Pride Powers Performance

Personal and professional development is a high priority at qedis. They have a fair, rigorous and development-focused performance management process; with performance feedback after each project, and formally twice a year. The Aqademy training pathway has 11 training courses, addressing the competencies junior people need to be successful. Qedis developed 4 additional courses linked to skills gaps eg Assertiveness training, BD bitesize and Advanced Core Consulting. For senior people, they have Counselling Manager and Business Development Training. They also developed a new course aimed at newly promoted Managers adapting to their increased responsibility. It is offsite and includes outdoor team building exercises linked to the learning objectives of the course. The most important course is the ‘Qedis Way', focusing on their culture and values, for new joiners. They offer GetAbstract – a tool that summarises books; Gartner, Forester, Lexus Nexus, Factiva. In the last year they ran 57 training sessions, 1040 days of training - an average of 7 days per person. They spent £174,719 on training courses, £32,951 on Knowledge Management and subscriptions; an average spend of £1,483 per person. 12/20 courses were developed and run by qedites.

Paramjit is a very warm, approachable and visible leader. He is on first name terms with all Qedis' people (and their families, too!), frequently posts updates on their internal social networking site to let them know what he is up to, and uses their employee action days for sharing and communicating messages that in other firms would be restricted to the leadership team only. He sits alongside everyone in the office, and invites all new employees to shadow him for a day as part of their induction. He has found a way to infuse his style into the organisation without creating any form of leader-worship culture, he's incredibly humble yet has the respect of everyone and he encourages this behaviour in others . Paramjit gets the best out of his people through encouraging their input to and ownership of important company initiatives, displaying a great deal of confidence and trust, not only in those more senior within the company, but right down to the newest intern. He is also very open with his plans for the future of Qedis, actively encouraging everyone to think about the role they would like to play in shaping the organisation: as shareholders they all own a part of it. Above all, Paramjit is truly passionate about Qedis, and it shows! He likes to be ‘hands on' and is involved in client delivery, recruitment and the day-to-day running of the business as well as the strategic aspects of his leadership role.

Punter Southall Group grant an increase to salary following exam passes in various professional courses. They believe this is effective as it encourages their staff to develop themselves professionally and thereby enhance their future career prospects, but it is also valuable to the business as it can indicate to its clients that its staff are professionally trained and qualified.

Punter Southall Group grant an increase to salary following exam passes in various professional courses. They believe this is effective as it encourages their staff to develop themselves professionally and thereby enhance their future career prospects, but it is also valuable to the business as it can indicate to its clients that its staff are professionally trained and qualified.

All staff have a personal objective plan and support, guidance, training is given to help the individual meet with their objectives. Principle Healthcare Limited have a Training policy in place and all staff members can request training providing sound rationale to support requests. They have a current Training Plan in place with several external trainers coming in to train staff on Time Management / Management and Leadership and also have their own Training Module Management Training Plan which covers: Management & Supervision, Motivation Theory, Time Management, Leadership Skills, Customer Service, Forecasting, Service Level Management, Mentoring Skills, Training Skills.

All staff have a personal objective plan and support, guidance, training is given to help the individual meet with their objectives. Principle Healthcare Limited have a Training policy in place and all staff members can request training providing sound rationale to support requests. They have a current Training Plan in place with several external trainers coming in to train staff on Time Management / Management and Leadership and also have their own Training Module Management Training Plan which covers: Management & Supervision, Motivation Theory, Time Management, Leadership Skills, Customer Service, Forecasting, Service Level Management, Mentoring Skills, Training Skills.

Every year the Company goes on a 5 star incentive trip which is for employees who have met their objectives and performed at the very top of their game. One of the highlight events on all 5 star trips is a team helicopter ride. In May 2012, 18 staff members and Directors enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to Hong Kong. In previous years, the trips have included the Seychelles, Monaco, Barcelona, New York, Las Vegas and this year Sun City. These trips include staying in a luxury resort as well as enjoying high adrenaline activities and wonderful meals, evenings socialising and some unforgettable memories. Because it is a mix of staff, everyone has a chance to bond and get to know each other outside of a work environment. Everyone returns with their own stories, pictures, and memories. These are truly trips of a life time and the motivation to return to another 5 star trip is always high in the agenda!

Every year the Company goes on a 5 star incentive trip which is for employees who have met their objectives and performed at the very top of their game. One of the highlight events on all 5 star trips is a team helicopter ride. In May 2012, 18 staff members and Directors enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to Hong Kong. In previous years, the trips have included the Seychelles, Monaco, Barcelona, New York, Las Vegas and this year Sun City. These trips include staying in a luxury resort as well as enjoying high adrenaline activities and wonderful meals, evenings socialising and some unforgettable memories. Because it is a mix of staff, everyone has a chance to bond and get to know each other outside of a work environment. Everyone returns with their own stories, pictures, and memories. These are truly trips of a life time and the motivation to return to another 5 star trip is always high in the agenda!

Practice Plan placed an advert in a local newspaper to ask if there were any volunteering opportunities that staff could help with in the area. This resulted in being approached by Osyteers who work with the local community and promote a positive community spirit, good citizenship and believe that everyone has something to offer. After joining forces, Practice Plan have now become Associate Members of Osyteers, working together on various projects such as gardening for the elderly and community centres, painting and decorating senior citizen halls etc. Teams are made up of volunteers from across the organisation and time during work hours is made available to ensure they can attend.

Practice Plan placed an advert in a local newspaper to ask if there were any volunteering opportunities that staff could help with in the area. This resulted in being approached by Osyteers who work with the local community and promote a positive community spirit, good citizenship and believe that everyone has something to offer. After joining forces, Practice Plan have now become Associate Members of Osyteers, working together on various projects such as gardening for the elderly and community centres, painting and decorating senior citizen halls etc. Teams are made up of volunteers from across the organisation and time during work hours is made available to ensure they can attend.

PPHE Hotel Group operates an Inspirational Service Programme. The overall aims of the programme are to give all the company's employees the skills and confidence to consistently create the desired guest experience, as defined by PPHE Hotel Group's Context. The training consists of three modules directly linked to the three elements of the PPHE Hotel Group's Context desired guest experience of feeling welcome, surprise and passion. This programme engages the team and gives them the tools to excel in their job.

PPHE Hotel Group operates an Inspirational Service Programme. The overall aims of the programme are to give all the company's employees the skills and confidence to consistently create the desired guest experience, as defined by PPHE Hotel Group's Context. The training consists of three modules directly linked to the three elements of the PPHE Hotel Group's Context desired guest experience of feeling welcome, surprise and passion. This programme engages the team and gives them the tools to excel in their job.

Porter Novelli gives every member of staff a half day to do something of their choice for charity. The company encourages staff to club together for bigger effect but the choice is theirs. Porter Novelli asks staff to share their efforts so the rest of the company can be inspired to also participate in charitable activities. So far people have walked dogs for cancer, raised money for Cancer Research, fed the homeless, participated in the London Triathlon and Marathon and much more. The commercial value of this time is more than £30K per annum.

At Porter Novelli, managers have regular meetings with their Line Managers, Resource Planning meetings and 360 Appraisals.

The Ministry of Innovation (MOI) is a group of representatives from across the company that meets every six weeks to empower employees to discuss issues and ways to make the company a better place to work. The MOI receives feedback and ideas from around the company, as well as Best Companies survey results, and develops initiatives to improve areas including staff well-being and engagement, office look and feel, social events and the overall employee experience. Last year, it focused particularly on well-being, leading to the introduction of the Summertime Working Scheme and Giving Something Back, and conducted focus groups with other staff members on both topics. One resulting initiative was the promotion of their 'Charitable Chums', where staff members promote the work or activities they undertake to peers and colleagues. Social events and activities organised by the MOI at the quarterly learning and information days have ensured that People 1st's family ethic has remained strong throughout the changes they have faced. Each MOI meeting is attended by the CEO/COO to ensure decision makers are informed and that proposed initiatives have both the support of employees and senior management. It also gives employees an opportunity to ask questions to the organisation's leaders, which are then fed back to wider teams.

The company launched a new way of working in February 2012, with six ‘project streams' agreed by the senior management team to guide the direction of work at People 1st. Prior to an event called the ‘Industry Leaders event', which launched this new approach to working and areas of focus for the sector the organisation represents, their CEO Brian Wisdom held a dial-in conference. The conference was attended by head office-based employees, and people working remotely or in the devolved nations were able to dial-in. The conference served to explain the new direction of the company, following the merger with sector skills council GoSkills and successful bids for funding. Staff members attending the 'Industry Leaders event' were briefed about the company's objectives for the evening and the messages that People 1st were hoping to convey to their guests. The conference created a dialogue for the entire company to ask questions, offer suggestions, and clarify the elements of the new project streams that were relevant to their department and nation.

The organisation have a good job evaluation process. They also have other pay options, appraisals, and a performance management process. They regularly review job descriptions and carry out employee appraisals and
monitor staff wellbeing by reviewing work loads. In addition, they have a well established communication flow, for example, staff rep groups. They also have regular staff meetings and a staff survey.

To enhance the well-being of employees the organisation includes staff in decisions, listens to their suggestions, supports regular activities of the Staff Representative Group, puts emphasis on safe working, and creats good working environments, management and practices.

The "What If…" employee led engagement initiative at Payzone UK Ltd has included the redecoration of a meeting room, in order to create a calm work free zone as well as a creative "think tank". The room has been themed to promote positive thinking and well-being. Decorated as a greenhouse, it includes artificial grass as the carpet, a blue sky with fluffy clouds, party bunting hung around the walls and flower stencilling. Funky chairs are provided and a welcome mat on entering. When the room was unveiled, it created a buzz of fun and laughter within the business and indeed continues to do so to this day. Employees have said that spending time in the room helps them to unlock their creative potential and eases the stresses and strains of working life.

