All managers at MSC have the option to receive executive leadership coaching from an external development partner. There’s also a partnership with a Diversity and Inclusion organisation which sees all managers undergo an extensive training programme in this area. An internal intranet site houses extensive developmental reading material and tools to support managers.
MSC’s approach is about recognising team collaborative in an inclusive way. This means success is celebrated as a whole, with everyone’s contributions acknowledged. It regularly holds celebrations for a diverse range of events, including National Employee Appreciation Day, where all employees received a personalised chocolate gift to their home, thanking them for their contribution.
A dedicated Health and Wellbeing Manager ensures people are kept up to date with the latest resources in MSC’s employee portal, with information on health and wellbeing to keep individuals and their families well, along with access to private medical healthcare and personal counselling support.
Gateway’s office refurbishment included a new recycling system, as well as other initiatives that focused on a commitment to mitigating its impact on the environment. These include LED lighting, the use of hybrid vehicles and electric charging points, as well as a ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme and a bike loan initiative.
Collaboration and inclusion activities consist of weekly team briefings internally, as well as a number of external team bonding activities. These include taking part in virtual ‘escape rooms’, as well as the establishment of a ‘Birthday Month Club’ to encourage celebration across different teams.
A staff forum network, known as ‘Gateway Together’, exists to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Designed to promote a constantly evolving positive and inclusive culture, it has led to a number of events initiatives including Eid celebrations, Pride, Men’s Health, Black History Month, and International Women’s Week.
Young Devon has developed a set of annual workforce commitments and in the past year these have included improving public awareness of its work – achieved through changes to its marketing and partnerships with the BBC and local companies – and reviewing pay and benefits, including implementing the national living wage.
Employees get 30 days' annual leave – in effect 38, including bank holidays and the like. This amounts to 10 days more than statutory and five days more than UK average. The charity believes this is crucial recovery and rest time for staff who undertake demanding work with young people.
The charity has a good mix of senior leaders who have been in the organisation for up to 20 years and those for fewer than five. This keeps some of the history and narrative of Young Devon in balance with the constant need to develop to meet young people's needs.
Junior members of the team will receive career development support and advice from senior management in a new mentoring programme. A virtual workshop provided each member of staff with a wellbeing plan for remote working tailored to their individual needs.
Staff have been able to see an online counsellor or ask them questions via Slack. A new online portal features a large wellbeing section which includes advice on mental and physical health. Food and snacks are delivered to people's homes to enjoy during business updates.
Yobota's engagement survey picked up that new starters felt isolated because they couldn't see their new workmates in virtual meetings. Employees are now encouraged to switch on their cameras to create a sense of cohesion, boost social interaction and, of course, meet new joiners.
YASA has introduced a training management system for all staff, with sessions on key topics such as working effectively remotely and longer courses on specific subjects, including corporate social responsibility. The company also sponsors qualifications and provides study leave to allow staff to prepare for exams.
Staff are given three days off a year to volunteer in the local community. This includes anything from helping to dredge canals to supporting worm farms or lending a hand at food banks. The company offers work experience to school pupils.
YASA likes to reward good service with bespoke gifts aligned to staff members' hobbies and passions. One worker with a passion for the sport of cycling got to meet an Olympic cyclist, thanks to an experience gift to mark his 10-year anniversary with the company.
A graduate recruitment app is being developed to help Withers reach a wider pool of diverse candidates. The app will also help the firm meet the need to recruit differently, which became apparent during the pandemic. Social media is playing an increasing role in the search for talent.
The Withers World Tour set staff the challenge of walking the equivalent of the distance between all the firm's offices, a total of 23,000 miles. They exceeded the miles target and raised more than £30,000 for charity, including the Mental Health Foundation.
Senior management led a series of engagement campaigns after the coronavirus emerged. These included a video series called Desert Island Lockdown, with chairperson Justine Markovitz in the finale. She also took part in 73 “Meet Justine” Skype sessions for all staff.
During the pandemic, it was important to keep employees up-to-date and to promote team bonding. William Blair launched a microsite dedicated to Covid-19 updates and a special edition of the firm's global electronic newsletter, Inside William Blair@Home.
Each employee received a food voucher that could be used for home deliveries while working from home. The company has a strong employee assistance programme to support every member of the workforce. Laptops were issued to all staff to enable the team to work from home over the past year.
William Blair's Global Inclusion Council, created in 2017, is an advisory group of colleagues responsible for defining the firm's inclusion strategy and priorities to create a workplace where people are encouraged to bring their individual perspectives and experiences to work to drive greater creativity.
Career and apprenticeship journeys published on the intranet, website and LinkedIn highlight how Watford Community Housing attracts, retains and nurtures talent. The two-year-long business graduate scheme provides the chance to learn about different areas of the organisation, while gaining extensive work experience in the housing sector.
All frontline workers were sent care packages containing hand cream, chocolates, tissues, bath bombs and thank you cards. Virtual sessions were held on mental health and working from home in the winter and December's ‘Festive Fridays' included posting advent calendars to all staff, a Christmas quiz and seasonal giveaways.
A pot of money is given to the directors to award to employees they feel have gone above and over expectations. This could be because they have shown integrity, worked collaboratively, taken an innovative approach to their work or exhibited exceptional customer service
When lockdowns began to be a feature of life in the past year, Volume sent out wellbeing boxes packed with healthy snacks and treats, tips and a positive message. Yoga and high-intensity fitness classes continued online and mindfulness and motivational training was provided for the whole workforce.
Volume shared its expertise with its local authority, Wokingham Borough Council, to produce an augmented reality app which educates users about the history of the local area. The company has a strong commitment to the environment, recycling equipment and donating laptops to charities and families who needed them for homeschooling.
Volume values the voice of its people. Regular polls are carried out to check what team members think of new developments and managers make sure they get back to people through team posts and group emails as well as individual communication.
Each month, one star performer is thanked for Going the Extra Mile with a GEM award. Introduced in 2020, the scheme recognises employees who exemplify Vashi's core values and use their initiative to improve not just their work, but also that of their team.
Digital learning ensures employees can receive engaging training no matter what restrictions are in place, with more than 100 courses available. The whole company took part in a gemstone mini-masterclass during the first lockdown and, in November, there was a training activity every weekday for a month.
Management development includes a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited programme designed by Multiverse in partnership with Mind Gym. Delivered over 13 months, it includes 1:1 monthly sessions with a career coach and covers the management of self, management of others and core functional skills, such as project management and budgeting.
The last engagement survey showed results consistent with previous years – at more than 90% positive sentiment. The feedback was shared with everyone during business update sessions. The group also shares results of the UMi Pulse survey and makes people aware of any relevant changes it may undertake in response to feedback.
The so-called Positive Posse creates ideas, as well as the time and space for them, to encourage wellbeing. Offerings have covered virtual meditation sessions, coffee and catch-ups, lunches, socially distanced dance routines and quizzes. The posse also pushes out top tips on how to keep motivated and active.
Senior leaders have held have held regular and ad hoc Teams calls to individuals, regardless of their line management – and live recorded sofa sessions with the CEO and team members have discussed current projects, plus veered into light-hearted chat like your favourite takeaway, film, and more.
Ultima has put a huge focus on mindfulness, hosting drop-in sessions with an industry-leading practitioner. Each session has taught managers and employees how to live in the present, turn negative situations into positive ones, and how to cope with stress.
When its charity partner, Alexander Devine Children's Hospice, had to close to visitors, Ultima donated 30 tablet devices for its care team to use during home visits. The company also supports its local food bank, ReadiFood, with monthly donations and employees raised funds with a sponsored 100km challenge and a 5km Santa Dash.
To mark Ultima's 30th anniversary in business in 2020, the company hosted a virtual get-together and sent every employee a bottle of Champagne celebrate. At Christmas everyone received a hamper and got together for an escape room challenge.
