What are companies doing with regards to 'My Company'

The Buzzacott Stuart Defries Memorial Fund (the Fund) – in 2003, the Partners set up a charitable trust in memory of a former Partner, Stuart Defries, who was killed in a tragic accident. Volunteering initiatives and community programmes under the auspices of the Fund. These include The Access Project, which helps bright but disadvantaged teenagers to improve grades and access to university, New Horizon programmes for NEET youngsters and a local primary school reading programme. One-off volunteering activities/team events this year included activities with KidsCo, with a local football summer school and with a city farm. The Fund also awards grants every year to charities, chiefly supporting disadvantaged communities in boroughs bordering the City, with a particular focus on children and young people and also through the staff suggestion and matched giving scheme.

Instant recognition: Employees are nominated for and awarded a bottle of champagne or a gift voucher for exceptional performance contribution, in particular living the Firm's values. Awards are communicated on the intranet.

At BDHT they try never to say ‘no' to anyone's request for development. They believe that the motivation and goodwill created by actively supporting staff on meeting their personal work related ambitions is invaluable. Each year their corporate sponsorship programme ensures that any member of staff is given the opportunity to achieve their ambitions ranging from a GCSE in English to a professional qualification. In the last five years 78% of their staff have engaged in the corporate sponsorship scheme. Using the MC3 tool as the starting point BDHT developed a bespoke Leadership Development Programme focusing on motivation energy, prioritisation, encouragement, engagement and empowerment. This learning was used to examine BDHT's current structures and system, and consider how to best support the development of staff.

At BDHT they try never to say ‘no' to anyone's request for development. They believe that the motivation and goodwill created by actively supporting staff on meeting their personal work related ambitions is invaluable. Each year their corporate sponsorship programme ensures that any member of staff is given the opportunity to achieve their ambitions ranging from a GCSE in English to a professional qualification. In the last five years 78% of their staff have engaged in the corporate sponsorship scheme. Using the MC3 tool as the starting point BDHT developed a bespoke Leadership Development Programme focusing on motivation energy, prioritisation, encouragement, engagement and empowerment. This learning was used to examine BDHT's current structures and system, and consider how to best support the development of staff.

At BrightHouse, they recognise that the talent and diversity of their people is the foundation of their success, so they are committed to helping all colleagues develop their personal and professional skills in order to bring out their strengths. With their vision to be an employer of choice, it goes without saying that their people are the masters of their own destiny. Supported by us, they can drive their own learning, their own development and their own career. From day one, BrightHouse treat all colleagues as individuals. They ensure that their induction programme offers a comprehensive introduction to their role and how they fit within their business as a whole. To equip colleagues with the right learning and development at the right time, BrightHouse offer a range of learning opportunities.

There is a tangible commitment by Leo McKee, the Chief Executive to be visible across the organisation. He has visited every Brighthouse store. He spends at least one day every week visiting stores, service centres and distribution centres, thereby ensuring he has a chance to regularly meet colleagues and customers and find out more about them and their families. The entire senior management team follow similar principles to ensure they are visible to the teams and functions they head up. All managers are encouraged to operate the principle, ‘don't say something to someone over email if it can be done over the phone, or over the phone if it can be done in person'. Senior Managers lead by example, keep the Green Sheet with them at all times and seek to treat others as they would like to be treated. On the Green Sheet there is a section ‘Four words or phrases Senior Managers should learn'. They are: please, thank you, I'm sorry – it's my mistake and I don't know.

Brandbank receive approximately 125,000 product samples a year. They have ‘staff shops' where staff are asked to donate at least 30p per item, and in the past 12 months they have raised over £47,800 for charity. Brandbank give a lot of products to local housing trusts and soup kitchens. They give Easter eggs, toys and chocolates to local Children's Hospices, animal food to animal shelters, etc. The local East Anglian Children's Hospice (EACH) receives a weekly donation of products, which has helped them to cut their costs significantly. Staff are invited to nominate charities to whom they would like to send the money they raise. Staff are all invited to take part in things such as Children in Need and Movember during work time. They also do fundraising activities throughout the year at work to help raise funds, such as fancy dress days, MacMillan Coffee Mornings and cake sales.

Brandbank held a companywide end of year event in May 2014 offsite. During this event, Directors and senior managers gave an overview of the previous year and discussed the strategic direction and plans for the coming year. After the meeting they had a party in the evening which was attended by all senior managers and Directors. This enabled them socialise and engage with staff who they might not ordinarily interact with on a daily basis. This gives them a chance to get to know staff on a personal level and is greatly appreciated and noted by all staff. This whole event really motivates and engages all employees.