Managers and Team Leaders performance is measured against the company's PACE values. The Personal and Caring values require the managers to provide evidence of how they have supported their team members to achieve both their personal objectives, and their individual development objectives. Additional support is available from the HR team to ensure that managers and team leaders feel fully supported when dealing with difficult or sensitive performance issues.

As Party Delights Ltd is a party company, they have regular events to coincide with celebrated occasions. These range from "Cupcake" week competitions, Red Nose Day events, and many others. These events build a great team spirit.

As the local children's sports clubs struggle for funding, Party Delights Ltd "sponsor" a number of the teams and supply all fund raising events with products at cost.

Their staff and management conferences this year have produced really good feedback from employees about how they can improve culture and customer service. Of their total headcount, they had 350+ employees attend one of the three staff conferences. The afternoon session in all three conferences, including the management conference, enabled employees to discuss with colleagues what should be on their agenda for improving customer service and how they work together to achieve it. The ideas that employees came up with were collated and a report sent to the Leadership Team for agreement on short and long term actions. Their communications with employees following the conferences have kept them informed of progress as they requested. A full report of the events will be uploaded onto the intranet.

One thing the senior management team have done this year is give employees a real chance to give their personal view about what sort of place they want to work in over the next five years. Employee responses are really shaping what the charity will look and feel like in the future. They are creating new Mission, Vision and Values for the charity; they wanted them to be real world, and not marketing jargon. So the people with the best views were the staff and customers. The first stage of engagement was to ask staff what they thought of their current Vision and Values. This was done by a brand consultancy. This feedback was taken to their staff conferences, where they created a memorable, interactive process asking staff to share their opinions on potential new Values. Everyone from the charity had their say about the sort of organisation they wanted to work for in the future. The session concluded with each employee voting for the ten words or phrases that best described the Trust. 500 votes later and the exercise in employee engagement resulted in new Values for Papworth Trust. The result was an honest picture of what employees thought.

Panasonic UK is pursuing an ECO strategy and has an ECO ideas scheme currently in place. By 2018, the company will be the largest supplier of ECO products worldwide. Through clever design, Panasonic's products are using less energy and are able to be recycled, thus having a more positive impact on the environment.

Panasonic UK have recently taken the principle of pay for performance down to all staff levels and not just managers. Therefore all employees have the opportunity to be rewarded based on targets and their performance. Panasonic UK also have MD recognition awards twice per annum.

Palletforce have recently introduced health benefits through Paycare which includes an employee assistance program. The company also have an onsite gym and a personal trainer who comes in once a week, employees can take an hour out of work time to attend the gym with the trainer.

Palletforce launched its Employee Recognition Scheme in 2011, which aims to get all employees involved in recognising each other for the work staff do either at Palletforce or outside of work. Employees can nominate each other and are recognised by the company's CEO and their achievements are published in internal newsletters and on Palletforce's intranet. The company also launched their long service awards which see employees awarded for milestones starting at 10 years.

Managers implement their team action plans to support the achievement of the company goals and have team away days to set the direction of the team. Each individual in the company has actions that link to the Corporate Plan and Service Delivery plans, encouarging them to take responsibility for the achievement of these goals.

A key element of the staff induction process is a meeting with Roy Williams, the Chief Executive of One Vision Housing. Every new starters meets with Roy and this helps to establish the culture within One Vision Housing which is open and aimed at making people feel valued from day one. Another distinctive thing about Roy is how front-facing he is. He holds regular staff briefings in which he will address all staff and update them on key information from across the business. Roy is extremely personable and approachable and there is no feeling of elitism. Roy is also careful to ensure that there is no feeling of hierarchy when it comes to him and his senior management team. He chairs the Staff Group where employees are trusted to make decisions which have an impact on the rest of the organisation. More than anything, Roy is extremely passionate about what he does. When he says that he has some of the most talented staff in the sector, staff believe it. Staff feed off his enthuiasm, trust him for his guidance and admire his candidness.

Their managers encourage a mentoring relationship outside of their own relationship with an employee. Their managers always make sure that they set aside time for regular, individual catch ups with each of their team members. They also have methods in place to regularly feedback any information from departmental meetings to their employees. Their managers place a strong emphasis on focus groups and encourage all employees to get involved in order to share their ideas for improvement.

Ogilvy place a great emphasis on providing the best training and see nurturing the knowledge and development of their people as a priority. An example of this is their overall approach to the company's Learning and Development programme. This is designed to support company objectives as set out in their business plans, and incorporates the relevant training that supports the competencies and professional skills they value. A core feature of their approach to Learning and Development is that they place the onus on the individual to take primary responsibility for their own development, and then to support this through a clear learning path. The learning path is there to aid career development and succession planning and they underpin this by offering a breadth of opportunities available in an agile way so that everyone, no matter what level or department they work in, has access to some key development that meets their individual needs.

All Management participate in training courses provided by the Learning and Development function where the importance of caring and understanding team members needs is explored. How to deal with difficult conversations and the understanding of the company policies and procedures. Managers will conduct after every occasion of absence a ‘return to work meeting' in which a conversations about the individuals wellbeing takes place for the manager to understand what, if any reasonable adjustments need to take place. Managers are integrally involved in Flexible working meetings and make decisions based on fact as to whether this can be accommodated or not.

Employees have bespoke training programmes devised for their specific job role requirements; these are in various formats however they all follow the ethos of career and personal development. Top Talent is a programme for Consultants to apply for, who wish to be promoted to the next level up. This programme allows them to gain experience, on the job training and be mentored by colleagues within the organisation to experience what the reality of Branch Managers role is. This development programme is a course to enhance the knowledge and skills of Consultants who based on their current experience and achievements, are provided guidance and enrichment in their current role whether this leads to promotion to Branch Manager or elsewhere within the Company. In the past year they have promoted around 12% of consultants to either Senior or Principal Consultant. Career Development is a continuous priority in the organisation and they are always looking to improve on the methods used to inspire and develop their employees. The Company also operates a Leadership Development Programme to ensure that Senior Managers also benefit from on-going development and support. All employees have access to a concept called the education zone and Learning Portal which with over 7000 learning modules is available to colleagues to choose how they want to be developed and in what area to enhance their own performance, grow and achieve.

The leader of NRG is distinctive in her ability to directly contribute to all areas of the NRG business. She actively promotes the business in a direct business development function, developing and securing business opportunities for NRG. She influences business opportunities through her broader commercial knowledge and regional and national networks. She manages a wider remit of extracurricular activities and community based work - including the regional chair of Maggie's Cancer Care Charity, accepting the challenge and responsibility of raising £3million in funding and promoting Maggie's to the wider community. As a leader of NRG, Lorna is passionate, creative and challenging. Her enthusiasm inspires staff working at NRG and her breadth of knowledge and diverse portfolio of regional roles instils confidence in clients with her breadth of knowledge on factors influencing employment skills. Lorna's leadership style empowers the senior team to manage their respective business teams yet she has a style that is wholly accessible to all members of staff. She instils a culture of hard work and diligence in delivering excellence in service, whilst positively nurturing ambitions. Lorna drives a very focussed business but also ensures as a team we aren't afraid of having fun along the way. She is very passionate about ensuring that all staff regularly get the opportunity to get together for social events. Lorna also recognises when "down time" is needed for her team and this year has helped staff take advantage of the public holidays by offering staff an additional holiday day over the festive season.

NRG is very charity focused, they have selected Maggie's Cancer Care Charity for the past four years as their charity of choice. They do not just limit their fundraising activities to Maggie's but continue throughout the year to hold dress down days supporting various charities – Children in Need, Comic Relief, Jeans for Genes etc. NRG's Chief Executive is Chair of the fundraising Board for Maggie's North East and gives her time free of charge and their staff are hugely supportive of her and have raised over £25,000 in the last four years. One of the main challenges the staff undertake is the Monster Bike and Hike which takes place annually in Fort William, Scotland. A gruelling 72 miles made up of 31 miles on a mountain bike followed by a 41 mile hike – all in 24 hours! Teams have also participated in the Three Peaks Challenge climbing the three tallest peaks in Great Britain again within 24 hours. Prior to taking part in these challenges, the teams have raised money by organising various events including: quizzes for staff and client companies raffles coffee mornings gents having various parts of their bodies waxed! NRG no longer send Christmas Cards to clients but make a donation to charity each year. Their Managing Director is also an active committee member of the Theatre Development Committee - created to develop funds for Newcastle's flagship Theatre, The Theatre Royal, to ensure community engagement activities including workshops, dance, creative groups, within the community. She is also a member of Sunderland Business Group - which is a group of private sector organisations working with the public and third sector to support children in schools through work experience.

Two of their software developers are supporting their nominated charity with the creation of a website for them. On its completion their MD has promised to donate £500 to the charity.

Two of their software developers are supporting their nominated charity with the creation of a website for them. On its completion their MD has promised to donate £500 to the charity.

Investing in leadership remains a key priority to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe and effective integrated services, with improved patient experience and outcomes. In a changing NHS landscape with increasing financial constraints, the organisation must remain in a strong position to respond to the challenges ahead. By motivating and engaging current leaders, and identifying and developing future leaders, this can be achieved. The Trust have held a series of five vibrant and thought provoking events. These included organisational development, understanding roles in achieving, maintaining and measuring success, and creating high performing teams with effective appraisals and motivated staff. They focused on ensuring patient safety and recovery remain at the heart of all they do and their individual and collective responsibility to ensure quality across services. They also equipped staff with the tools and techniques to ensure workforce resilience and well-being. The programme has provided an invaluable opportunity to build networks, share learning and gain an insight into the experiences of colleagues, service users, carers and partner organisations.