The company's Wellbeing programme covers mental, emotional, financial and physical health. The senior management team is focused on looking after its people and will continue to be flexible about home working in future. UK Flooring has launched a step challenge for staff members and is setting up a book club.
UK Flooring sponsors Burbage Rugby Club and Barwell FC, based nearby on the outskirts of Leicester. The company donated £6,000 to local food banks in the run-up to Christmas 2020 after hearing that more people were turning to them for help. Branches used the funds to give out festive hampers.
UK Flooring incorporates its values – customer, family, professional and driven – into all stages of its recruitment and training process. The company values were reviewed and re-established in 2019 and staff members who best demonstrate the values are recognised with annual awards.
With access to The Skills Network's portfolio of more than 100 distance learning courses, employees have plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. All staff are encouraged to work towards a qualification relevant to their post and some take further courses for professional and personal development.
A Pilates instructor delivered sessions to employees via Zoom to help people improve their posture while sitting at a desk for long periods due to home working. The Skills Network has sent out a Wellbeing newsletter to remind people of their entitlements under the employee assistance programme, and courses about mental health.
Employees at all levels are passionate about what they do. They are committed to helping people reach their goals and expanding career opportunities through learning, and nurture the company's ethos – achieving excellence, inspiring, developing talent and collaborating for success – through every project.
The Hanley, which enjoys a low rate of staff turnover, says it is small enough to ensure everyone is treated as individuals, equally and without discrimination. It utilises blind recruitment, which eliminates personal identification details, but this year nonetheless refocused to start attracting future candidates from more diverse backgrounds.
Employees have individual development plans that are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the relevant training and support is provided. The society assesses high potential by way of an in-house High Potential Trait Indicator tool, and it has succession plans in place as people move up the ladder.
Team leaders at the Hanley are measured against the six characteristics the society believes define good people management: to engage, motivate, develop, empower, coach and drive. Manager – and staff – behaviour is rated during the annual appraisal process that links into performance-related pay reviews.
The Grand has introduced an apprenticeship programme across the business and has also launched a range of other development schemes including a Management Academy and a Food and Beverage Academy. More than 50 staff have moved into new roles or been promoted each year for the last four years.
The hotel's Green & Grand philosophy is driven by the hotel's Think Green team. Eco friendly initiatives include sustainably sourced coffee beans and using recycled products from bed throws made from old bottles to balcony furniture made from ice cream and milk cartons diverted from landfill sites.
The Grand Recognition Incentive Scheme rewards those exceptional effort with Grands which can be exchanged for 35 different treats including cinema tickets, champagne, afternoon tea and dinner. Every six months those earning 50 Grands are entered into a draw to win an all-expenses paid two night break, normally abroad.
Employees' health and happiness is paramount and every member of staff is entitled to a £300 annual wellness benefit to spend on anything they think will enhance their wellbeing. Berkeley also pays for staff to order plants or seeds to grow at home.
Even before Covid, Berkeley promoted the use of video and tele-conferencing – reducing face-to-face meetings with clients and the subsequent carbon footprint. Other green credentials include a local suppliers first policy and the provision of ‘real' crockery and cutlery in the office, to discourage the use of plastic items.
Star performers are nominated by the partners for quarterly care packages. This could be a foodie treat, a trip to the theatre or a night in a hotel with their spouse and is always accompanied by a personalised thank you from the manager who put them forward for recognition.
After a survey showed that 59% of staff feared that remote working might slow their career and personal development, the agency raised the visibility of its extensive training programme and celebrated promotions (19% of the 70-strong team were promoted last year). In the next survey, 59% shrank to 19%.
Staff vote anonymously in the quarterly peer group rewards scheme, which honours team members who have made a difference through living the company values. The six people with the highest number of nominations receive a £600 voucher and get to hear the often moving comments of colleagues who nominated them.
Teamspirit's culture of collaboration allowed the senior leaders to implement decisions quickly and effectively under high-stress, chaotic conditions as the coronavirus crisis developed last year. They road-tested a pandemic disaster recovery plan with all employees in February and implemented flexible working.
Staff are paid to learn. Under the Elevate Wings 1 initiative, which was launched during Covid, junior to mid-level employees who complete specific training packages will not only upskill – they will also qualify for a salary increase of up to 25 per cent.
The Tata Group, TCS's parent company, has pledged over $200million to protect and empower communities during the pandemic. Working with the World Economic Forum, it made its remote learning software free to schools and colleges, to help some of the estimated 1.37billion children that risk having their education interrupted.
Open and honest communication is key at TCS. This is illustrated by the way pay rises were handled during the pandemic. While the increases were initially put on hold, managers announced they were reinstated at the first possible opportunity – creating huge trust among employees.
Flexible working patterns and webinar tips were introduced for working parents who were homeschooling their children during the pandemic. The Restorative Café series also included mindfulness techniques.
Tai Calon's Green Earth team helped council staff and volunteers to create a butterfly garden at the Blaina Community hub, with native plants and shrubs to attract and sustain a wide array of pollinators.
A monthly recognition and reward scheme, Appreci8, allows employees to highlight good work by a team member, who is rewarded with a £25 gift voucher. During the pandemic, when morale was low, boxes of chocolates were delivered to hard-working employees.
Stephens Scown is the first large law firm to have introduced a shared ownership scheme. Employees own part of the business and share in 50% of additional profits over and above the published profit target figure. Employees are called ‘Scowners' and the scheme's strapline is 'There's no place like Scown!'.
Employees can take up to three paid days a year for voluntary work. This was extended to up to two hours a week during the pandemic to allow them to volunteer in their local community. The company does pro bono legal work and raised over £30,000 for charity this year.
Team leaders have received virtual training on how to manage a team remotely. Rising stars can complete a professional development programme which consists of modules to furnish them with the skills to grow and develop. Topics covered include brand, culture, business development and marketing, finance, public speaking and networking.
Much of the talent in the studio arrives through referrals from existing members of staff, reflecting the belief they have in the company. Referral bonuses are paid, up to £5,000 for the hardest-to-fill roles. Splash Damage's concerted push on diversity and inclusion has improved the variety of applicants.
Splash Damage ditched canned and bottled drinks in favour of drinks dispensers as part of its efforts to be kinder to the environment. This simple change saved more than 21,000 cans and bottles in the first three months alone. Recycling is encouraged as much as possible, including coffee grounds.
The new and improved version of the company's 12-month leadership development programme, first launched in 2017, is based on three main targets: more relevant, more flexible, more bite-sized. The lessons will contain skills and concepts immediately applicable to day-to-day work.
SB&G has created a central budget for peer-to-peer recognition, in the form of “Now That” rewards. Staff can recognise their colleagues in the moment with a personalised “Now That” reward of up to £50 with staff sending e-vouchers and deliveries to their colleagues throughout the pandemic.
During 2020 staff raised more than £45,000 for charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support through virtual fundraising including a day-long Coffee Morning, with escape rooms, bake-alongs, live quizzes and online bingo. Employees did skills based volunteering throughout the pandemic working with social enterprises and charities.
The senior management team launched their Inclusion Pledge and initiatives including a quarterly inclusion survey. A Leadership Mentoring Scheme has also been introduced. This scheme invites applications from everyone, however, it particularly encourages them from employees from underrepresented groups and those who struggle to be heard or who think differently.
The business created a wellbeing information pack, which contains practical advice to help colleagues manage all aspects of their health. It also gave each colleague £50 to spend on their own or their family's wellbeing and will be introducing a £150 annual wellbeing allowance.
Silva Homes manages a six-acre community garden. It provides an environment to grow produce and engage in activities to support biodiversity and the natural environment. The garden features an orchard, vineyard, polytunnel and three acres of cultivated ground. There are plans for a sensory garden.
During the pandemic, the executive board supported staff working at home by backing three key initiatives: staying informed about the business, keeping in touch with each other and being recognised for personal achievements.
