice also applies to managers, with members of the account management team working from each of the locations for at least one day per month. This allows the sales team to see/feel/hear what happens with the new customers that they bring on, as well as increasing the flow of feedback to and from the sales team and the account management team.

Location swapping between the Leeds, York and Harrogate offices is a very effective practice that the company undertake with their staff. Each month a selection of members from each sales team swap seats with a colleague in a different location for between a day and a week. This system of locations swapping has multiple benefits including; spreading best practice; increasing interaction between teams; challenging the ‘norms' that are created at each location by showing a different way to do something and creating meaningful relationships with colleagues that otherwise would only ever happen on email or at team gatherings. This practice also removes barriers of communication, because staff have worked alongside the people they are talking to, enabling a smoother flow of information. This practice also applies to managers, with members of the account management team working from each of the locations for at least one day per month. This allows the sales team to see/feel/hear what happens with the new customers that they bring on, as well as increasing the flow of feedback to and from the sales team and the account management team.

As well as the initiative details in section 5.5 the Company offers free fruit in logistics and head office, there are health checks available through local council gyms and we provide prostate and breast screening to employees in their 40s who would not qualify for NHS screening. Company walks are an opportunity for people to exercise in work time. The onsite restaurant cooks healthy meals every day with calorie count and fat content published so that people can make informed choices.

As well as the initiative details in section 5.5 the Company offers free fruit in logistics and head office, there are health checks available through local council gyms and we provide prostate and breast screening to employees in their 40s who would not qualify for NHS screening. Company walks are an opportunity for people to exercise in work time. The onsite restaurant cooks healthy meals every day with calorie count and fat content published so that people can make informed choices.

From a senior management perspective the company works as a leadership team with an external coach to focus the team on key objectives and outcomes, as well as personal development in the role. Having an external professional coach assists in keeping the leadership team objectively driven and focused. Practically, it provides necessary tools, resources and techniques to enhance communication among senior managers and train managers in how to be continuously development and get the best out of their team. Senior managers also have the opportunity to work one to one with a business development and personal development coach to enhance their own personal development and leadership roles.

Team ‘Speed Dating' is a regular activity taking place once a quarter. Each team member gets involved and is randomly given a number and matched with someone they would not usually work with day to day. The company then takes a team of 5 ‘couple's and then each couple are given topics to discuss. Sharing insights about their; favourite places to visit in the world, aspirations, big idea, big dream and one fact that no one would know about them. Friday 4.30 Fun: On Fridays the company officially close the office an hour earlier to have some team fun. It's not about leaving early on a Friday but rather about team building. Each week one department is responsible for ensuring the whole team get together to interact, engage and get to know one another. The fun activity can be anything, as long as it brings teams together. Activities covered show the range of fun: The Egg Challenge, Salt & Pepper, where people have to blindly find their perfect pairing to find their team, Silly ‘It's a Knockout' type office activities, a quiz and softball in the park. The company buys beers / wine / nibbles for these events. Tuesday Team Lunch: Each Tuesday one department is responsible for organising lunch for the whole team. The entire team then dines together it's a great way of bringing people together and a great way for teams to do something nice for fellow colleagues.

The whole reward and recognition package at Havebury includes a wide range of benefits. These are written up in an A-Z guide so that everyone is clear on what is provided. In addition to flexitime, these included: above average holiday allowance (26 days excluding Bank Holidays, with an additional 4 days for 5 years of service); the facility to buy or sell days holiday (up to 5 days per year) to enable more flexible management of time off work; cashback scheme through Havebury Saver within a wide range of stores, enabling staff to make savings of up to £1,000 per year and to maximise their income/salary; Simplyhealth health insurance scheme (which includes an employee assistance scheme, access to face to face counselling sessions and health screening); flu vaccinations available on a voluntary basis to all staff to reduce the risk/exposure to flu related absence; reduced membership to local gyms to encourage wellbeing and healthier living; lone worker scheme (through a pendant that dials a support number for employees while they're at work or carrying out work related duties); occupational health reviews as needed; social events fund; and 3-6 month sabbaticals after 5 years of service enabling staff to take a sabbatical.