553 people attended the best ever Trust AGM and Annual Members' Meeting on 24 July. The day was attended by staff, service users and carers, trust members and partner organisations, who were all eager to find out how the Trust had performed over the past 12 months and its plans for the coming year. Focusing on partnership working, the event illustrated the range and depth of achievement across mental health, physical health and integrated health. An interactive showcase opened the day, highlighting how involvement really does change services, culture and lives; something they are incredibly proud of at Nottinghamshire Healthcare. Over 80 exhibition stands demonstrated the way their services and partners are working together to develop and improve, to provide the very best care to their patients and service users. Five engaging and moving films showcased how they are doing this. This is the reality of working at Nottinghamshire Healthcare; staff do all they can, every day, to live up to the inspiring and memorable words in the NHS Constitution.

Nissan has a Career Development Programme for high potential people in the company. The company also operates a Graduate Development Scheme and a Management Development Scheme for employees.

Nissan has a Career Development Programme for high potential people in the company. The company also operates a Graduate Development Scheme and a Management Development Scheme for employees.

ng homes have developed a ground-breaking plan to improve how waste is dealt with in North Glasgow. This programme won the award for the Best Partnership Initiative at the Scottish Waste & Resources Awards. The idea for the project came from ng homes who partnered with Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) who help deliver a range of measures to help people and organisations on the journey to Zero Waste. ZWS agreed to fund the initiative and are now working together with ng homes, Glasgow City Council, LRS Consultancy and the North Glasgow community on innovative ways to recycle and re-use waste materials in the north of the city. In recent months around 300 local people have attended ng homes community events promoting recycling and reuse.

ng homes offer two additional days leave to staff who have had no sickness in a rolling 12 month period. This is noted in their terms and conditions. Staff who are unfortunate enough to suffer illness are taken care of with the generous sick pay scheme. They offer up to six months full pay and six months half pay. For those staff who "hold the fort" and offer a little extra help and effort to cover whilst a colleague is ill they reward them with time off. Staff appreciate this gesture and their absence statistics reflect this.

They volunteer at The Passage- a homeless shelter in Victoria, London. One of their team members volunteered there and recommended it and so the whole team joined in. They found that this was so beneficial to the charity that they agreed to do this permanently. They now nominate two or three people every Monday (and give them time off work) to serve breakfast to the homeless. They also have a collection scheme called 'Warm Hugs', in which their team donate warm clothing in the winter, to give to local hostels and charities. They give coats, gloves, unused underwear and toiletries, which is collected from offices and sites (they also collect from their client's sites - last year over 1750 items).

Debra Ward is unstoppable in achieving their vision. She leads a team that is passionate, talented and dedicated to making their vision a reality. Debra comes up with wacky and fun ways to make sure their culture is lived and breathed every day. Supported by the Senior Leadership team (nicknamed the Jockey Club), they are driven in making every one of their team members engaged, passionate and dedicated to what they do. It is this underlying principle that comes from the Managing Director that makes them unique and a great place to work.Deb and Dave's Excellence Adventure - the national tour. In the Autumn of this year, Debra Ward (Managing Director) and David Howorth (Director of Operations) hired a VW Beetle and toured the UK. Their team members work on client's sites and often do not have much contact with each other (other than our team building events or when attending training courses). The aim was to visit as many of their team members as possible - to say "thank you and well done" for the exceptional contribution they make to the company.

Mind Candy find certain practices work really well in the way their organisation listens to employees. They have a Strategy board, HR catch ups, six week catch ups with new starters and there is an open door policy layout with no private offices.

Mind Candy went to MoshiCon in Centre Parcs last year and this year it is in Disneyland Paris, as well as a Christmas party and Sportsday for the company and their families.

Recognising effort and ability and promotion internally. The company also give individuals lateral moves to satisfy personal development plans. At their conference, MBUK present awards to those who they believe have been living the values of the organisation. These are voted for by employees.

One of the best MBUK led things that they do is SARI (Surrey Alcohol Responsibility Initiative). SARI is a multi-sectoral initiative led by MBUK, designed to address alcohol responsibility issues in the local community. The project has three aims: To research and identify the key issues that need addressing, to convene a broad spectrum of stakeholders on alcohol responsibility issues and to leverage the skills and resources of those stakeholders, collaboratively, in order to positively influence alcohol responsibility issues in the local community and to measeure our success. We are working in partnership with representatives from the local council, Surrey Chamber of Commerce, the NHS and the police, among others.

Methodist Homes have an Employee Assistance Programme which all staff can access. Life assurance cover is provided to all staff with over a year's service and discounts on health care are available.

Methodist Homes have an Employee Assistance Programme which all staff can access. Life assurance cover is provided to all staff with over a year's service and discounts on health care are available.

MEU's work Christmas Party is an event that is looked forward to each year. This is open to all staff and paid for by the company. Each year they have the party at a different venue. Last year it was at MUFC and was a spectacular event hosted in a marquee in the football grounds. They had over 60 staff attending and it was a particularly good event at which to unwind, have fun and get to know each other better.

MEU are a specialist clinical research facility working with the pharmaceutical industry to identify potential new treatments for illnesses such as asthma and emphysema. These treatments could be new or different combinations of existing medications. They conduct two main categories of clinical trials: early phase I that require healthy male volunteers to assess the effects of the medication on body functions; later phase trials that require volunteers who suffer from the medical condition that the drug is intended for. MEU believe the work they do in identifying potential new treatments for the future allows them to give something back to the community.

Since McArthurGlen's largest UK Designer Outlet, Cheshire Oaks, was built in 1995, McArthurGlen has been continually engaged with Cheshire Wildlife in conserving an ancient wetland habitat that now surrounds the site on three sides. This strip of woodland is home to a colony of Great Crested Newts which are an endangered European Protected Species. A scheme partly funded by McArthurGlen, helps the management and maintenance of this licensed site including the reintroduction of black poplar trees which are native to the area. The Cheshire Oaks Facilities and cleaning teams are seeking an accreditation to enter this restricted zone to further aid in ensuring that the environment is kept clear of litter and pollutants. Cheshire Wildlife report an estimated growth in newt numbers of around 30% over the past three years.

The training plan that is in place is a full and comprehensive list of provision that appeals to different learning styles and abilities. In response to demand for flexible learning the offer has featured the following: •Further Education: Prince 2 Foundation and Practitioner and Professional Studies •Personal Development Plans- freely to complete •Behavioural Development: Communicating for Results ,Managing Success, Executive Impact, Practical Employment Law, Presentation Skills ,Advanced Presentation Skills, Time Management, Influencing Skills, Impact, Property Business Report Writing, Debt and Insolvency, Contracts - Understanding and Negotiating, Project Management, Health and Safety Offer – NEBOSH General Certificate, NEBOSH International General Certificate, CIEH Basic Food Hygiene, IEMA Environmental Course, International Managing Safely, IOSH Managing Safely ,NEBOSH Fire Certificate •IMS, 50 Lessons, Windsor Leadership Trust. Offered primarily for the leadership team within the business, however is also available for individuals interested in developing networking opportunities. •Coaching Opportunities: Stephen Marshall Clear Sight Executive and Martin Longdon Coaching Hot House •Self-Help Development Guides are designed to be downloaded and used individually as a refresher or as introduction to a new topic area.

Mazda runs a Personal Development Planning process alongside the company's Performance Management process, this includes the capture of development needs and career goals, which the company collates and endeavours to manage.

Mazda runs a Personal Development Planning process alongside the company's Performance Management process, this includes the capture of development needs and career goals, which the company collates and endeavours to manage.

They are proud to say that they have a strong culture in and out of work and throughout the year they have an active social scene with sporting events, fun days and a variety of nights out. The summer party was a particularly memorable party and was one of their highlights. Last year they revisited the venue where they held their 20th anniversary due to positive feedback from staff and it gave the opportunity for staff from all parts of the business to socialise in a more informal setting and meet new colleagues.

As part of their flexible benefits package, they have included a health and wellbeing section, which covers a health cash plan and private medical insurance. The health cash plan is a core benefit and enables all staff to obtain a refund on eye care, dental care etc. to a specific amount, which can be increased, if required. They also assess individual needs within the business through a risk assessment process and depending on the result of this, they provide staff with the additional support that they require. Typical examples of this is when they have provided footrests, wrist supports, ergonomic chairs, specifically adapted keyboards, flexible monitors and monitor stands, laptop stands, braille keyboards and showers for staff who wish to cycle to work or exercise during lunch. They also offer free refreshments throughout the business locations.

The organisation listens to employees and seeks their ideas and feedback. They have an on-going Idea of the Month suggestion box and staff are encouraged to put their ideas forward at any time. If chosen they are given the opportunity to take control of the idea and see it through as a personal project. Rewards are given to the staff members whose ideas are taken up and have included TVs, shopping vouchers etc.

The organisation listens to employees and seeks their ideas and feedback. They have an on-going Idea of the Month suggestion box and staff are encouraged to put their ideas forward at any time. If chosen they are given the opportunity to take control of the idea and see it through as a personal project. Rewards are given to the staff members whose ideas are taken up and have included TVs, shopping vouchers etc.

In 2009 they created their charitable foundation, the Mando Group Foundation and in doing so made a commitment to donate 10% of their net profit to charitable causes. They work in partnership with the Community Foundation for Merseyside, who help manage their funds; their vision is to see local community and international causes transformed through their work. The three main areas in which they invest to achieve this vision are: To enhance the education and employability of young people in Merseyside through sharing what they know best - our digital and leadership skills. To work with international charities in developing countries which is voted for annually by staff and each year the majority of their internal fundraising is done in support of this charity. At the end of the year, the final figure is then matched by the Foundation, doubling their employee's efforts and helping to make a real difference in the causes that motivate their staff.

In 2009 they created their charitable foundation, the Mando Group Foundation and in doing so made a commitment to donate 10% of their net profit to charitable causes. They work in partnership with the Community Foundation for Merseyside, who help manage their funds; their vision is to see local community and international causes transformed through their work. The three main areas in which they invest to achieve this vision are: To enhance the education and employability of young people in Merseyside through sharing what they know best - our digital and leadership skills. To work with international charities in developing countries which is voted for annually by staff and each year the majority of their internal fundraising is done in support of this charity. At the end of the year, the final figure is then matched by the Foundation, doubling their employee's efforts and helping to make a real difference in the causes that motivate their staff.