Salix has an unusually high number of female employees: the chief executive and 60% of the managers throughout the organisation are women. Just over a quarter of staff are from BAME backgrounds, with the workforce including staff from all over the world.
Staff were allowed to spend at least one day a week volunteering to help local individuals and community groups during the pandemic. The chief executive clocked up 280 hours of being available to shop and collect medicines for vulnerable adults who were sheltering.
To help staff return to the office, Salix hired parking spaces near its HQ to allow those with a car to drive in. Also it gave staff a £500 bonus to put towards something to help their mental wellbeing, such as yoga classes, while transitioning from working from home.
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SafetyCulture usually holds an annual event called ShipIt, flying all employees off to an international location for a week of collaboration, innovation and learning. It was in New Zealand in 2018. Last year, the Manchester team created its own mini ShipIt hackathon with workshops, speakers, barbecues and activities.
SafetyCulture created a virtual pub called Wolfpack Inn with various rooms for people to join every Friday night to mimic the feeling of going to different bars. It also sent staff monthly gifts, including hampers with champagne and home-baked goods, wellness boxes during Wellness month and Christmas sweaters.
SafetyCulture gave staff two recharge days (paid days off) and introduced “Summer Fridays” where employees finished at 2pm. Staff were sent restaurant DIY kits for the virtual Christmas party and team leads have a quarterly budget to organise team birthday and anniversary gifts and drinks and dinners, currently virtually.
With the 2020 Olympics postponed the virtual risual Olympics was born, formed of cross-divisional teams that sparked communication. The company encouraged all employees to be mentally and physically active during the pandemic, hosting varied activities from running, walking and cycling to reading books, watching films and a guess the baby challenge.
The risual founders took the company's social responsibility a step further in 2020, forming a charitable foundation. Work towards its aim of giving back to people, communities and businesses has already begun with the launch a careers club, designed to help people get back into work by deploying risual employees' knowledge and experience.
Fortunately, risual did not have to make any Covid-related redundancies, and staff on furlough – whose pay was topped up to 100% – remained actively engaged with the business via team meetings, company update calls and daily catch-ups, along with investment in their personal development. All colleagues took part in virtual social events too, such as quizzes and competitions.
An apprenticeship scheme was launched during the pandemic, with seven recruits in the first cohort. The company ran virtual internships over the summer for 12 students and took on seven one-year placement students. Each staff member has a training budget that can be spent on professional courses or academic qualifications.
Recycling Technologies has changed its internet search engine to Ecosia, which spends 80% of its profits on planting trees in some of the harshest environments on Earth. During lockdown, the company supported local care homes with a postcard scheme for residents who could not receive visitors.
Recycling Technologies has a lot of staff from overseas with no family in the UK, so the company provided support such as food deliveries and information about local activities they could enjoy during lockdown. Staff on furlough had a buddy to stay in contact with.
Along with an employee assistance programme and trained mental health first aiders Pure Planet has a Slack channel focused purely on mental, physical and financial wellbeing. Resilience-building videos by an external trainer and free remote yoga sessions have been offered company-wide. 80% of staff took part in a virtual walk from London to Lapland, adding their steps daily to a calculating app.
Pure Planet pays to carbon offset the commute of all employees – a policy that has remained in spite of the transition to remote working since March 2020. Company benefits are environmentally friendly, such a cycle-to-work scheme that includes e-bikes, a green car leasing scheme that supplies only electric vehicles and hybrids and an ethical pension fund.
Pure Planet provided full IT kit for those who needed it during lockdown, and even paid for desks in some cases. Once the initial lockdown lifted 10% of employees could come into the office, under safe social distancing guidelines, if they wanted a change of scenery or peace away from flatmates or family. Everyone gets the same parental leave and pay – regardless of gender, identity or sexual orientation, or whichever way they become a parent.
In the last staff survey in December 2020, 95% of staff agreed senior leaders provide a clear vision of the direction of Premier and 97% agreed they understood the company values of integrity, efficiency, and trust. CEO Alastair Aird says he has “never worked with a leadership group that trusts each other so implicitly”.
Premier raised funds during the first lockdown for the Cavell Nurses Trust, the charity supporting UK nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, both working and retired, when they're suffering a personal or financial crisis often due to illness, disability, domestic abuse and the impact of the coronavirus.
A management development programme, which was delivered in person helped leaders evaluate their own performance and strengthen their skills. Our online platform offers modules to support managers lead hybrid teams and support all employees with their wellbeing. All managers are provided with annual employment law training from our solicitor at JEL.
In addition to a Wellbeing Week and personal resilience and mindset webinars, Porterbrook has promoted free workouts that staff might enjoy doing at home with their and run virtual social events including quizzes. It also arranged regular welfare checks on staff living alone.
In response to Covid-19 Porterbrook increased the limit on its Cycle to Work scheme from £1,000 to £5,000 to encourage staff to bike in. It also installed electric car charging points at its Derby office and is reviewing the company car fleet with a view to being carbon neutral.
An instant values-led recognition scheme has been introduced to recognise staff going above and beyond. Nominations can be made by peers or line managers with the recipient receiving a personalised “thank you” card and shopping vouchers plus a shout out each quarter on the intranet.
The work-hard-play-hard ethic is ingrained at plan.com and the social calendar has remained packed with virtual events that have included cook-a-longs, family fun nights and an awards evening. Surprise gifts from the company, such as care hampers and Easter eggs, have also helped keep team spirit high.
While most large-scale activities happened on Zoom last year, staff at plan.com were able to go ahead with their Santa's on a Bike fundraising event in December – because the Isle of Man was Covid-free. Every employee takes part in the annual charity ride, and in 2020 they raised £31,000 for the Isle of Man hospice.
During the first quarter of 2021 plan.com has focussed on its core values: trust, passion and excellence, harnessing the help of motivational speakers Jason Fox, Ranulph Fiennes and Dame Kelly Holmes to communicate the messages. The quarter's top two ‘weekly heroes' win a luxury trip, which they can jet off on when restrictions allow.
The comprehensive benefits package includes private healthcare, heavily subsidised gym membership and free access to mental health support during the pandemic. Peak Indicators also invests in ensuring that the office is a nice place to work and has also funded yoga and basketball sessions.
Staff donated their time pro bono to help to client Devon County Council identify Covid cases in schools and care homes and helping it streamline practices to avoid duplication across the county. Staff also planted trees as part of an Annual Team Day event (pre pandemic).
A quarterly employee recognition scheme recognises those going the extra mile with online vouchers. Rewards for employees going above and beyond on projects or tasks include restaurant vouchers or bottles of spirits. There are also long service awards for those putting in five or 10 years' service.
A structured in-house training programme complements external courses such as Wine and Spirit Education Trust qualifications. On Peach Adventure Days teams head to big cities such as Manchester and London to soak up the restaurant and bar scenes and gain inspiration for Peach venues.
Most Peach pubs have continued to make meals for homeless people, including turning the pumpkins that would have been used to celebrate Halloween into soup and pasta for them. Some venues have used their facilities for charity or to help local needs in other ways and around 70% of employees have volunteered at some stage during the pandemic.
The past year has brought new ways of working in a pub over and again, with changes implemented fast – from social distancing tables to how to serve ketchup. Peach added cleaners to pub rotas to keep up with new sanitising measures, sourced washable face masks and provided a strong pack of communication tools to help staff deal with challenging guests when The Rule of Six and Tier system came in.
Several informal societies been formed including a Strava group who cycle, run and walk to quizzers, Scrabble players and a Fantasy Premier League. P2 has offered free laptops to employees whose children require them for home schooling and has continued to send staff birthday and special event hampers.
A company-wide bingo night and virtual fundraising events including quiz nights, a charity auction and best and worst Christmas Jumper competitions raised £2,606 for Great Ormond Street Hospital and Alzheimer's Society. Two company-wide competitions - bike riding in June and running in July - brought in £577 for the NHS.