The whole reward and recognition package at Havebury includes a wide range of benefits. These are written up in an A-Z guide so that everyone is clear on what is provided. In addition to flexitime, these included: above average holiday allowance (26 days excluding Bank Holidays, with an additional 4 days for 5 years of service); the facility to buy or sell days holiday (up to 5 days per year) to enable more flexible management of time off work; cashback scheme through Havebury Saver within a wide range of stores, enabling staff to make savings of up to £1,000 per year and to maximise their income/salary; Simplyhealth health insurance scheme (which includes an employee assistance scheme, access to face to face counselling sessions and health screening); flu vaccinations available on a voluntary basis to all staff to reduce the risk/exposure to flu related absence; reduced membership to local gyms to encourage wellbeing and healthier living; lone worker scheme (through a pendant that dials a support number for employees while they're at work or carrying out work related duties); occupational health reviews as needed; social events fund; and 3-6 month sabbaticals after 5 years of service enabling staff to take a sabbatical.

The Company actively tries to work on promoting the idea of the company as a family. They look to build a strong sense of belonging to their family within their employees. This is evidenced by a wide number and variety of social events and parties they arrange for employees, and they take significant groups of employees to prestigious restaurants and bars. Small early gifts at the outset of employment also enhance this. For example, they often treat a manager to dinner, or buy them a bottle of champagne once they have completed an early milestone like the successful management of a client event.

The organisation work with a company called Lifetime Training, to offer their employees NVQ equivalent training in management and catering roles. This is available to anyone without prior higher education qualifications, and who has lived in the European Union for the last three years. There are strong opportunities for employees to grow and develop with The Good Eating Company. When recruiting they look for general assistants with the potential to become supervisors, supervisors with the potential to become managers and managers with the potential to become operations managers. Many of their most successful employees started work with them at a junior level. Their Head of Operations, and the three Operations Managers all started working for the company as general café assistants.

The organisation has an exceptional achievement award programme. Employees who are nominated for this receive a personal letter from the Chief Executive, and awarded either a bonus, vouchers or a weekend away. There is no limit how many times an individual can be nominated.

Their Community & Charity Committee sponsor a nominated charity which is voted for by employees. In 2015 they supported Rainbow Living which is a charity which supports adults with disabilities, mainly learning disability and their families by providing accommodation so that young and older adults with disabilities can live with peers, often moving out of the family home and into supported living. There are currently 2 houses, 1 in Exeter and 1 in Torquay, and they are helping to raise funds for a 3rd house in Exeter. They've supported Rainbow Living by attending a fashion show at John Lewis, baking cakes for sale, dress down days, a charity cycle ride of 72 miles, running a tuck shop, helping shoppers with their grocery packing in Sainsbury's and a car boot sale.

The BIO Agency has an office dog called Philip. Research has shown that having a dog in the workplace reduces stress and this is certainly the case at The BIO Agency. Philip is a well-loved member of the team and provides an opportunity to de-stress during times of pressure. They offer some really nice perks, like a gourmet breakfast delivery once a week for the whole agency and personalised Hummingbird Bakery cakes on birthdays. After work the breakout space turns into a cocktail bar with one of the employees mixing a menu of freshly made cocktails. This boosts interaction and is a positive and rewarding way to end the working week.

The BIO Agency have regular offsite company meetings which involve breakout groups, feedback sessions and presenting back great and inspiring work to the company. They recently launched BIO DIVERSITY – an initiative to increase internal sharing and collaboration through lunchtime sessions putting a spotlight on different areas of the business. All of their employees have been trained in the last six months in Agile and Scrum methodologies, which ensures everyone at The BIO Agency is aligned and working in the most collaborative way.