In order to communicate Lloyd & Whyte's commitment to professionalism, an objective to attain Corporate Chartered Insurance Broker status was set, and achieved in 2011. In order to deliver a professional service, Lloyd & Whyte firstly nurtures professionalism within its culture. Attaining Chartered status demonstrates to employees the value of professionalism, and the expectations go beyond the individuals to include the organisation itself. The company believe that working for a Chartered company also sets a standard for staff to work towards, improving motivation and morale. Since becoming chartered, development and qualification on an individual level has been adopted as a corporate objective. Investment in staff begins on day one, with the aim of new starters achieving CertCII within 12 to 18 months, if not already held. At present, over half of employees are studying towards professional exams, with an average pass rate of 80%.

The Social Committee at Lloyd & Whyte Group Ltd underpins the company's strategy around culture, and its importance should not be under estimated within the business. Every year, the company has a budget to be utilised in organising a family summer event and an employee only Christmas event. Last year 67 employees attended the Christmas party and year on year the company always has good attendance. The event starts with a champagne reception, closely followed with a speech from Matthew, the company's MD, who gives a strategic over view of the year. Importantly it is also an opportunity for Matthew and the Group to recognise some of the people within the Companies who are consistently excelling in what they do and without whom; the business could not do without. They then have a 3 course meal, finished off with dancing the night away. The night is paid for by the Group and the company always receives lots of thank you's after the event.

At Lexmark International Ltd, they have reward schemes, bonus schemes; provide job descriptions, development plans, pay reviews, performance management processes, organisation strategy.

Lexmark strives to be an environmentally responsible provider of products and services. From the way they design with the environment in mind, to how they engineer their packaging to reduce materials, all the way to the collection programs they provide and the company's environmentally progressive approaches to recycling. Lexmark's MD is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce where he actively participates in providing insights on key business areas.

Langley House have Senior Management talkbacks with all of their project teams. These have helped to improve communication within the Trust. Many of their project workers did not understand why some of the changes that had been implemented had to be done. It was good to be able to explain how the legislation that regulates them means Lanagley House sometimes have to make changes and get employees to do this in a different way. They introduced a credit card with their values on which has been well received and their senior team ask for feedback to make sure they are demonstrating these values by the actions they are taking.

Langley House have Senior Management talkbacks with all of their project teams. These have helped to improve communication within the Trust. Many of their project workers did not understand why some of the changes that had been implemented had to be done. It was good to be able to explain how the legislation that regulates them means Lanagley House sometimes have to make changes and get employees to do this in a different way. They introduced a credit card with their values on which has been well received and their senior team ask for feedback to make sure they are demonstrating these values by the actions they are taking.

Kumon Educational UK provides an appraisal framework which includes details of the objectives for the forthcoming year. This is signed by both parties, to ensure that what is being requested is agreed and manageable. Through the objective process, Associates can earn up to 25% of basic salary through the achievement of objectives. There is also a Staff Recognition scheme, which runs at the end of the year to reward Associates who have gone above and beyond in their roles. In addition, Associates are rewarded ad-hoc if they go above and beyond the normal expectations, for example weekends away, retail vouchers, wine and flowers.

Kumon Educational UK provides an appraisal framework which includes details of the objectives for the forthcoming year. This is signed by both parties, to ensure that what is being requested is agreed and manageable. Through the objective process, Associates can earn up to 25% of basic salary through the achievement of objectives. There is also a Staff Recognition scheme, which runs at the end of the year to reward Associates who have gone above and beyond in their roles. In addition, Associates are rewarded ad-hoc if they go above and beyond the normal expectations, for example weekends away, retail vouchers, wine and flowers.

As a company, KPMG believe that being valued by the communities in which we live and work, and leading on issues such as social mobility is vitally important. They believe local communities have talented individuals who are hungry for career opportunities, yet are hampered by considerable access barriers. A key element of the company's response to diversifying entry routes into the professional services was their STARs programme – an 11-month Risk Consulting internship for 20 talented school-leavers. Now in its third year, STARs forms part of a structured commitment to widening access. In 2011, Audit launched a School Leaver Programme (6 years-employment, degree and ACA qualification) recruiting 224 students over the past 2 years and Risk Consulting has now launched a 3-year Level 4 apprenticeship scheme. All programmes are complementary and build future capability. Working in partnership with local communities, KPMG tackle employability issues. Their education outreach programme builds long-term relationships with 94 schools/colleges in targeted, disadvantaged communities, representing a commitment of over 10,000 KPMG hours.

KPMG's Employee Recognition Programme Encore remains leading edge and provides an effective way to recognise the company's employees. With reward budgets remaining tight, it is a relatively low cost, yet highly valued way of keeping employees feeling valued and appreciated. KPMG's innovation this year was to align the tool with their new global strategy, so that KPMG could directly reward individuals who demonstrated the attributes that are key to driving the business forward. KPMG were placed in the shortlists for the Personnel Today Awards 2012 ‘Award for Excellence in HR Through Technology or Social Media' and CIPD Awards 2012 ‘Excellence Through Technology' categories. When an employee is nominated for an award, the reason given will relate to one of the company brand attributes and this is clearly communicated to both the individual who receives the award and their line manager.

Kiln promotes healthy living by providing free fresh fruit every day, the aim is to get staff to avoid sweet snacks and help them take a healthy option instead. The company also provides coaching from outside of the company to help employees address issues that are impacting on their work life, they organise a yearly flu jab programme which takes place in the office, all employees over the age of 35 are able to attend a Well Man/Woman medicals, those who are over 45 are able to attend an Executive Health Assessment, an even more exhaustive medical. Kiln also provide a 75% contribution to yearly gym membership fees with selected gyms partners that are located close to the office locations, to enable staff to go to the gym during lunch breaks if they wish to.

Kiln promotes healthy living by providing free fresh fruit every day, the aim is to get staff to avoid sweet snacks and help them take a healthy option instead. The company also provides coaching from outside of the company to help employees address issues that are impacting on their work life, they organise a yearly flu jab programme which takes place in the office, all employees over the age of 35 are able to attend a Well Man/Woman medicals, those who are over 45 are able to attend an Executive Health Assessment, an even more exhaustive medical. Kiln also provide a 75% contribution to yearly gym membership fees with selected gyms partners that are located close to the office locations, to enable staff to go to the gym during lunch breaks if they wish to.

JWT London makes it mandatory for all staff to have an annual 360 appraisal. Managers are trained in this important skill and we are seen as a beacon of best practice in this respect. Managers are also trained in the thorny issue of how to deal with poor performance for when a difficult conversation needs to take place.

International Craft Skills is a unique week long residential program that takes place annually at the end of JWT graduate recruits' first year. It consolidates and tests their learning, develops them as individuals and potential leaders and above all connects them and makes them feel truly part of an international community, not an abstract network. In 2012, 34 delegates from London, Lisbon, Milan, New York, Moscow, Dublin, Cairo, Beirut and Tunis gathered in JWT Portugal. The week kicks off with a Myers Briggs workshop, so delegates can then apply their understanding throughout the week in their pitch teams. In parallel, the teams receive daily presentation skills coaching and are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and take creative risks in their final pitches to clients.

The John Bowler Group have unlimited bonus awards and pay increases available to all employees for exceptional effort or performance. They have had employees in the past who have received 4 salary increases in one year, and an employee who was awarded a 25% increase for their substantial and consistent contribution to the company. The company also offer a suggestion scheme with £50 for any suggestion which is adopted.

The John Bowler Group have unlimited bonus awards and pay increases available to all employees for exceptional effort or performance. They have had employees in the past who have received 4 salary increases in one year, and an employee who was awarded a 25% increase for their substantial and consistent contribution to the company. The company also offer a suggestion scheme with £50 for any suggestion which is adopted.

Jack Wills support the wellbeing of their employees in practical ways such as free fruit and drinks in their well equipped kitchens. There is also a gym available to all of their HO and DC employees which is open 24/7 and includes organised classes .They also offer flu jabs, table tennis and snooker facilities.

Jack Wills support the wellbeing of their employees in practical ways such as free fruit and drinks in their well equipped kitchens. There is also a gym available to all of their HO and DC employees which is open 24/7 and includes organised classes .They also offer flu jabs, table tennis and snooker facilities.

iris supports employee development through their 'Me, Myself & iris' Programme. This ties in objectives, which then feeds into training, and also pay rise & promotion review board.

iris supports employee development through their 'Me, Myself & iris' Programme. This ties in objectives, which then feeds into training, and also pay rise & promotion review board.

Assureweb have held a company quiz, a Christmas party and a May Ball which encompassed a staff awards/recognition ceremony. The company have held poker nights to raise money for charity.

Managers are responsible for the implementation of what the organisation does, so setting and reviewing the objectives and nominating their own staff where appropriate. Managers are also responsible for ensuring their teams understand what they should be achieving collectively and how this fits with what the organisation are looking to achieve as a whole. All objectives are SMART and Managers are trained in this. HR performs reviews to ensure all staff are clear on what they are working on and why. There are several means to recognise good work, through the performance review process, through the annual staff nomination process or at monthly staff meetings where achievements are recognised.

In 2011 Interdean introduced the Great Ideas Forum. They invited employees to submit their ideas to improve the way they work and incentivised participation by rewarding employees whose ideas were chosen to be implemented. When the results are published, Interdean plan to widely publicise the detailed information to all of their staff. They also plan to run a series of workshops to discuss the results of the survey, which will focus on sharing what they are doing well and acknowledging and coming up with action plans on how they can improve employee engagement. They plan on proactively asking for input from all departments and job levels on how they can make positive changes in the company.