The Employee of the Month, who is nominated by colleagues is awarded £500 and there is Dinner with Phil, the chief executive, for all winners at the end of each quarter. The top three prizes for Employee of the Year range from £500 to £2,000 for the winner.
Weekly training sessions for each team focus on sales-related group coaching, while lunch-and-learns incorporate more ‘life' elements – such as how to buy a house or understanding credit ratings – tailored to support young employees. Team members are brought up through the business under the guidance of director Richard Eggleston and new managers receive both in-house and external training.
Colleagues recorded congratulatory videos for each other to celebrate achievements and special occasions such as birthdays and work anniversaries during lockdown. A daily social group call helped keep team spirits lifted, plus there were quizzes, bingo nights and virtual games.
Sales-focused though Optimus Search is, not only financial big hitting earns rewards; every month a different incentive award recognises contributions in areas such as going above and beyond to help colleagues or reaching non-financial goals. Rewards include extra holidays, vouchers, a gift of choice or points towards the next incentive trip.
Open Doors gives all staff the chance to go on a ministry trip to give them an insight into the experience of Christians oppressed for their faith. Trips are held in work time and are paid for by the charity, although fewer have gone ahead during Covid.
Online events providing a sense of community and fun have included a secret Santa, a crisp-tasting tournament and a knitting and crochet group. The usual two-day staff retreat was replaced with small group walks. These were held near people's homes, in line with Covid regulations.
All salaries and benefits have been reviewed and a fair pay policy and job evaluation process introduced. This has resulted in most staff receiving a pay rise, benefits being streamlined and the gender pay gap being removed. A full-time learning and development specialist has been appointed.
Furloughed staff were provided with industry-specific and regulatory training, with workshops on productivity, communication and wellbeing. Line managers and team leaders were offered training on managing remote teams and across the business there was a learning package that featured LinkedIn courses, TED Talks and documentaries.
Employees were encouraged to stay healthy during the pandemic, with virtual exercise classes twice a week and a run club set up on Strava. Company-wide meetings were held focusing on mental health in the workplace, and there was a stress reduction course.
Induction Week for new recruits is now an entirely virtual experience. IT equipment is sent to their home and setup is assisted remotely. Microsoft Teams chats allow newcomers to ask questions and meet their colleagues, and there is time for an occasional Kahoot! session.
The #OneFileinNature initiative encourages every employee to spend an hour outdoors during daylight each day to nurture their health. The company has paid for wellbeing apps to encourage activities such as yoga and meditation and puts on Zumba classes during the working day.
OneFile provides career advice and work experience to BAME females, a group under-represented in the technology sector. Clothes are donated to a charity that helps people in poverty dress smartly for job interviews and extra tea and coffee is given to a homeless shelter.
The company's monthly staff award has been renamed the Lorraine Berry award, in memory of its Learning and Development Manager, a dear colleague who passed away last year. CEO Susanna sends gift tokens as a thank you to employees who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic.
Every year Naked Wines sends six budding future leaders on a four day Happy Leadership course. Two employees who attended the course have since been promoted to Head of Partnerships and Head of Continuous Improvement. Two rising stars have been supported to study for an MBA at the local university.
Employees get one day paid leave a year to support the local community from volunteering to giving blood and cleaning up local beaches. It also raises money every month for winemaker Carmen Stevens to run a soup kitchen for disadvantaged children in South Africa.
During the pandemic the company introduced the Naked Treat Box, as a way of boosting community and rewarding one another. Everyone gets to nominate one person every quarter and write them a message of appreciation which goes in the box containing locally sourced goodies.
Wellbeing Wednesday prompted discussions on the potential of using the communication tool Workplace. Employees engaged with this and the charity was able to share images of activities in the work setting, which could be accessed by those who were on furlough or working from home.
Information about the effects of the pandemic and public health guidelines was sent to colleagues on a weekly basis on what became known as Wellbeing Wednesday. Emails were used to encourage people to look after their health and wellbeing, providing links to useful websites.
Managers had regular monthly reviews during the pandemic and continued with scheduled one-to-one sessions. The senior management team held meetings via Zoom and kept their colleagues informed about coronavirus-related developments. The charity operated its training and development, independent mentoring and coaching schemes.
The business stepped up its online communication with all staff when it moved to fully remote working last year. Managers took the initiative in providing information and support, answering questions in video chats and emails. Its wellbeing Slack channel has never been more active.
The management structure at Made Tech is based on coaching and mentoring. Guidance for line managers has been written into its handbook to ensure everyone knows how to get someone promoted or handle the annual review and pay increases. Staff wellbeing is central to decision-making.
As part of its approach to hiring staff, Lifeplus creates short videos that summarise a job role and use this when reaching out to potential talent to stimulate a conversation. It also makes use of social spaces to showcase the company's culture and people.
The company helped staff to cope with feelings of uncertainty during the pandemic, using podcasts explaining the nature of anxiety and some CBT-based techniques. It also encouraged people to focus on their listening and noticing skills when using video-based online communication.
Managing Director Malcolm Vincent encourages colleagues to share knowledge and inspire people to care about their holistic health and overall wellbeing, so that they can lead healthier lives. The guiding principle at Lifeplus is to help people feel good and its vision is to help everyone around the world live well.
The bespoke Launch programme caters for people's individual learning needs. Each employee is assigned to a course which they complete over a number of months. The delivery is increasingly and sometimes wholly online, using tools such as Zoom to ensure content is delivered in an engaging manner.
The LHi Global Challenge, launched during Mental Health Awareness Week, connected people across the group and encouraged them to run, walk or cycle. During the pandemic there were virtual race nights, escape rooms, bingo, quizzes, workout classes, coffee breaks, book clubs and guitar lessons.
For anyone who was furloughed, the company organised training through the learning and development team and worked closely with their managers to ease them back into work. It encouraged every employee on furlough to learn a new skill that could support them on their return to work.
Lane4's Magic Mondays business updates are now held virtually, with the leadership team joining the sessions. A monthly extended leadership forum includes all heads of department and above and allows for an hour's discussion on topics key to the company.
Company Days are held three times a year where everyone comes together for business updates, the opportunity to network and to have a bit of fun. Online social activities such as talent shows, coffee connects, pet pageants, cook-alongs and garden walk-arounds all also attracted good levels of attendance and feedback.
Many company leaders have completed the Lane4 Coaching Performance Excellence programme, accredited by Middlesex University, and the Trans4m Programme was launched in 2017 to support new leaders transitioning into their first people-management role. Each course takes six to nine months and is designed and delivered by Lane4 consultants and senior managers.
Kyan has two ways of recognising employees: a bonus linked to performance against living the company's values and a less formal "thank you" where staff are encouraged to thank team members on a personal level with surprise gifts such as a book or a new mug.
All team members have a self-directed development budget. Training and development is flexible and can involve studying team coaching and board dynamics at Henley Business School, training in practical skills via HubSpot Academy or having a go at improv to help with presentation skills.
The company's values, which drive recruitment and its recognition and review process, are embraced by everyone but the senior team sets an example. Geekiness is about employees' passion for understanding what they do; generosity is about being generous with time to help people; drive is about commitment to action.
Kilburn & Strode is working on a transparent pay grid for its team of IP administrators. Last Easter all staff received a £25 gift card to buy something that would enhance their wellbeing.
Last year, the firm partnered with The Access Project, which helps disadvantaged young people gain access to university. Staff volunteer as tutors. The project found the programme boosted GCSE results by more than half a grade in the tutored subject and increased the chances of getting a place at a top university four-fold.
The firm created a new job title for its 30 secretaries who were feeling undervalued. In collaboration with them, it came up with a title that worked better for them and a pathway that formalised progression.
All employees receive a bonus based on personal and company achievements. In addition to this, all sales employees have an incentive scheme and earn commission payments based on their sales. To keep KGA people safe everyone completed a home-working risk assessment and there were appropriate Covid-19 evaluations for the office.
