The values at mcgarrybowen are defined by the behaviour of the management team in all aspects of running the business. Those values are respect, honesty, openness and an inclusive, collaborative spirit. The team challenge themselves to fulfil these values every day in all dealings both with the broader team and their clients. They actively seek feedback on what they're doing as a company and listen. They empower their people to make decisions and encourage people to excel and grow.

They have a 6 month Management Development Programme available called Step Forward. This programme includes modules in Values Based Leadership, Coaching as a Leadership Style, Managing Performance and Recruitment. During the programme managers also have access to an online leadership library and bite size breakfast learning sessions with topics including Managing Conflict and Handling Difficult Conversations. Additionally in the weekly workflow meeting they have a forum for managers to discuss live issues in the agency with the senior leadership team. Outside of this forum, they also create smaller working groups of managers with senior leaders to support them in their daily tasks. An example of this is having the creative services director meet with the CEO and creative directors weekly to discuss resourcing in his department. They also invite their managers to attend more senior training opportunities such as those organised by the AAR and IPA.

The members of the Senior Leadership Team take every opportunity to be hands on, approachable and demonstrate the company's values. The Senior Leadership Team make regular visits to operational sites, and are currently embarking on a ‘back to the floor' programme, where the team spend some time covering a front line role. Maximus have various committees across the business and each committee is chaired by a Senior Leadership Team member so that ideas and feedback can be taken back to the rest of the Senior Leadership Team for discussion. The Senior Leadership Team also get involved in initiatives that are important to the wider company. There is a commitment to always have a member of the Senior Leadership Team present at each company induction so they can welcome new joiners to MAXIMUS. Regular reward, recognition and engagement events (such as Top Performers dinners and our 6 monthly Roadshows) ensure Senior Leadership Team members spend time with employees at all levels and celebrate their success.

Innovation and continuous improvement are really important to Maximus. The company prides itself on being a business where everyone is encouraged to feedback and suggest changes to processes and working practices. In the past few months Maximus have launched an interactive crowd sourcing platform - Idea Lab. This online system allows all staff members to give their opinions on specific strategic “challenges” and post their own ideas for new initiatives for others to vote on. MAXVoice is the employee representative forum which has recently been the conduit for a variety of changes in the company, including the introduction of new employee benefits. Maximus have developed a delivery model called Progress to Success which provides a structure and the tools to support all operational employees carry out their roles effectively. Team Leaders in all sites act as ‘super users' of this programme and ensure their teams are fully trained and supported in using the model.

Local business areas are able to grant rewards, ranging from a free lunch, high street vouchers, additional leave, team meals or meals out with partners.

This year Marshall's have celebrated and raised awareness of a number of different wellbeing campaigns. February: Heart Disease Awareness month May: National Walking Month June: Men's Health Week July/August: Sun Awareness September: Know your numbers, Blood pressure October: Leukaemia We have offered different initiatives to accompany these campaign such as mini health mots. This year Marshalls also offered all of its employees the opportunity to have a flu jab, this is something that had never previously been offered at Marshalls.

Each employee is given a personal development budget which they can spend on whatever they like. This is an annual budget and employee's have spent their budget on a variety of things from drama classes to increase confidence. Life coach, HR training, IT coding, event planning, Prince 2 project management, singing and dance lessons and various software courses

At the end of each project the project team host a 'learning lunch' sharing the project's details and learning's from the project. The team celebrate each new project win by a bang on the gong and follow up with a company-wide email with information on what the project is about, value and a thank you to the team who helped to win the work.

The company hold the Investors in People Health & Wellbeing Good Practice and the Simply Health Healthy workplace award. Health & Wellbeing is integral to the company's culture and sits firmly at the heart of their strategy. The company offer health & wellbeing activities and have policies and practices that support people's wellbeing. There is a strong emphasis on ensuring people enjoy their time at work and be as healthy as they can be. The company offer free membership to Simply Health, a health cash back plan, where employees can claim up to 100% back on a host of medical treatments, that include dental, physiotherapy, osteopathy, homeopathy, chiropody, counselling and gym membership. The company hold an annual health & wellbeing week at work where many activities are provided, free healthy snacks and salad lunches and a team building social. This approach has led to very low staff turnover and very low absence levels, leaving the workforce engaged, committed, happy and healthy. Managers take an active interest in their team's wellbeing and that forms a firm part of the people management culture.