Interdean is a socially responsible employer, strongly encouraging its employees to engage in philanthropic activities. One of the charitable organisations that Interdean has supported for a number of years is Marie Curie Cancer Care. They hold an annual Rugby 7s Tournament in aid of this fantastic cause and this year's event was held in August at the London Wasps Training Ground. The day was a very enjoyable event, with many of Interdean's employees turning up to lend a hand with the day's activities. Family entertainment was provided alongside the day's great sporting efforts, including a bouncy castle and sweets and cake stall. Fuel for the athletes was provided in the form of a traditionally-themed Australian barbeque, sponsored by our sister company, Wridgways. Interdean has raised over £70,000 for Marie Curie in the last five years and contributed over 1000 hours of employee time in the last year to raise donations, participate in sporting events, and run bake offs.

Interconnector award spot bonuses for one off pieces of work or displays of behaviour outside day to day expectations. In addition, the company funds social events throughout the year as a way of rewarding employees for their efforts.

Interconnector award spot bonuses for one off pieces of work or displays of behaviour outside day to day expectations. In addition, the company funds social events throughout the year as a way of rewarding employees for their efforts.

HappINKness - At the end of 2011, 121 of Ink's employees wrote about what made them happy in the “HappINKness” book. The book showed what a fun and creative business Ink had become. Dreams - Dreams has proven a successful way of finding out what inspires and motivates Ink's employees. Typagora12 - Typagora provided an open forum for the management team to speak openly about where Ink is and share their visions for where it is going in the next three years. From the breakout sessions, brainstorming and presenting, attendees were able to come up with ideas and solutions for challenges that the businesses faces and may face in the future.

HappINKness - At the end of 2011, 121 of Ink's employees wrote about what made them happy in the “HappINKness” book. The book showed what a fun and creative business Ink had become. Dreams - Dreams has proven a successful way of finding out what inspires and motivates Ink's employees. Typagora12 - Typagora provided an open forum for the management team to speak openly about where Ink is and share their visions for where it is going in the next three years. From the breakout sessions, brainstorming and presenting, attendees were able to come up with ideas and solutions for challenges that the businesses faces and may face in the future.

The process is set at organisational level but the managers bring this alive through their day to day management style - managing by walking around, being open and available to coach staff. Regular formal and informal reviews of progress and achievement against goals give opportunities for recognising success. Impromptu 'tokens' e.g. flowers for staff who have worked particularly hard in a specific instance

Imparta had a company paid trip to London Zoo for an evening called 'Zoo Lates'. The evening was fantastic from a team bonding perspective and also a great way for new employees to meet their colleagues in a relaxed environment.

iD Experential's annual trip to Royal Ascot is one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year. In 2012 they hired their own area on the Silks Lawn. Their Christmas party was also a key event which had an 'Only Way is Essex' theme and a special guest appearance from Arg and Lydia, two of the TV shows cast who sang to the agency while they were having dinner . Everyone is already excited for this year's bash, although the theme and location are a closely guarded secret until nearer the time to ensure maximum impact for the agency! Every Friday afternoon iD's social committee iPARTY provides refreshments in the reception area so that the agency can finish the working week together.

Managers review their team members consistently both through and at the end of projects as well as calendared appraisals and monitor performance and support required. Managers also have regular informal meetings with staff both in one to ones or teams in their relaxed office reception area. This fosters an inclusive and comfortable atmosphere in which to support departments on a regular basis. By splitting capabilities into Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours, the managers can focus support in the most focused area. They are aware team members have different needs and look at adapting their management style and level of support or input depending on each individual's needs.

In reality the company has three leaders, Stuart Becker (Managing Director), Russell Langridge (Sales & Marketing Director) & Dale Perry (Finance, IT & HR Director) as they are all equal shareholders in the holding company. HRG believe that by being "one of the workers", by always "having their doors open", by being one of the first in and one of the last out everyday, projects a level of commitment that the employees hopefully respect. The Leaders are always willing to listen to their senior management team or anybody else for that matter and over the years have made many decisions that eminated from beyond the Board. They firmly believe in leading by example, which may not be distinctive but they do feel they do it very well.

In the last 12 months, 100% of staff would have had a pay rise, apart from those who had only just joined HRG. The last pay review was July 1st 2012.

In addition to the annual pay review in 2011 they replaced their Corporate Bonus with an individual recognition scheme. This is a scheme whereby individual excellent performance or excellent demonstration of company values is recognised by the line manager. Line Managers have access to a budget to reward staff members who have gone the extra mile, for example those who may have helped out another team, provided outstanding customer service or delivered above and beyond the expectations of their role. To say “thank you” the manager may give them a bottle of wine, bunch of flowers or something more specific.

A central feature of their CSR programme is designed to help their residents get off benefits and into work. To achieve this they introduced a Business Start-up training programme for residents who were keen to start their own business. The Course was designed to give residents the skills, confidence and the support to start their own business. The programme was run in partnership with the Aspire Foundation, a charity that works to unlock the potential of people who've often been written-off by society. It was funded as a Big Society Initiative by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM), as it was seen locally as something that would deliver lasting social impact for people who are currently relying on benefits. In June 2012, Fifteen unemployed residents graduated from the 12 week course with business plans in place to start their own business. At a Dragons Den style presentation, at their graduation ceremony, in partnership with the RBWM, the graduates were awarded grants and possible contracts totalling nearly £8,500 to help them get their businesses going. The money will be used to help buy essential equipment and pay for insurance and training. The range of businesses that will be created by the graduates includes a craft shop, dog walking business, ironing businesses, maths tutoring and photography. Plans are in place to run a second course in 2013. Residents have said that the Business Start-Up training has changed their lives.

Twice a month Hostelbookers offer half price chair massages and every other month, half priced reflexology massages. Every January they hold a "Wellbeing" month where they organise health checks, free gym trials, stop smoking sessions, lose weight sessions, pamper slots, discounted gym memberships, weekly well being tips, lunch time runs and exercise, weekly fruit bowls and extra massage sessions.

The most memorable event was Hostelbookers' 8th Anniversary Party held in May this year. Each year they celebrate their anniversary with a big party and this year the company took their staff to a private 10 Pin Bowling suite which they hired for the afternoon. Hostelbookers organised teams for bowling and held mini competitions e.g. giant games, karaoke, travel quiz and a fancy dress photo booth. They then took everyone to a restaurant which they hired out for the evening. There was a champagne reception, 4 course meal, prize and speech ceremony and then dancing until early hours of the morning. The whole day including food and drinks was completely free to their staff.

In 2012 Hogarth launched their internal training programme called ‘Bitesize' training. The ‘Bitesize' training programme involved employees from each department of the business getting together to identify the biggest training requirements in their teams and developing 30 minute training modules to help meet those requirements. The initial task was to develop an induction programme that gave an overview of each department and how they interact with each other through the workflow. To date, they have run 20 different training courses ranging from ‘MS Excel Training to ‘Computer Aided Translation' to ‘Media Formats Demystified'. Due to the phenomenal popularity of the ‘Bitesize' training modules both from employees who are keen to get involved in developing and presenting modules on their particular subject matter to those who are keen to attend, Hogarth have commenced Stage 2 of the project.

Hogarth runs an annual peer recognition scheme which involves employees nominating their peers who they feel have shown outstanding qualities in a number of categories including the Shooting Star Award for Most Inspirational Employee, North Star Award for Best Leadership Skills, Sirius Award for Brightest Star, Phoenix Award for Best Rising Star and Alpha Centauri Award for Unsung Hero. A huge amount of buzz is created across the company during the nomination rounds in the run up to the announcing of the winners at an awards ceremony held before the Christmas party each year. The ceremony is a celebration of employees contribution and the company recognising people who have gone over and above their roles over the previous 12 months as voted for by their peers. Prizes are awarded to the top three winners in each category with the winners receiving a weekend away for two as the first prize. It is an informal recognition scheme but is extremely popular with employees and creates a real buzz in the build up to announcing the winners. The Awards ceremony is followed by the Christmas party with lots of dancing and fun.

Hilton Worldwide sees the Wellbeing of all employees as important and encourages Healthy lifestyle. This is promoted through highlighting healthy options for physical activities as well as the healthy options both in nutritional and general health. Hilton's Living Well Gymnasiums and Spas are available to all employees and they have the opportunity to attain advice on personal training and nutritional guidelines and can be safely monitored. The company, also through all their community and charitable work, promote external activities and challenges that enhance individuals physical well being, for example their ‘Around the World in a day' annual charity event challenges employees to cover as much mileage as possible by walking, running, cycling, swimming, rowing etc. With the community and charity involvement this creates an incredibly fun and rewarding day for so many in their achievements whilst also raising money for charities worldwide.

By leveraging the best thinking and learning programmes from across their organisation, Hilton seek to share knowledge with their Team Members to improve delivery efficiency, cost effectiveness, personal development and promote best practices. Hilton Worldwide University (HWU) allows them to bring together all of their learning and effectively share it across their enterprise. HWU has been identified by a separate and distinct icon, signifying learning across the company. Hilton deliver curriculum through five colleges, which have all been assigned an executive sponsor and work with a learning council to help develop the curriculum for their section. The five colleges collectively offer more than 2,500 courses that are delivered in a variety of ways including classroom training, e-learning, webinars, e-books, live and taped programmes such as “Leaders Teaching Leaders” and “Lunch and Learns,” articles, recommendations for on-the-job development experiences, social learning and apps.

Hermes Field Managers regularly need to interview potential self employed couriers to provide services for them. There are around 150 Field Managers, many of whom took the decision to conduct interviews in the homes of potential couriers. Through feedback from the employee focus groups and team meetings and risk assessments, there was a significant risk to lone working in this situation. The company introduced a policy for Field Managers to interview potential couriers in public places and giving them an allowance to buy a drink etc. Hermes' head office was relocated three years ago and was designed to give employees maximum comfort, from the ergonomically designed chairs and desks, to a subsidised restaurant. The depot network is also constantly being upgraded so that employees across the business have better working conditions. i.e. more space, parking, light, rest areas and meeting rooms.