The Kenneth and Susan Green Charitable Foundation was formed about 10 years ago and KGA is a long-term partner of Look Good Feel Better, an international charity that provides free workshops and services for individuals struggling with the visual effects of cancer treatment. Kenneth has served on the Board of Trustees for over 25 years.
KGA implements the relevant actions that it gathers from each company survey. The last survey that was run was a feedback questionnaire on the KGA Community, where employees were able to share their thoughts on current communication strategies and on what they would like to see. This resulted in newsletters providing more uplifting content.
Covid-19 placed huge concern and worry on the global workforce, so Kagool reassured its people on a personal and a professional level. Safety for staff and their loved ones was paramount and supported with a family-first approach. With the seismic impact of the coronavirus on the global economy, employees were reassured about job security.
All results of surveys are shared with the internal staff working group. In response to the feedback, a more flexible working system will be rolled out when employees start to return to the office – if, indeed, coming in is what they prefer. The agency has also reviewed holiday policies and created social interaction strategies via in-house tools.
At the start of the pandemic, all managers went through coaching sessions in relation to supporting their teams. This continued in a more 1:1 way as the year progressed. Knowing that the company's close-knit departments work so well together and support each other was a positive during some of the more difficult times.
There are a number of local recognition schemes in place within the organisation, tailored to the employee base and types of roles those employees perform. They include a Hi 5 or HUB hug as a way of saying thank you, as well as other monthly and quarterly awards where vouchers can be won.
Development opportunities include in-role development, coaching, mentoring and in normal times face-to-face training programmes. The company also provides LinkedIn Learning membership to all employees and has launched a management development apprenticeship for people managers. They also run regular lunch and learns on topics from Dementia Friends to Plain English.
Just has signed up to the Race at Work charter, each member of the executive team has a personal objective to support its diversity and inclusion agenda and the firm has also established a network of D&I Champions to drive forward its strategy in each business area.
For its software and development teams, iVendi listened to feedback and chose to conduct a trial on remote working for the foreseeable future. This means that half of the company's workforce is now remote working and it appears to be working well.
Two days of paid leave have been offered to employees to volunteer in the local community and there has been a big uptake during the pandemic. One volunteer spent the time building a website for a charity to give them online presence. The company facilitated staff donations to food banks as well as providing toys.
Through the pandemic, the leadership team has provided daily updates as well as weekly catch-ups for those on furlough. It has provided additional training for furloughed staff to help them keep active and avoid mental health decline. Their salaries were also topped up to 100%.
While working from home in winter, Internet Fusion introduced "Winter Hours". This was permission for staff to get out and enjoy the winter sun in the middle of the day for up to two hours. They were allowed to make up the time at the start or end of the day.
The company works closely with and supports #2minutebeachclean, a campaign to clear rubbish from our beaches, which has been featured on BBC news. It also works with its partner Protect Our Winters UK, which aims to speed up the transition to being carbon neutral.
After a long period of mergers and acquisitions, the company is revising its values, but sustainability and care of the planet remain at the forefront. Areas that have been focused on for improvement are consistent company communication, learning and development opportunities and providing fun activities.
Online training courses are readily available and those taking part are rewarded with £50. There is regular customer service and compliance training, and performance is monitored on a daily basis with live data. All senior managers sit amongst their teams so friendly advice is never too far.
Staff taking part in The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, a 24-mile, 5200ft climb across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, raised more than £20,000 for a local hospice. Ice Comms also offsets its carbon emissions with a tree planting scheme, which employees will be able to partake in.
Annual awards and ‘Spin to Win' vouchers thank brilliant staff with holidays, electrical gadgets, days off and lie ins. Ice Comms' entire operations team were given a £500 voucher at Christmas in recognition of the especially challenging time they have had. Senior managers sit amongst their teams to improve communication.
Every month, teams use a specially-created app to put forward two members who they think have done an outstanding job, in accordance with company values, for the “Huel Of Fame.” Senior managers choose two employees every month for a £1,000 award.
1% of company profit is given to initiatives that support sustainable nutrition such as Eat Forum, a science-based initiative aiming to transform the global food system. Employees are to be encouraged, once the pandemic is over, to give a working day per year to tree planting or working at a food bank.
Huel says it likes to have fun in the workplace and has set up “amusement alliances” of three people from each office to run social events for six months, giving them a budget and project management responsibility that encourages negotiating and presentational skills.
Hallam has three training tracks: leadership, specialist, and consultant. During the pandemic Hallam delivered comprehensive training including a reading programme and online courses in assertiveness, machine learning and design. It also launched a programme called Unity to promote integrated working and communication.
Hallam's mental health and wellbeing programme includes trained mental health first aiders, free counselling, training on resilience, meditation and purpose, and access to peer coaching. Hallam also works to create an atmosphere of psychological safety and a culture that encourages a sense of unity and togetherness.
Hallam has a social channel dedicated towards recognising achievements where employees can nominate one another for going the extra mile or being a great colleague. At the weekly get together the person with the most nominations receives a prize, usually a gift card or a day trip.
Haines Watts promotes employee development by showcasing stories of those who have completed its award-winning talent programmes which earned it Silver for Employee Training and Development at the UK Employee Experience Awards in 2020. The Leadership Development Programme has transformed learning and development at the firm.
During Stress Awareness Week one of the managing partners shared his story about his mental health and this year Haines Watts has run a national mindfulness training programme and staff also took part in quizzes, yoga and fitness initiatives to boost morale.
To thank its team members in the north east for their efforts, commitment and resilience during an unusual year Haines Watts stopped work on a Wednesday afternoon and encouraged everyone to do something they enjoyed and had afternoon tea delivered to their homes.
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All training programmes have continued during the pandemic during which time 30% of Goodstuffers gained a qualification from the industry's governing body, the IPA. Development opportunities include Manager's Academy, a six-month programme for all managers and regular all-agency training talks which everyone is encouraged to attend.
In addition to mental health workshops, staff have free access to online fitness classes, and Goodstuff launched an agency 'Couch to 5k' group. It also ran a Feelgood Week, with activities including a crafty cuppa, one on one mindfulness sessions, a nutritionist talk and financial planning advice.
In 2020, as part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion Goodstuff launched its D&I network: the Do the Right Thing Council. The Council is made up of eight working groups covering different areas of diversity each spearheaded by a Partner in a leadership role.
Motivated and dedicated teams work well together, supporting each other and encouraging each other. Empowerment and a strong team spirit are embedded in the culture.
Last year, Fresenius Kabi Germany gave €20,000 (£17,400) to the GoBanyo initiative which helps homeless people in Hamburg. The GoBanyo shower bus offers people the opportunity to shower free of charge and supply themselves with clean towels, clothes and hygiene products.
Fresenius Kabi encourages an open-minded creative can-do culture that offers employees of diverse cultures and backgrounds a wide range of fulfilling and challenging career and personal growth opportunities, domestically and internationally.
The bonus scheme is based on company performance and individual performance against personal objectives. As 2020 was such great year, everyone achieved more than 100% of their bonus with the managing directors giving everyone another 10% to recognise the great efforts and achievements during such an extraordinary year.
As well as carrying on with the normal work-based coaching and development during the pandemic, the firm boosted staff skills in Excel, project management and innovation and launched a management training programme. Freixenet Copestick also provides a weekly recruitment update to showcase opportunities across the company.
Managing directors encouraged staff to take lunch breaks and gave everyone an afternoon off to relax and do something fun instead of working. Each member of the leadership team also headed up a team in the 24 days of advent challenge completing 24 minutes of physical activity every day.
Last year Fourth Floor Creative conducted a pay review and gave a pay increase to employees who had been with the company for longer than a year and passed their probation and it is planning to hold a company summer party whenever it can get the whole team together.