Monthly the company award a spot prize, a bottle of bubbly and a £50 voucher based on feedback they receive. The company recognise nominees as well as winners. The Managers will thank people outside this process too. The CEO also pushes the “beer trolley” round on a Friday afternoon to thank everyone for their efforts or take teams out for lunch if they've completed a particular project or delivered a client event. Most Fridays the company have a company credit card behind the bar at their local pub. Additionally each team has a team entertainment/reward budget. It's up to the team how they spend this; it may be for a project well done or maybe because they have all been working really hard on something or maybe to welcome a new recruit, it's really up to them. On top of the generous benefits package they have an annual discretionary bonus. This is open to everyone who has 6 months service or more and is a set % of their salary to ensure an equitable and fair approach. It's based upon the financial performance of the Company not the individual. The company have also introduced a Christmas bonus too. This isn't about performance or length of service. This is about recognising that everyone needs a thank you at this festive time of year. Everyone gets exactly the same amount, regardless of service, salary, position.

All managers will have attended a ‘Managing At Our Best' two day course by the end of the year. This course focuses on strengthening their culture through everyday actions and decisions. Employees are presented with difficult situations which test decision-making skills and thought processes. Managers learn how to deal with these challenges and how to apply that knowledge every day and how to use these approaches to bring out the best in their teams. They have a talent programme which supports and develops a population of talented managers. It gives them opportunity to network with and have a mentoring relationship with the leadership team and access to more advanced learning courses, for example, Professional Presentation skills and Business Writing courses. For their future managers they have Star. This has a professional qualification element with RBCB (Retail Banking Conduct of Business). Delegates complete a supported business project and Insights Discovery; a personal profiling tool that can be used to support coaching and personal development. New managers receive a tailored training package specific to their role including Coaching for Success (two-days) Authorised Signatory and advanced complaints handling for Team Managers and Bank Managers. Mentoring is widely used as a development tool to support managers, and they are just about to trial several reverse mentoring relationships. Managers also have the opportunity to attend a Monthly Managers Brief (MMB) where they have the opportunity to connect with each other and hear an update on customer experience, strategic projects and people issues.

They provide an on-site subsidised gym, pamper room, subsidised Starbucks, subsidised canteen, with healthy food options, a prayer room and a facilities helpdesk, which arranges services with external parties, such as dry cleaning and shoe repairs. Employees also benefit from an on-site M&S shop which sells a wide variety of food items, wine, cards and gifts. They have a Sports and Social Committee, who coordinate sports clubs, trips, employee discounts and guest vendors, who are invited to sell their products on site. As well as securing priority tickets for local music arenas, they negotiate discounts and this year employees have benefited from over 1500 discounted Chester Zoo tickets, over 6000 discounted cinema tickets and will have access to 350 discounted pantomime tickets. M&S Bank is committed to ensuring their employees feel valued and respected. They have two employee- led networks (Outstanding and RESPECT) which aim to promote an inclusive, open and supportive working environment for all. Employees also have the option to tailor a range of benefits to complement their lifestyle and enhance their wellbeing. For example, employees can opt to buy or sell holidays, as well as opt for an enhanced healthcare package. The majority of benefits are tax efficient. As part of their engagement strategy, they also offer employees the opportunity to attend local events with their friends and families at a subsidised cost for example, race days at Chester Racecourse, local firework displays and polo matches. In 2015 1,220 employees, friends and family have attended these events.

The business has recently launched the My Resilience Assessment and Toolkit which has had a 65% uptake so far. The My Resilience Assessment provides an awareness of how resilient you really are. The report generate is unique for each employee and highlights the key areas they may wish to focus on to bolster their resilience.