Hermes offer a selection of bonus schemes and benefits for different grades. One particularly effective way is for their senior managers and middle managers. The company offer a flexible benefits package that allows them to purchase extra holiday/health insurance etc. Hermes also offer a range of bonus schemes that are very effective. The bonus schemes are designed to motivate employees to save costs as well as improve their service. The bonus is awarded upon achievement of targets and extra bonuses are paid for employees who have consistently performed well throughout the year but are not part of a bonus scheme. Hermes also have an employee recognition scheme called the Hermes Champion Awards. Gift vouchers are awarded to quarterly winners who have been nominated by their colleagues for demonstrating commitment to the business values.

Hansel Group of Charities provides an independent and confidential employee counselling service, available to all staff. Flexibility in working arrangement is available in response to individual factors.

Hansel Group of Charities provides an independent and confidential employee counselling service, available to all staff. Flexibility in working arrangement is available in response to individual factors.

The company regularly hold pub quizzes in aid of their chosen charity, but perhaps the most memorable social event recently was the GS1 UK Olympics which they ran in parallel to the London Olympics. The Company was divided into six teams, each given a name of a smaller country that does not normally feature high on the medals chart. They held events in table football, WII sports, table tennis and created a medals board. The feedback from the event was great and staff enjoyed interacting with people that they wouldn't normally have the chance to.

The company regularly hold pub quizzes in aid of their chosen charity, but perhaps the most memorable social event recently was the GS1 UK Olympics which they ran in parallel to the London Olympics. The Company was divided into six teams, each given a name of a smaller country that does not normally feature high on the medals chart. They held events in table football, WII sports, table tennis and created a medals board. The feedback from the event was great and staff enjoyed interacting with people that they wouldn't normally have the chance to.

To enhance the well-being of employees, the company have an occupational nurse on site weekly, and she carries out medicals and lends support if people are ill. They also offer counselling, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation if needed.

Graham & Brown's CEO has been instrumental in opening the Blackburn Youth Zone facility, which reaches out to local young people. They work closely with Darwen Aldridge Community Academy with their staff speaking at the school and helping develop the Arts department at the school.

The Co-CEOs of Goldman Sachs in EMEA, supported by the European Management Committee, this year committed to hosting quarterly region-wide Townhalls to which all their people are invited and encouraged to attend. These one hour sessions serve as a point of reflection and allow senior management to discuss how their businesses and divisions are performing, the firm's forward strategy and to answer in person any questions or concerns. A new initiative this year has been to invite members of the European Management Committee to join their Co-CEOs at the Townhall sessions to provide a more in-depth look at some of the key themes and recent developments in their particular division.

Small businesses and social enterprises play a vital role in creating jobs and driving economic growth in the UK. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme offers leaders of small businesses and social enterprises business knowledge, skills and national support network to help them maximise their businesses' growth potential and create employment. Launched in Leeds in 2010, the programme has expanded to Manchester, Birmingham and London with approximately 400 participants. Delivered by leading business schools, the programme offers 100 hours of curriculum through which participants develop tailored business plans designed to guide strategy and secure capital. The programme is offered on a fully funded basis to small businesses and social enterprise leaders, who desire to grow their businesses, create local employment and have scalable business models.

The Golder Trust for Orphans was formed to provide support to children and families in Africa who have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic. The Trust is funded by Golder staff worldwide and provides financial support to Non-Governmental Organisations caring for and counselling families and dependents of people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, their efforts have supported over 1000 children in Africa.

The company conduct an 'Annual Career Development Review'. Within this review personal development and training needs are assessed and a plan for the employee's forthcoming year is put together between themselves and their line manager. The company allows a standard of 10 days training per year, per employee.

At Gocompare.com they have a Health and Well-being Committee consisting of a member from each department, ensuring they provide a varied and relevant H&W provision to their staff. Each week they hold a weight and nutrition session with a trained professional during work hours and five- a-side football, squash club and boot camp after work – all of which are subsidised by the company. This is a great forum for staff to come together as a team and support each other in their objectives for eating well and having a healthier lifestyle. Where possible they link the seasonal board to their charity work to raise money and awareness of important health issues such as Breast Cancer Care and Movember. They ensure the information is timely and accurate and their dedicated H&W intranet page facilitates this. They have information about healthy eating (such as low-fat recipes), losing weight, stress management, and other mental health issues featured here. They also have subsidised access to heart and health monitoring with a company doctor, run stress audits with all staff, and smoking cessation sessions during work hours for those who are interested.

At Gocompare.com they have a Health and Well-being Committee consisting of a member from each department, ensuring they provide a varied and relevant H&W provision to their staff. Each week they hold a weight and nutrition session with a trained professional during work hours and five- a-side football, squash club and boot camp after work – all of which are subsidised by the company. This is a great forum for staff to come together as a team and support each other in their objectives for eating well and having a healthier lifestyle. Where possible they link the seasonal board to their charity work to raise money and awareness of important health issues such as Breast Cancer Care and Movember. They ensure the information is timely and accurate and their dedicated H&W intranet page facilitates this. They have information about healthy eating (such as low-fat recipes), losing weight, stress management, and other mental health issues featured here. They also have subsidised access to heart and health monitoring with a company doctor, run stress audits with all staff, and smoking cessation sessions during work hours for those who are interested.

Outstanding performance is rewarded in various ways: bonuses, pay rises, duvet days and other options. Each manager has 6 monthly and annual appraisals with team members, during which they have an opportunity to recognise their successes and achievements. They also praise all of their employees throughout the year.

Outstanding performance is rewarded in various ways: bonuses, pay rises, duvet days and other options. Each manager has 6 monthly and annual appraisals with team members, during which they have an opportunity to recognise their successes and achievements. They also praise all of their employees throughout the year.

GPJ prides itself on its corporate culture, which can be summed up as highly collaborative, team-orientated and supportive. People do work incredibly hard, but they ensure that for long hours work that discretionary time off is given. In addition, flexible working enables people to balance their work commitments to their personal commitments, whatever they may be - family, personal interests, travel.

The company is a socially focused organisation and rewards employees with an annual Christmas and summer party. For the 2012 summer party the company wanted to really involve every member of staff and gauge exactly the type of party they would enjoy rather than making any assumptions. They ran a competition called ‘The Best Party Proposition' where they called for party themes and ideas. They have a superb response rate that really shed light on the type of social event staff would enjoy. The winning idea was executed (incorporating elements of other suggestions) and the person that submitted the winning idea received a prize on the evening. The evening took place at a Central London rooftop venue and the ‘Festival' themed party was a night to remember. Employees were entertained from the moment they left the office – with rock n roll bingo, a fortune teller, a magician, karaoke, live music, a photo booth, a bbq and cocktails.

Creating a dedicated Human Resources department for the first time in company history has allowed GCS to increase focus on employee development. Each area within HR is clearly defined and allows for a far more effective department, providing greatly improved employee development within GCS. The department comprises; A Human Resources Manager, overseeing all general matters of staffing and contractual affairs, as well as pastoral care of employees. An internal Recruitment Manager, whose purpose is to identify and engage the best prospects for the GCS Academy, as well as to source experienced recruiters and champion the potential of a career with GCS. A Training Manager, whose focus is the training of all GCS employees, from daily involvement with the members of the Academy, through to the organisation and involvement in delivery of the GCS Masterclass programme for resourcers, then the ongoing ad-hoc training of junior consultants and above. An Administration Manager who ensures smooth running of back-office function. This streamlining of responsibility has led to the training manager having more time to focus on individuals, as well as build stronger relationships with the company's selected external training experts to bespoke training for the specific needs of trainees. The company have also invested in the implementation of a sophisticated HR system, Cascade, to further increase the efficacy of the department for the benefit of all employees present and future. All job specifications have been rewritten, creating clarity of role responsibility, and transparent promotion targets have been documented and made available to all staff.

Creating a dedicated Human Resources department for the first time in company history has allowed GCS to increase focus on employee development. Each area within HR is clearly defined and allows for a far more effective department, providing greatly improved employee development within GCS. The department comprises; A Human Resources Manager, overseeing all general matters of staffing and contractual affairs, as well as pastoral care of employees. An internal Recruitment Manager, whose purpose is to identify and engage the best prospects for the GCS Academy, as well as to source experienced recruiters and champion the potential of a career with GCS. A Training Manager, whose focus is the training of all GCS employees, from daily involvement with the members of the Academy, through to the organisation and involvement in delivery of the GCS Masterclass programme for resourcers, then the ongoing ad-hoc training of junior consultants and above. An Administration Manager who ensures smooth running of back-office function. This streamlining of responsibility has led to the training manager having more time to focus on individuals, as well as build stronger relationships with the company's selected external training experts to bespoke training for the specific needs of trainees. The company have also invested in the implementation of a sophisticated HR system, Cascade, to further increase the efficacy of the department for the benefit of all employees present and future. All job specifications have been rewritten, creating clarity of role responsibility, and transparent promotion targets have been documented and made available to all staff.

Every member of staff receives training and/or development every week in addition to any course, qualification or training they are undertaking. Everything they achieve is achieved through their people.

Every member of staff receives training and/or development every week in addition to any course, qualification or training they are undertaking. Everything they achieve is achieved through their people.

As part of the firm's core values, the firm awards one staff member per year with "A great client service award". All those nominated are recognised at a drinks evening where their achievements are listed. Last year's winner won a weekend away for two at a luxury spa hotel. In addition, they have a prominent space on our internal intranet "Foxnet" where great efforts by staff (for both internal and external clients) are recognised.