Fourth Floor Creative introduced an anonymous wellbeing support line and established a Wellbeing Warriors employee group who coordinates inclusive activities from book clubs, gaming nights and Friday night meets at the 'Online Arms' to daily #watercoolers online chats, a lunchtime scavenger hunt, pancakes and pumpkin carving
Chief executive, Rich Keith and chief operating officer, Catherine Cheetham, have weekly or bi-weekly 1-2-1s with all managers offering coaching and mentoring and making sure they are listened to and supported. They also operate an “open door” culture with no need for people to wait for meetings.
As an alternative to its annual ForaFest weekend away, the company sent staff food and drinks and organised a pizza cook-along, cocktail making class and interactive activities including musical Bingo. It also announced the winners of the Golden Palm awards for outstanding contribution.
Fora encourages biodiversity by building bat boxes, beehives and bird houses and ensures plants in its gardens are bee friendly. Fora only buys food or toiletries that are free from palm oil as well as local produce from ethically sourced suppliers and it uses renewable energy for its electricity.
Every month two staff exemplifying the company values are presented with champagne and shopping voucher by chief executive, Enrico Sanna, at the all-company update and Fora has a “Team Takeover” every fortnight where different departments create some entertainment for the company on that day
The organisational development team has delivered a full learning and development programme over the course of the pandemic, opting to embrace online methods and rolling out Zoom and Skype training. Managers asked for feedback and found that many people preferred the virtual learning experience.
Staff can get discounts at hundreds of retailers and hospitality venues through a Reward Gateway account. Winners of the authority's popular quarterly recognition scheme, who are nominated by colleagues for their commitment to key values such as Customer First, also receive £25 vouchers.
The council offers internships, work experience placements and apprenticeships, which can lead to a full-time job. It recently initiated a scheme with the University of Kent to develop a talent pipeline for the planning department and successfully recruited newcomers into graduate planning roles.
Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Yapster, its in-house comms platform, were useful tools in helping drive engagement while the bulk of the Flat Iron workforce was on furlough. Weekly quizzes, Zoom Friday beer meetings and cooking competitions with everyone voting for their favourite dish became a weekly event.
Pre-pandemic, Flat Iron had selected Bread and Water for Africa, which helps to provide food, education and healthcare to some of the world's most deprived and vulnerable children, as its lead charity. Its second principal good cause was Cool Earth, which fights climate change – the company being conscious that beef production is part of the story.
When a director joins the company they spend time on the shopfloor getting to know the business and meeting people across all sites for a wider understanding of the business and to increase approachability. All senior managers post updates and interesting facts about their roles on the in-house platforms.
FHA has always invested significantly in training and development even in challenging periods and last year it introduced a Leading Change Programme, open to all while 30 staff took up the opportunity to increase their skills and qualifications through apprenticeship programmes.
Teams have had coffee mornings, quizzes and opportunities to just talk about how they are feeling with support from Time to Change Champions and they have been encouraged to take a walk during their breaks to appreciate nature with WhatsApp groups featuring different activities and beautiful views from across Wales.
The organisation showed its work family it cared during the pandemic with paid days off to recognise the contribution they had made, thank you days focussed on fun and wellbeing plus treat bags accompanied by a note of appreciation from Chief Executive, Marcia Sinfield.
During lockdown in place of the usual monthly staff lottery which has a £100 prize, Fair Ways introduced a quarterly lottery where employees can win a £1,000 for a holiday of their choice. Staff can also now choose how they would best like to work in the future.
During the pandemic Fair Ways set up internal and external Help Squads to support vulnerable members of staff and the local community. Fair Ways staff helped colleagues or their families with shopping and picking up prescriptions and organised the donation of over 1,000 items to local food banks.
Fair Ways believes the key to successful, motivated and engaged teams is having an inspiring and supportive leader. In addition to the management development training programme, which includes external training and coaching sessions, there are regular drop in masterclasses on topics from culture and supporting organisational change to coaching for managers.
Mental and physical wellbeing have been at the centre of everything Everflow has done for its employees since the pandemic began. Mental health courses, informal virtual get-togethers and quizzes were supplemented by a cycle-to-work scheme and encouraging exercise during daylight hours for those working from home.
The company calculates that by being exclusively paperless, it avoids using 2 million pieces of paper a year on traditional billing and envelopes. It also helps the environment by providing smart meters and giving advice to customers on saving water and preventing blockages.
After carrying out a project on collaboration within the business, in which every employee had their say, it launched multiple communication channels. It found some people preferred to listen at work and others to discuss, some to read and others to watch, and adapted its approach accordingly.
The new Mental Health & Wellbeing Committee organise activities including cooking, book clubs, yoga and strength classes and Strava running and cycling clubs with prizes as incentives. Employees are also encouraged to use their flexi-time to get away from their desks and go on walks and runs.
During the pandemic EngageTech staff were given time off to support the NHS volunteer scheme, delivering medicines and acting as a social point of contact for people shielding. For Mental Health Month employees picked a daily fitness challenge and secured sponsorship, raising more than £5,000 for various mental health charities.
The Women at EngageTech group was launched to reflect the growing number of females in the business. As well as a chat channel for regular socials and catch-up calls the group meets once a month to discuss relevant issues and more women are consequently now involved in late stage interviews.
Employees can recognise their colleagues in a “Wheel of Heroes” initiative, to tell them how appreciated it was when they helped out. Names go into a draw and the winner gets to spin the Wheel of Heroes for prizes of anything from £1 toilet roll to £100 or a day's holiday.
EKM has donated to various charities over the past year, including Save the Children. The company also works closely with local schools and CEO Antony has given speeches by video link to classes on building your own business.
A RISE values system – do the Right thing; make a positive Impact; keep it Simple; and always Evolve – shapes the EKM culture and attract the best new talent, recruited mainly using job boards, LinkedIn, and by scouting Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduate fairs.
The Society launched a wellbeing campaign, challenging staff to doing 30 minutes of exercise for 30 days, creating some healthy competition and it also provided weekly open Tea and Talk sessions with an independent counsellor. Support is also available from 14 mental health first aiders.
Employees responded to the local NHS Heroes campaign by putting together care packages for their local hospital and each branch supported one care home locally sending a box of goodies to entertain and treat the residents. Employees have also been supporting the vulnerable in the community.
The Society held its annual awards night in May via Zoom and sent everyone a box of treats to enjoy during the evening and even roped in the partners of Employee of the Year and Manager of the Year to surprise them with champagne and flowers.
The business likes to send physical things through the post to remind people that it appreciates them. This includes small birthday presents, quarterly deliveries of a director-chosen gift – a bottle of wine, chocolate, beauty products, dependant on individual preferences. Several sets of hand-packed care boxes also went out.
Development was ongoing for all staff during the pandemic and was, in fact, strengthened to levels higher than previous years. This included training with the company's tooling partners; LinkedIn Learning; in-house courses; lunch-and-learn sessions; and staff obtaining formal qualifications such as Six Sigma and Prince 2 certification.
The management team has weekly meetings to discuss all operational aspects of the business including the impact of Covid. In April, the company appointed an education and training lead who works across the whole organisation assessing and addressing development needs.
DRS hosts regular events including team lunches and sent employees thank you hampers in recognition of their hard work. Regular thanks and recognition is given in weekly 1-2-1s, quarterly reviews and annual appraisals. Perks include free massages, a discount app and corporate gym memberships.
DRS funds additional qualification and training which has recently included German lessons to help an employee with negotiations in Germany and a diploma in resourcing and talent planning for another member of the team. Soft skill courses also contribute to personal and professional development.
The leadership team's calm, positive and transparent handling of the challenges created by the pandemic instilled camaraderie among staff and inspired peer to peer support. Staff were encouraged to maintain contact with the leadership team and each other and to get involved in social events including weekly coffee catch-ups.
The Knowing Diabetes programme ensures staff continue to learn more about diabetes with a range of external speakers giving a talk every two months. New learning opportunities have included half-hour Five Things I Learnt About sessions and staff-led French and German speaking circles which ran over the summer.