Salary reviews are conducted in April of each year and a salary increase is awarded dependent on an individual's performance and contribution made to the organisation over the past 12 months. The salary review process is fair and transparent across the organisation. When an employee passes their probation period they are awarded with a gift by their line manager - for example a £50 gift voucher. This initiative applies to all employees. Spot bonus payments or gift tokens are awarded to employees who have gone above and beyond the remit of their role.

Liquid's directors do not have separate offices; they work alongside staff in open plan offices, on the same banks of desks as managers, consultants, trainees and apprentices. They ensure that they are visible throughout the business, and as accessible and approachable as possible. The interview process for any new staff joining Liquid always includes at least one of Liquid's directors at some stage. All recruitment consultants who join the business will face a final interview with their managing directors. The board works hard to speak to potential new employees, to communicate their vision for the future of the business and to really promote the opportunities that are available. The directors hold whole company briefings in the office each month, bringing all staff together in one open space to hear about individual, team and companywide successes, competition winners and major developments. They also personally introduce any new starters who have joined the business and discuss targets and plans for the coming month. The directors developed the internal training programme and occasionally run their own training sessions.

Liquid's directors do not have separate offices; they work alongside staff in open plan offices, on the same banks of desks as managers, consultants, trainees and apprentices. They ensure that they are visible throughout the business, and as accessible and approachable as possible. The interview process for any new staff joining Liquid always includes at least one of Liquid's directors at some stage. All recruitment consultants who join the business will face a final interview with their managing directors. The board works hard to speak to potential new employees, to communicate their vision for the future of the business and to really promote the opportunities that are available. The directors hold whole company briefings in the office each month, bringing all staff together in one open space to hear about individual, team and companywide successes, competition winners and major developments. They also personally introduce any new starters who have joined the business and discuss targets and plans for the coming month. The directors developed the internal training programme and occasionally run their own training sessions.

As well as regular informal 1-2-1 meetings, Line Managers also conduct formal performance review meetings with their staff 3 times per year. During these meetings staff have the opportunity to discuss training, development and support needs, including successes, challenges, and grading's for Key Performance Indicator's (KPI's) and organisational core competencies . Other performance supporting documentation includes performance development and improvement plans and work programmes. The organisation's core competency framework aids recruitment (person specifications); performance management (performance reviews) and employee development. They deliver their own mandatory training programme (including personal safety, competency, equality & diversity and health & safety), alongside arranging job specific training. There are opportunities for secondments into other areas of the business, as well as with other partnering agencies. Where a training needs analysis has been carried out and a qualification in a specific area is desirable, the organisation covers the costs involved in the course as well as enables the employee's time off for study leave and exams Other examples of staff development include career progression routes, whereby staff are encouraged and supported in working towards promotion to senior positions and by them also actively applying for vacancies within the organisation. Employees also have opportunities to upskill their numeracy and literacy grades and several have participated in on the job NVQ Information Advice & Guidance qualifications, therefore enhancing their skills in this area.

As well as regular informal 1-2-1 meetings, Line Managers also conduct formal performance review meetings with their staff 3 times per year. During these meetings staff have the opportunity to discuss training, development and support needs, including successes, challenges, and grading's for Key Performance Indicator's (KPI's) and organisational core competencies . Other performance supporting documentation includes performance development and improvement plans and work programmes. The organisation's core competency framework aids recruitment (person specifications); performance management (performance reviews) and employee development. They deliver their own mandatory training programme (including personal safety, competency, equality & diversity and health & safety), alongside arranging job specific training. There are opportunities for secondments into other areas of the business, as well as with other partnering agencies. Where a training needs analysis has been carried out and a qualification in a specific area is desirable, the organisation covers the costs involved in the course as well as enables the employee's time off for study leave and exams Other examples of staff development include career progression routes, whereby staff are encouraged and supported in working towards promotion to senior positions and by them also actively applying for vacancies within the organisation. Employees also have opportunities to upskill their numeracy and literacy grades and several have participated in on the job NVQ Information Advice & Guidance qualifications, therefore enhancing their skills in this area.