As part of the firm's core values, the firm awards one staff member per year with "A great client service award". All those nominated are recognised at a drinks evening where their achievements are listed. Last year's winner won a weekend away for two at a luxury spa hotel. In addition, they have a prominent space on our internal intranet "Foxnet" where great efforts by staff (for both internal and external clients) are recognised.

The senior management team at Foundation involved all staff in the development of the organisation's three year Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015. This involved meeting staff and customers at a series of "World Cafés" at which issues facing the organisation were discussed, and staff had the opportunity to put forward their ideas, comments and suggestions. Some staff also accompanied customers to customer meetings to assist them to take part.

Foundation's core function is to support the most vulnerable people in society. Staff are encouraged to enhance their personal development by sitting on the boards of other charitable organisations.

Through offering a flexible benefits package that includes a bike to work scheme, gym membership and private health. The company also offer free yoga, pilates and climbing to all staff as well as other sporting activities. They have introduced a new Employee Assistance programme that provides a full concierge service to staff as well as counselling and advice.

For the second year in a row the company were lucky enough to be taken to Las Vegas for their company Christmas party in December 2011. The company covered all costs, flights, accommodation, meals and entertainment. This was a fantastic team building event and was also seen as a reward for each employee's contribution to the company's ongoing success.

A particularly memorable and enjoyable social event that they recently held, was the Foolproof 10th Birthday Party. This was a really exciting time, where everyone, including ex-staff, was invited to spend the evening at Caistor Hall Hotel in Norfolk to celebrate with food, drink and accommodation expensed by the company. This was a memorable evening, where past, current and future successes were celebrated. This was also an opportunity for Management to announce the exciting news of the acquisition of their Singapore office!

Foolproof is led by the Managing Director, Leslie Fountain. What is distinctive about her approach to management is how she applies her own and the company's values through all levels of the company. Leslie demonstrates how she expects people to work and behave by leading by example. Leslie is continuously on the office floor and sits within the open plan office, to support a true open door culture. Leslie takes opportunities to add her own touches to individuals' work and engages in creative discussions to broaden the employees' views on projects. In summary, Leslie's management style encourages Foolproofers to adapt a more open and creative approach to work as demonstrated by her.

One of the clear ways the Festo listens to employees and seeks feedback is through the process of coaching. In Festo all managers have been trained as coaches and the coaching process exists in both a formal and informal way between employees at all levels. Within Festo the coaching process is about asking questions and actively listening to the views of the coachee. Managers are encouraged not to suggest or impose their ideas but to listen to and understand the ideas that are put forward. The coaching process supports employees to develop their own solutions to problems that are faced. If employees ideas stand up under questioning the manager is encouraged to accept them. The goal here is not just to listen to the coachee but to encourage them to engage with the problem, develop their own answers and ultimatly become more empowered and independent.

All employees in the company have a target minimum number or hours that must be spent on training and personal development each year. Many people have a portion of their bonus scheme related to meeting this target. Topics for training and development are driven by the employee following a self assessment against their Balanced Scorecard and a needs audit. The employee is responsible for defining their development needs in relation to their own requirements as well as standard competency models for their roles.

Quantum Engagement Survey provides a forum for collecting feedback and evaluating levels of morale and motivation at F5. Faciilitated team sessions are interactive, where team members provide input and prepare team action plans designed to make F5 a better place to work.

F5 have internal L&D resources available for their employees including a soft skills curriculum available for employees and managers to attend, for example four weeks of Technical training in Seattle office for all new UK-based technical employees and one week for Sales Bootcamp . The in-house soft skills training courses held in the UK are effective tools for employee development but it is impossible to calculate the investment/spend as F5's internal systems do not capture this information. The company have also introduced the Personal Development Plan for each employee. This is created in collaboration between the employee and manager to leverage strengths and give an opportunity to improve where appropriate. The PDP is targeted at individual needs and focusses on the individual's goals and where they want to develop. All of F5's managers are trained to coach/mentor their employees and their technical teams have a technical Mentor as part of the structure.

Due to the nature of the organisation Exposure have tailored their training programme to suit the diverse requirements of the agency. This includes a training needs analysis for each team to identify skills gaps. Training courses both internal and external can then be matched to these requirements. This ensures employees are catered for on an individual basis.

Once a month Exposure hosts a new exhibition within their dedicated gallery space. The Exposure gallery provides a platform for established artists and emerging creatives to showcase their work - selected not only for their innovative practice but also their aesthetic qualities. So far this year has seen a diverse collection of work from the Launch of ‘The New British' Magazine that was designed and edited by Kez Glozier and Neville Brody to the ‘Not Just a Mum' photography exhibition from the hip group Mothers Meeting founded by Jenny Scott. With each new exhibition comes a private view launch event where the company open the gallery and bar to the public. Running alongside their monthly gallery exhibitions Exposure also hosts creative lectures and inspiration sessions from guest speakers and friends of Exposure, including Mutate Britain and Matt Stuart.

Exponential's Academy programme has been running since 2008. This provides an opportunity for individuals outside of sales to gain a first step into Telecoms sales. All candidates attend an assessment day and those hired attend an intensive eight week training programme on their products and service as well as core sales skills with follow-up and refresher training over their first six months. However training does not just come at the beginning of their career. On a wider scale all sales people have attended a training programme either to up-skill on Cloud or Voice technologies or their sales skills tailored at a selected vertical. The training team are currently researching providers for an advanced sales skills programme for next year.

Managers are able to set their teams and team members individual and collective targets that meet SMART objectives, so long as these are aligned to the overall business objectives. Additionally, Managers are able to nominate for the company STARS awards and also influence the pay rises for those who have over achieved against their objectives or who have gone above the call of duty.

Expedia.com Ltd operates a wellbeing reimbursement annual amount of £850 to offset against sporting activities. Also, as part of the Private Medical Insurance, there is a vitality programme focusing on wellness. Their health provider also runs an annual employee health day consisting of health checks etc. Yoga, pilates and massages are all facilitated on site. Lastly, Expedia offers annual vaccinations and heavily discounted health screens as well as generous personal travel benefits.

Expedia.com Ltd operates a wellbeing reimbursement annual amount of £850 to offset against sporting activities. Also, as part of the Private Medical Insurance, there is a vitality programme focusing on wellness. Their health provider also runs an annual employee health day consisting of health checks etc. Yoga, pilates and massages are all facilitated on site. Lastly, Expedia offers annual vaccinations and heavily discounted health screens as well as generous personal travel benefits.

Directors and managers in the business are approachable and open minded, such that staff are able to bring opinions or suggestions to them to discuss. It is well known within the business that if processes become outdated that suggestions for improvement can be made and will be reviewed at the top level. An email account is setup so that suggestions and questions can be submitted electronically. The company also tries to integrate questions and suggestions into company meetings and conferences.

ExCeL London operates extensive CRS initiatives which ensure the Company gives something back to the local community and wider world. In relation to local community projects, ExCeL gives around £1m in donations and gifts in kind to the London Borough of Newham which is one of London's most deprived boroughs. This is supported through key projects: Community Food Enterprise, Newham All Stars Sports Academy (NASSA) and .ExCeL in the Arts Camp. In addition, the company has also supported the community through free meeting space, sponsorship for local groups such as Custom House FC, conducting school tours, providing careers advice, participation in Banking on Talent scheme (2 athletes), running a Young Enterprise scheme, offering tickets/competitions to local residents and supporting the Ascension Eagles. In 2011, ExCeL had a £1.6 billion economic impact for London. This has ultimately supported up to 38,000 jobs in the capital. This is a massive impact on ‘the wider world' of London, bearing in mind that ExCeL is a privately owned business and not funded in any way by Government or local authorities like many other venues of similar nature.

Having been re-accredited for ISO14001 as an organisation ESOS continue to recognise that they have a responsibility to ensure that the impact of their activities on the environment is kept to a minimum. The company encourage activities that reduce the environmental impact on both their local and wider community including: paper, mobile phone, printer, battery, stamps, aluminium and plastic bottle recycling. All PC hardware is recycled in line with the WEEE directive. ESOS also encourage car sharing where possible. This, they believe, ensures that everyone remains aware and active in the efforts to recycle. They also have a very active Charity committee who arrange a number of fundraising events for their chosen charity. Events in 2012 so far have included, fancy dress days, bikeathon, quiz night, summer family party and various raffles.

Having been re-accredited for ISO14001 as an organisation ESOS continue to recognise that they have a responsibility to ensure that the impact of their activities on the environment is kept to a minimum. The company encourage activities that reduce the environmental impact on both their local and wider community including: paper, mobile phone, printer, battery, stamps, aluminium and plastic bottle recycling. All PC hardware is recycled in line with the WEEE directive. ESOS also encourage car sharing where possible. This, they believe, ensures that everyone remains aware and active in the efforts to recycle. They also have a very active Charity committee who arrange a number of fundraising events for their chosen charity. Events in 2012 so far have included, fancy dress days, bikeathon, quiz night, summer family party and various raffles.

Each employee recieves support and coaching through two direct levels: Immediate Project Manager and Mentor. There are dedicated trainings focused on Project Management and Mentoring. The Project Manager focuses on supporting the employee on specific project needs and deliverables while the Mentor focuses on the employee's career aspirations and long-term goals.

The whole organisation comes together at the end of every month to celebrate the company's success and individual teams are given the opportunity to present to the whole organisation and are recognised for their success. Efficio has two annual review cycles to ensure that employees do not have to wait a full 12 months before getting feedback and acknowledgement for their hard work. Bonuses are paid bi-annually as an outcome of this review cycle which is also perceived very positively by the employees.

The rewards and recognition scheme provides a wide range of benefits ranging from financial bonuses, flexible time, caring for their health and well being by providing health insurance and gym membership as well as genuine help and support through any difficult personal times. Awards are presented at the annual awards ceremony. Similarly, the company also arranges team dinners for well performing teams and monthly social events for all members of staff to enable them to realise that the company value the contribution they are making towards the growth, development and expansion of the company. Financial assistance is provided for further education to different members of staff and time off for exams and study is also given. Staff are also invited to attend external functions throughout the year.