The charity created virtual spaces for staff to talk about how they were doing, learn about wellbeing and keep in touch. It also held a Wellbeing Week and a virtual “at the coffee machine sessions” for people to “drop in” and talk about whatever they wanted.
Staff can nominate colleagues who have been particularly helpful with a project or gone out of their way to provide a service for a Thank you Award with the recipient receiving a £25 voucher that can be redeemed against a wide range of retailers and leisure activities.
The Strive Towards Excellence Programme (STEP Ahead) provides personal and behavioural development opportunities through collaborative learning in line with evolving managerial pathways. The programme is founded on the values, stories and people-focused culture of Curtins and how this is demonstrated through leadership.
A survey helped managers to understand where the teams were struggling during lockdown and how they felt they could get support. It also helped the business to develop a picture of what people were doing to promote good mental health, so that it could be shared and celebrated.
Curtins promotes collaboration, encouraging virtual teams and engagement in central initiatives driven by staff working groups or forums, using social and digital platforms to create dynamic learning practices and knowledge transfer. Reverse mentoring is a pioneering initiative where junior staff partner with senior management.
Monthly “Outstanding Awards” recognise staff going above and beyond. Employees can be nominated by their peers or by managers for demonstrating outstanding work in line with the charity's values. The winner receives a gift voucher and are celebrated in the staff monthly newsletter along with all nominees.
Staff placed on furlough have received regular “check-ins” from their line managers to keep them in touch with what's going on, give them updates on organisational changes and support their wellbeing. Staff also have access to an Employee Advice Programme which includes a 24/7 support line and online resources.
Managers have been supported throughout the pandemic with weekly teams meetings and by pairing up with colleagues for peer mentoring and support. In offices where support bubbles have been set up managers know they have colleagues to work alongside and to call upon for help and advice.
This year, Croner has been awarded Platinum Trusted Service status by Feefo, an independent market research organisation, which recognises businesses that go above and beyond to provide a consistently excellent service and dedicate themselves to exceeding customer expectations for at least three years in a row.
A Next Leaders programme supports employee development by teaching the specific skills needed for managerial roles. It provides tailored mentoring to educate and prepare individuals for a particular position. Line managers and departmental managers are coached on different areas such as client satisfaction, team building and teamwork.
Many of the managers have risen through the ranks to achieve senior positions, meaning their knowledge and understanding of their departments is unrivalled. That makes them well-equipped to implement the most effective incentives, performance strategies and wellbeing activities for their teams.
The Society's bonus scheme is based on its performance across measures including member service, people and community engagement and risk management. The scheme recognises that all employees contribute to and should share in the Society's success and they all receive the same percentage of their salary, 10% last year.
A Society dog show which got hundreds of entries and a Whodunnit competition were among the many innovative events that kept employees' spirits high last year. Staff also took part in fancy dress team meetings, quizzes, photo and baking competitions, virtual breakfasts and a book group.
When Steve Hughes started as chief executive in April 2020 there was no option to meet people face to face so he did it virtually through weekly Zoom coffee breaks, attending team meetings and webinars. By the end of December, he had also Zoomed with people from all 69 branches.
To boost morale, get people together and help support each other and share experiences, employees set up a range of fitness, cooking and cake-making clubs. People can drop in to Weekly Cake Tuesday on Teams, an open forum for staff to share news.
Employees volunteered their time to help out in the kitchen at Winchester Churches Nightshelter on a regular basis last year. At Christmas, Clevertouch employees also raised £250 to provide the residents of two moving-on homes with everything they needed for a festive feast.
To spread some Christmas cheer, the firm held an online Christmas party which involved a wine tasting for employees and their partners. All employees also received a hamper, a John Lewis voucher and a thank you note in appreciation of their hard work in 2020.
Inspirational speakers from totally different fields are invited to share their stories with staff as part of Citypress's wellbeing strategy. In 2020, these included Lord (John) Bird of The Big Issue and Simon Binns of LadBible. Board games and book clubs encourage staff to take a proper break at lunchtime.
The agency makes 40% of its operating profit available for performance-related bonus rewards, and last year the whole team received a bonus for outstanding contribution. Everyone receives a £500 cash bonus at Christmas, and there are one-off bonuses of up to £1,000 for exceptional performance.
The senior leadership team are focused on remaining active practitioners – more than 60% of their time is spent doing client work. They work directly alongside the team, integrating themselves by hot-desking. This helps them to retain credibility and lead by example.
Christian Housing believes in developing its staff internally through individual training or job shadowing. Staff are given the opportunity to “act up” as managers to cover maternity leave or sickness absence. E-learning sessions on GDPR, whistleblowing, business continuity planning and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are available.
Every month, employees are invited to an ‘All Hands' Zoom meeting with senior managers providing business updates and providing an open forum for questions. Weekly virtual coffee meetings are held for colleagues to chat informally and a staff member runs weekly mindfulness video calls.
The mission is to be a housing association motivated by Christian and social concern to create places where people want to live, invests in good quality housing and provides affordable support and servicesthat are accessible to those in housing need.
During lockdown Cello Health has regularly sent employees treat boxes containing games and activities,stationary to use for work and special treats including chocolates and champagne. Employees who are recognised for going above and beyond for their clients and colleagues have been rewarded with gift vouchers and additional time off.
For the last three years Cello Health has been supporting The Trussell Trust and its foodbanks including throughout lockdown. Cello Health also held virtual fundraisers including a bake-off and charity quiz and donated £10,000 to Findacure, a charity which supports people with rare diseases.
The Cello Academy has been running for 14 years and connects all of the Cello businesses through the process of management learning and development and includes The Aspire Programme for new managers, The Inspire Programme aimed at mid-level managers and project leaders and The Senior Leaders Programme.
Christmas hampers were to every employee to thank them for support and efforts over the past year and retail and customer service teams held a range of events from quiz nights to dress-up & exercise classes to keep teams motivated and positive.
Over the last year Bravissimo's warehouse has recycled 72 tonnes of bailed cardboard, 17.3 tonnes of polythene, and 16.4 tonnes of tissue paper. The Product team have donated leftover textiles in an initiative that has meant local schools have been able to use the materials for Art lessons.
Responding to the Black Lives Matter campaign Bravissimo create digital listening groups to hear personal accounts of discrimination experienced by employees and has launched a Diversity & Inclusion committee to ensure it is more representative in all it does from its marketing and models, product range, recruitment and team diversity.
To keep his teams connected, amused and fed, CEO David Ball set up ‘Doughballs', which invited in-work and furloughed staff to bake treats on Zoom. With yeast hard to find, Bell sourced supplies and sent them out to those who needed them. ‘Doughballer of the Week' has become a desirable accolade.
The first creative agency in the UK to achieve ISO accreditation for sustainability at both in-person and digital events, Brandfuel has appointed a sustainability ambassador to ensure the issue remains central to company culture. The agency helped found ISLA, a not-for-profit alliance promoting environmental best practice in the events industry.
Managers are tasked with building effective teams with clear objectives, focus and delivery and are provided with generous training budgets to allow team members to embrace new skills and ideas. Individual performances are managed, monitored and celebrated using KPIs and measurable goals.
When senior managers noticed that some staff were struggling with home working and isolation during the lockdowns, they set up a virtual social calendar which had events, challenges and drop-in sessions. On the agenda were coffee catch-ups, photo competitions, virtual bingo and virtual escape room.
Every Monday, on all social media channels, a ‘Meet The Team' campaign showcases one employee, who explains what their role is and shares some of their home life. The aim is to show that behind ‘Making Technology Human' is a human being.
The senior leadership team communicates with staff through company-wide meetings every quarter, which involve Q&A sessions where staff can choose to be anonymous. They spoke one-to-one to every employee at the start of the pandemic and set up weekly management calls to ensure the flow of information through the business.
Before Covid-19 restrictions, staff enjoyed getting together out of work for karting and white-water rafting. Although social events were forced online during 2020, team members have stayed on their toes by competing in fitness events, and relaxed by sharing virtual Friday afternoon drinks.
