What are companies doing with regards to 'My Company'

Managers at Retirement Villages use action plans and discuss targets with their staff teams and feedback information to senior managers. Managers also recognise individuals at local level - this may be as simple as at the end of a shift just saying thank you. Regional Managers check to ensure that managers are completing appraisals and supervisions on a regular basis.

Each location has a manager/s who are responsible for the running of their village. Employees are involved in regular meetings with their managers where ideas and feedback are exchanged and then acted upon. Each location has a different approach to gaining feedback from staff. Managers then share what is happening in their location at the monthly Regional Meetings with Senior Managers.

Red Commerce has two dedicated internal trainers (and they are currently recruiting for a third) whose sole focus is improving their employees development.

Managers at Red Commerce ensure that the reviews they conduct have a '360' element to them, so that after each review both manager and team member have a list of actions to complete. Managers have regular informal feedback sessions with their teams and run regular breakout sessions with their teams to talk about hot topics and share ideas and information. At least once a month, managers will ensure that they spread some time with their teams in a less formal (i.e. social) setting to encourage honesty and openness, as opinions tend to flow more freely in this setting than around the desks! With regards to rewards, managers will offer both individual and team incentives for performance against a variety of targets, daily, weekly or monthly, and will also send emails around the business to highlight outstanding performances.

As an organisation Ralli offers all members of staff regular, monthly social events to participate in.

As an organisation Ralli offers all members of staff regular, monthly social events to participate in.

Quest create new teams and new offices based on people's abilities and personal needs. Examples are Manchester, Sri Lanka and Dubai. In all these cases the company had an employee who strongly wished to or needed to relocate. Where there was a business case Quest created an office and in two cases promoted the people at the same time (in the third example of Sri Lanka they couldn't promote the manager because they had reached the highest level as their Financial Controller). All these new offices resulted in extra local employment with several significant benefits such as retaining great staff, expanding their markets, saving costs. The staff that opened these offices have experienced and enjoyed huge jumps in their learning curves, career development and at all times this has worked alongside their personal needs and balanced their work-life /home-life needs.

Managers at Quest communicate consultant responsibilities and targets to their teams regularly. This is done through weekly one-to-one and team meetings, and quarterly appraisals. In these meetings, managers will discuss performance against target, and make recommendations to consultants who need extra guidance.

Pricoa Relocation has bought in ECO buttons - this means that computers switch themselves off and the amount of money saved on printing can be recorded. This was an initiative bought in by the EOC to be more environmentally friendly.

Pricoa Relocation has bought in ECO buttons - this means that computers switch themselves off and the amount of money saved on printing can be recorded. This was an initiative bought in by the EOC to be more environmentally friendly.

Precedent pride themselves on being a transparent organisation and ensures that all of their employees feel they can talk openly to the company as well as see what's going on within the company at all times. Precedent has an active open door policy and spacious open plan offices across the UK to encourage engagement at every level. The company holds bi-monthly 121 sessions, where each employee meets with their line manager to discuss progress over the previous two months and targets for the next. This is an opportunity for employees to voice any concerns and talk candidly with their line manager. Precedent also hold department days throughout the year where each department from across all the UK office teams meet to discuss working processes, highs and lows before engaging in more social activities like go-carting, dinner or simply a few drinks.

Precedent strongly believes in the idea of “soft rewards” – i.e. small rewards that are given regularly to recognise excellent work or performance. Rather than simple monetary bonuses which can often quickly be forgotten, these rewards tend to be something more individual, memorable and appropriate for the person. For example a meal for two at a nice restaurant, a weekend away or even simply iTunes vouchers. In addition to this, at the company's annual company meeting held every April, Precedent reward the most hard working and highest achievers. The excursion is, in itself, a sort of reward as it involves time out of the office, dinner and an element of socialising, but more crucially, Precedent hold nominations for the Best Newcomer and Best Overall Performer. These nominations are open to everyone across the company and everyone is invited to contribute. The winner is selected by the senior management based on the nominations received as well as on general performance throughout the year.

Plusnet Plc offer Specsavers vouchers, free Flu Jabs, they provide taxis for unsociable hours, they have encouraged employees to participate in a 10k race corporate team for the Great North run. Plusnet Plc have an on-site gym, provide free fruit, and in December 2011 the company held a heath and Well Being Fair, where NHS staff are visiting to provide information on how to: stop smoking/blood pressure & cholesterol testing/bmi check/information on substance misuses/information about sexual health testing/provide information on risk taking, safe drinking units etc.

Managers at Plusnet Plc hold quarterly reviews of objectives on top of regular 121s to ensure business changes don't create issues for employees. Managers also encourage open forums, team meetings and open door policies.

PPDG Group offers all employees the opportunity to nominate a colleague for a value of the month award. The award is used to identify those members of staff that are deemed to best embody their company values. PPDG operates very differently to competitors within the Welfare to Work industry; they do not have arbitrary targets for individuals and whilst operational performance is important, it is not the sole purpose of what the company seeks to achieve. The values awards highlight the other aspects in which employees are making a positive impact on the business and the wider communities the company serves. Each values winner is invited to a six monthly dinner at a top restaurant, where they meet other values winners and selected members of the Board of Directors. PPDG also take winners on a ‘seeing is believing' tour of some of the recipients of their GAYE payroll giving scheme; a central component of PPDG's values and beliefs.

PPDG Group offers all employees the opportunity to nominate a colleague for a value of the month award. The award is used to identify those members of staff that are deemed to best embody their company values. PPDG operates very differently to competitors within the Welfare to Work industry; they do not have arbitrary targets for individuals and whilst operational performance is important, it is not the sole purpose of what the company seeks to achieve. The values awards highlight the other aspects in which employees are making a positive impact on the business and the wider communities the company serves. Each values winner is invited to a six monthly dinner at a top restaurant, where they meet other values winners and selected members of the Board of Directors. PPDG also take winners on a ‘seeing is believing' tour of some of the recipients of their GAYE payroll giving scheme; a central component of PPDG's values and beliefs.

There are frequent social events within Parklands, commemorating particular milestones in the calendar. This year, the Managing Director, Senior Managers and Receptionist decided to dress up and re-enact the wedding of William and Kate. This was taken extremely seriously with wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses being purchased, hairdresser appointed and make up expertly applied. Staff and relatives enjoyed the social event with a meal and further musical entertainment. The bridal party travelled between care homes to re-enact the occasion with relatives and staff enjoying a sing along, meal and further musical entertainment in the evening.

Parklands has been an An Investor in People member since 1996 and has recently been reassessed in 2011. Using the tools setup in Investors in People, the management team supports employee development in every way possible. From a degree in Social Work, Diploma in Health Care and SVQs Level 2 and 3, the company actively encourages their people to be all they can be. The company contributes in most cases - for training and gives appropriate time off for study (paid). The mentoring and joint review sessions specifically target any training and evaluates its effectiveness.