The rewards and recognition scheme provides a wide range of benefits ranging from financial bonuses, flexible time, caring for their health and well being by providing health insurance and gym membership as well as genuine help and support through any difficult personal times. Awards are presented at the annual awards ceremony. Similarly, the company also arranges team dinners for well performing teams and monthly social events for all members of staff to enable them to realise that the company value the contribution they are making towards the growth, development and expansion of the company. Financial assistance is provided for further education to different members of staff and time off for exams and study is also given. Staff are also invited to attend external functions throughout the year.

The company are really proud to be recognised as an industry leader in Attorney training. Not only are they told this by recruitment consultants, they are recognised by their competitors and experience no problems in recruiting highly talented trainee level Attorneys. The company also has excellent retention rates.

The introduction of the cash plan, alongside the firm's private health and dental plan which is all paid for by D Young & Co, has been really well received. They have found that individuals are opting for the cash plan more than the private health. The cash plan is a great way to promote other health aspects as it incorporates optical benefits, prescription benefits, as well as alternative medicines. The firm is particularly pleased as this has also generated savings for the business, which have been reinvested into other benefits. These other benefits have included a discounted shopping portal. Whilst not directly associated with well-being, there have been two key advantages. Firstly, it has given individuals the opportunity to maximise online shopping discounts in their comfort of their own home, but it also gives discount in health and well-being areas. For example, employees can get 8% off products at Boots, as well as saving money on gym membership and other fitness activities.

Each year, staff from across the UK choose a Charity of the Year that they will fundraise for. Staff are particularly fond of this initiative as the company also gives them the opportunity to take time out of their roles each month to volunteer for them. There are also countless opportunities for staff to host or take part in events. This year, the Charity of the Year was DebRA and teams from across the country really got on board with the volunteering and fund raising opportunities available. Events and fund raising initiatives included a PC Health Clinic whereby IT staff provided a drop-in service for faulty IT equipment to be fixed, an ‘Adrenalin Rush' day where employees took part in thrill-seeking adventures for sponsorship, volunteering in DebRA shops, a London to Paris bike ride and sack collections to donate stock to the charity's shops. Staff collectively raised over £50,000 for the charity, with a contribution from Crown.

It is essential that Crown recognises outstanding efforts from employees and rewards them appropriately when the opportunity arises. Performance recognition is something Crown believes is one of the best ways to improve workplace effectiveness and so has a Performance Recognition initiative that is hugely popular among employees. Following a previous survey, Crown introduced a new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) award in 2011 which is presented to an individual or team who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to CSR, customer service and the general helping of others. They appreciate employees who hold similar values to theirs, in and out of the workplace, so whether a member of staff has demonstrated their contribution within their job role or in their own time, they are rewarded. Nominations are put forward by colleagues, ensuring an inclusive initiative and these are then reviewed by a panel, which comprises members of the HR team and the Head of Environment. By encouraging all employees to aspire to this scheme and nominate each other, it helps staff to feel part of a team and provides them with the chance to work towards a group goal, separate to their own individual objectives.

Being a fairly small and informal organisation, employees know that they can always be open, honest and candid with their feedback. The company actively seek to recruit people with opinions, who are willing to speak out and make a difference! That said that they also appreciate that sometimes people need a bit of help or support in saying what's on their mind. They therefore conduct an anonymous employee survey every year which covers everything from management style to reward and recognition. Alongside this they run employee participation and suggestion schemes, usually with a theme so they can really focus people's energy into helping solve key matters.

Last year the company organised for a nurse to come into the London office to administer flu vaccinations for any staff who wished to get it for free. They want people to know that they care about their well-being and think that initiatives like this really make that point clear. They also ensure that their staff are provided with fresh fruit which is delivered to the office every week.

The company enhance employee well-being through a generous holiday allowance of 30 days plus bank holidays, together with flexible working patterns and a culture that discourages blame. Flexible working hours, home working, reduced hours and job sharing all contribute to a happy workforce. Health, fitness and stress management is encouraged through on-site yoga classes and a five-a-side team football. In addition, a contributory pension scheme and private health insurance help with financial planning and healthcare. The company paid cash plan allows all members a 24 hour free helpline for counselling, health, and well-being advice.

The company listens to its employees in many different ways. They have been IIP registered since 1999 and information gained from IIP assessments helps them to understand what their staff feel and think. From this they have implemented their cultural and management competencies. Listening skills are one of the company's key management competencies. The IIP assessments ensure that their management strategies are working, and employees are happy and motivated within the culture and organisation. The company also use an appraisal system that focuses on honest, two-way communication. Their appraisals are not tick-box exercises; they are in-depth discussions with employees about their development needs and career goals. The Fun Committee is a group formed to help ensure that the company promotes social activities and to create a working environment that's fun, engaging and happy.

At Corven they offer a comprehensive bonus package to all of their employees across all career bands/grades. It consists of a number of different elements measured against individual and company performance. One of the elements of their bonus package that they believe is unique, compared to other similar sized organisations, is the eligibility of anyone within the organisation to receive a sales bonus for their contributions to gaining new business. Sales bonuses are not linked to status or career levels but based on individual contributions towards winning new business for Corven and can greatly enhance individual remuneration packages.

At Corven they offer a comprehensive bonus package to all of their employees across all career bands/grades. It consists of a number of different elements measured against individual and company performance. One of the elements of their bonus package that they believe is unique, compared to other similar sized organisations, is the eligibility of anyone within the organisation to receive a sales bonus for their contributions to gaining new business. Sales bonuses are not linked to status or career levels but based on individual contributions towards winning new business for Corven and can greatly enhance individual remuneration packages.

At the end of every quarter all employees attend a company presentation given by the CEO in which the CEO goes over the last quarter's results, the company's direction going forward, and any other interesting company news. At the end of the presentation, awards are given out for two categories: Customer First and Team Player. Nominees for the Customer First award demonstrate commitment to supreme service, quality delivery, solution innovation and creative problem solving that has a measurable positive impact on customers. ControlCircle Team Player Award nominees are consistently supportive, creative and always finding ways to add value to their colleagues and the company, ensuring that both ControlCircle and their customers reap the many benefits of them all moving in the same direction to deliver a common set of goals and objectives. Employees are encouraged to nominate team members from across the business for both awards and winners are chosen by the number of nominations. Winners receive up to £100 to spend on an experience day of their choice.

The senior management team work closely with managers to ensure that they are aware of targets and objectives and have the resources at their disposal to achieve the required end result. Clients often acknowledge a job well done. This client communication is shared throughout the Company.

For CloudSense listening to employees and seeking their ideas and feedback is at the core of engaging with them. The introduction of their social collaboration tool “Chatter” has created a mind shift at CloudSense. All of the senior management team are on Chatter and can post messages, files, videos, etc instantly to the whole company. Any employee can also direct post a message directed to each other, including the senior management team. That message is public so anyone within the company can view the response. They have found that this has created a real time conversation that has driven engagement as it has driven instant public conversations from the management team that everyone can see and respond to. The company no longer use email as their communication tool internally as Chatter has opened up the internal conversation through becoming a social enterprise.

The company have a comprehensive Performance Management policy which supports individual growth and development in line with the company's requirement for skills. Performance Management for CloudSense is a continuous process that starts the day an employee commences employment, from on-boarding through to probation review, regular one-to-ones and yearly annual appraisals. The process is designed to evaluate performance in 3 ways: 'Skills Assessment' to define their skills, 'Behaviours Assessment' to ensure that not only do employees develop the right skill sets for their current role and achieve a desired career path, but they also do their job in a way that is consistent with CloudSense brand values, and an 'Objectives Review' to assist in personal development the achievement of wider company goals.

People are motivated and engaged by working with other smart people. The way managers implement this is to not compromise during recruitment, and keep a consistently high level of motivated and intelligent staff.

People are motivated and engaged by working with other smart people. The way managers implement this is to not compromise during recruitment, and keep a consistently high level of motivated and intelligent staff.

Their corporate behaviours of Empowering & Motivating and Striving For Excellence both set the corporate expectations of how Managers and staff should perform and when they should challenge unrealistic expectations. The corporate PDR process outlines the number of performance objectives that should be set using the SMART principle. The HR team conduct a sample of all PDR objectives to ensure that they are fair and consistent across the organisation and free from any bias towards staff. Effective performance is rewarded within the PDR process with the bonus payment scheme. A corporate validation exercise process is undertaken to ensure that the performance ratings given to staff are evenly distributed and also free from bias.

There are a number of effective ways City West supports employees through the Personal Development Review process and training offered, but the Excellence Academy in particular stands out. City West's Excellence Academy develops the leaders of tomorrow through training opportunities and mentoring. The Excellence Academy is about City West identifying high performers, talent and future leaders within the company; investing belief, time and effort into developing those individuals for the future and is one strand of their approach to talent retention and succession planning. Such is the success of this initiative; many graduates have taken on new projects or have been promoted. In total nine of the twelve employees involved in the scheme have been promoted since it started.

CBG Consultants have all the standard good practice processes in place to gather feedback face to face, with regular formal meetings, presentations and informal conversation etc. They believe their open door policy and no blame culture provides the right environment to encourage honesty and transparency. The company also have a dedicated feedback
e-mail address which gives staff the opportunity to provide feedback in an anonymous way. This year CBG have also undergone their Investors in People re-assessment and they are delighted to have achieved BRONZE status.

CBG Consultants have all the standard good practice processes in place to gather feedback face to face, with regular formal meetings, presentations and informal conversation etc. They believe their open door policy and no blame culture provides the right environment to encourage honesty and transparency. The company also have a dedicated feedback
e-mail address which gives staff the opportunity to provide feedback in an anonymous way. This year CBG have also undergone their Investors in People re-assessment and they are delighted to have achieved BRONZE status.