Boss has worked with Streamz, a London youth charity, for three years and its employees contribute to the cause not only through donations but by helping young people develop their CVs and advising them on how to interview well. The company is also the main sponsor for Hartley Wintney Football Club in Hampshire.
The results from staff surveys have been shared with employees and in 2020 the company tackled feedback about hiccups in communication by ensuring that all staff members can raise issues directly with the leadership team.
Senior managers made the decision to move to bigger premises to ensure futurecompliance with social distancing at work. With social responsibility high on the agenda, it recently invested £4 million on manufacturing equipment that will cut dependence on overseas products and reduce its carbon footprint.
BLK Box has introduced a monthly Most Valuable Player award in which employees are able to vote for the colleague they believe goes above and beyond their role. The winner is announced at a team meeting and receives a £100 voucher of their choice.
Managers are given free access to LinkedIn Learning and other platforms to enhance their leadership skills with effective practices and tips passed on during monthly management meetings. Senior managers were given the opportunity to attend a Business Mastery event which focused on studying innovative approaches used by successful industry leaders.
Wellbeing food and drink boxes were given to staff during the pandemic to raise morale. They also received a luxury Christmas food hamper, delivered to their homes, as well as a £250 bonus for working hard throughout a difficult year.
Bishop Fleming continues to support national charity Young Enterprise, which reduces youth unemployment by giving young people work-related skills, by providing financial, volunteer and board level support across all its regions. Each office chooses a local charity to support through fund-raising and expertise.
An employee forum, Your Say, with representatives from all offices meets regularly to discuss and feed back questions to senior management. Through Yammer, staff are invited to post positive updates, ideas, activities and the way they are handling lockdowns to ensure they keep connected to colleagues.
Female members of the sales team hosted a successful session to promote diversity and inclusion, focusing on the challenges faced in some areas of the business. Similar sessions are planned for departments perceived to be male-dominated, such as IT and finance, to encourage more women to apply.
Bibby believes attracting, retaining and developing its people is the key to continuing success. A coaching programme, led by the executive committee, is dedicated to continuous improvement of all employees, developing teams that are highly-focused to achieve results.
Formal management development is supported through both internal and external programmes, leading to professional qualifications. During the pandemic, Bibby introduced specific training on how to manage colleagues remotely. An Aspiring Manager programme offers colleagues an opportunity to learn basic managerial skills, performance management and supporting wellbeing.
Communication pods were set up after the pandemic started to ensure staff kept in contact with their teams and allow managers to check, informally, how everyone was doing. This helped managers to identify people who were struggling to work from home and put in place measures to support them.
BHP provided online pilates classes for staff working at home. It also introduced a fortnightly mindfulness/meditation session, delivered on Zoom by a wellbeing professional. This was held during work hours, and recorded for use later by staff who could not join in because of other commitments.
The joint managing partners held regular webinars during the pandemic to keep all members of the team updated on the business and other topics, such as Covid safety. Staff were able to raise questions, anonymously if they preferred, and the managing partners made sure every question was answered.
Best Companies survey feedback indicated that staff wanted better organisational clarity and an understanding of how each team contributed to Benenden's objectives. In response, each employee now receives a document that includes strategic objectives, key results areas, key performance indicators and each department's objectives for the year.
Benenden's sponsorship of York City Football Club Foundation helped the Sporting Memories group, set up for older fans of the club, to hold vital social get-togethers online after the pandemic started. The Benenden Health Community Fund supported projects including food banks and cookery workshops for young people.
A new interaction and communication platform, called Connect, has been created to bring all managers together virtually. This allows them to contribute and discuss business priorities, but also provides a “safe space” for them to discuss challenges and support each other.
The agency has launched a BBH Parent Network, an advice site with its own interactive feed for working parents to connect and share tips and advice based on their own experiences of working from home. BBH Satellite was launched to connect colleagues living in the same area for non-work-related chats.
With many new recruits joining remotely, the People Team created a Virtual Onboarding Programme to help new employees to settle in their new roles despite not physically meeting their line manager or future colleagues. They were also paired with BBH ‘buddies' to assist their integration.
A mini MBA programme is a bespoke training scheme, created with London Business School, in which 20-25 future leaders take a two-week residential course to develop their leadership style and understand their future role in the agency, in terms of building internal and external relationships and acquiring enhanced management skills.
With training crucial to safe operations, training specialists were instructed on Zoom and Kahoot to use whiteboards, breakout rooms and polls to keep their courses intact online. An Advanced Carer programme was adopted with 400 people accessing training, including giving medication, in case of a qualified nurse shortage.
Employees share in the commercial success of their care home/hospital through an annual profit share scheme. A Rewarding Excellence scheme financially recognises the contribution of every employee in receiving a good or excellent regulatory rating. More than 1,000 key nursing staff had their NMC membership fee paid.
Nine homes are ranked “outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission and Barchester has been placed in the Top 20 Large Care Home Groups on carehome.co.uk for four consecutive years. In-house Barchester Care Awards recognise excellenct performance in teams across the company's 236 homes and six mental health hospitals.
Development needs are assessed on an individual basis, with generous study support packages for those wishing to pursue professional qualifications. Group development sessions and 1:1 coaching are available throughout the year and there is a leadership development programme for an identified high-potential group.
During the pandemic, the company donated 15% of initial fees taken from all investment products to its Helping Hands initiative to supply 17,000 hand creams to frontline NHS workers, ambulance trusts, care homes and schools across the UK. Gifting is set to continue via a percentage raised in this way.
Triple Point anticipates a mindset change in relation to flexible working but has not formalised this yet. In between lockdowns, people were allowed back to the office on a recommended but discretionary basis, which suited different people's wants and needs, and maintained a hub for employees to connect.
All learning and development moved to a virtual setting within a fortnight of the March 2020 lockdown and Rapport has hosted training every day since. With over 12,500 hours completed content has covered more than just customer service and courses have taken a holistic approach encompassing financial, mental and emotional wellbeing.
As allies to the LGBTQIA+ community Rapport held events to recognise Transgender Awareness in November and during Pride Month it shared messages of acceptance, empowerment and compassion. On National Coming Out Day it partnered with the myGwork business community for a social media campaign #IAmOutAtWork where some Rapport employees proudly shared personalised graphics to mark the day.
Rapport works with WOW! Awards to uncover personal, individual stories of outstanding service by its employees. Its favourites are published in the Rapport Inspire book – which sits in the British library. All new starters get a copy to introduce them to Rapport's values and exceptional people.
Staff have a well-equipped breakout room to unwind in, complete with a newly stocked games console, ping pong table, air hockey and an arcade games machine. At the weekly online quiz a name was picked at random from a hat to decide who would be quizmaster next, a tradition that Prestige has kept.
For every pound of weight that employees lost during an eight-week fitness programme this year, Prestige Telecom donated £5 to charity. Senior managers and directors also took part in a ration challenge, in which they ate the same food a Syrian refugee is allocated, to help Concern Worldwide raise over £1.5m.
To give employee an engagement a boost during lockdown staff created videos of themselves covering the famous Beatles song Here Comes the Sun and competed in a virtual Olympics. When the videos were premiered Prestige sent everyone popcorn to enjoy as they watched them.
PeoplePlus has launched an internal management development programme, called Improve to be the Best, for every line manager. The four-week programme is focused on employee engagement and the service-profit chain. The company also offers a range of internal apprenticeships leading to recognised management qualifications.
PeoplePlus has a long-running partnership with the Prince's Trust, which includes staff donating the pence from their salaries to the charity via the Pennies From Heaven scheme. Also, employees receive a paid day off for volunteering, which many used last year to offer pandemic-related help to charities and local people.
The monthly Simply the Best awards honour staff who have demonstrated PeoplePlus's three trademarks – True North, Own It, Improve to be the Best. Winners receive a financial award and an invitation to the annual awards evening at Warwick Castle.
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