Box UK hosts external events and activities on a quarterly basis, paid for by the organisation and to which all employees are invited. In the past 12 months these events have included a company BBQ, end of year party and go-karting. They also hold quarterly internal company ‘mingles' where employees are encouraged to take time away from their desks to get to know each other and celebrate successes. These events are catered for by the organisation and company time is also allocated to facilitate them. These mingles often coincide with internal competitions organised by the Personnel team. Previous competitions have included a photo competition, caption competition and “guess who?” competition, with the results revealed at the mingle so all team members are encouraged to participate and share in the celebration.

The Box UK Handbook, which is home to all process and policy, has a forum in which staff can submit questions about any of the documentation to the Personnel team. These submissions are reviewed and actioned monthly. Additionally, Box UK utilises Trello as an online suggestion box which can also track further comments and feedback from the entire company, ensuring maximum visibility. Most importantly, Box UK runs regular company meetings, focus groups and internal sessions to have face-to-face discussions about current issues, including those raised by employees where relevant.

Demonstrably, the senior management team are seen to work well with one another, treating all individuals with respect, whether they are members of the company, suppliers or customers, striving to achieve high levels of customer service. They recognise that they are part of a larger business organisation through their willingness to engage and share information with other managers in the group, being seen to be flexible and adaptable to changing business priorities and pressures.

HR at Botanix issued in August 2014 a reward statement to show all employees what benefits they can take advantage of. Each year Botanix has a financial advisor come in to ensure all employees are aware of the advantages of joining the Botanix Pension, and if applicable receive advice from them on their personal circumstances. When new joiners start as part of the induction, HR ensure they are aware of Botanix benefits package and encourage sign up soonest.

The construction of BMW change groups has created a mechanism for collecting real life feedback from key individuals and also the opportunity for those giving the feedback to also have the power to make recommendations for improvements and the authority to bring these recommendations to life.

BMW believe development should be access by all through each year, therefore they ran a range of learn at work sessions are short, snappy and on a diverse range of topics that are accessible to all in the company. They are delivered locally, run for up to half a day and book able by anyone that wants to come. In 2014 they also ran a Leadership programme for 200 of their managers focusing on cultural change and their leadership style. This programme was connected to the wider change programme in the business and also allows managers to prepare for the change in environment when they move to their new home in November. This is in additional to normal more formal training that is on a needs basis.

blu eCigs changed “you time” to “blu time.” As a thank you, they give each employee £100 to spend on themselves as part of their new wellbeing scheme. This money, which will be awarded every year, can be put towards anything that keeps people healthy and happy. This could be anything from playing sports, cooking classes, yoga or dance lessons. They also provide a healthcare scheme for employees offering gym memberships throughout the UK as part of their private healthcare account.

blu eCigs changed “you time” to “blu time.” As a thank you, they give each employee £100 to spend on themselves as part of their new wellbeing scheme. This money, which will be awarded every year, can be put towards anything that keeps people healthy and happy. This could be anything from playing sports, cooking classes, yoga or dance lessons. They also provide a healthcare scheme for employees offering gym memberships throughout the UK as part of their private healthcare account.

Biogen undertook a community project this summer to refurbish a former local pub in order for it to be used as a tea room and training centre for a charity that supports adults with learning difficulties - Beds Garden Carers. Employees from across the business were able to take part, giving up their time both inside and outside of working hours. Biogen also supports the local Bedford Christmas Food Bank where staff are encouraged to donate food that goes to the homeless at Christmas.

Biogen strives to be an open organisation and to communicate frequently and openly with the wider employee population. This is an increasing challenge as the business grows, but in order to maintain this high level of engagement the leadership team and CEO hold bi-weekly 'Speed Updates' at which many members of the Biogen team contribute the achievements of the past fortnight. In addition there is a monthly Bulletin which provides an opportunity for the CEO to communicate key thoughts, milestones and forward looking challenges across the entire business.

Big Ideas have introduced something called '90 day sprints' where each team is targeted to work towards between each quarterly meeting. Each team has a list of goals they need to achieve within the next 90 days and progress reviews are discussed weekly during management meetings. At the end of each quarter each team presents their progress on their previous 90 day sprints to the company at the quarterly meeting and then announces their new 90 day sprints for the next quarter. These 90 day sprints help to align their business goals and objectives across all of their teams and departments and by regularly communicating these in weekly management meetings and quarterly meetings this helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and the strategy of the company is understood by all parties.

Big Ideas' staff are important to them and so is their development. Line managers meet with their team members regularly to discuss their personal development. Each person is issued with a training road map containing set objectives. These objectives are always decided with the employee and if training/certifications are involved the company will reimburse the cost upon successful completion of the training/exam and they will also receive a £200 salary increment per exam they pass. Big Ideas also take an interest in staff participating in non-work related training. Each term they offer to pay for a range of evening classes. Each person can pick one course each term and these range from languages to art, dancing, sport and massage.