What are companies doing with regards to 'My Manager'

'Skype for Business' was rolled out to staff earlier in the year to improve IPRS's communications channels at all levels across the business. As a result, staff are now able to instant message one another and have a platform to share screens and create Skype meetings. IPRS Group have remote workers all across the UK and the feedback from staff has been tremendous, as it is fundamentally changing the way they work as a team. Staff Bulletins are also cascaded monthly. During the Summer the company host themed barbeques, for example the Olympics (Finance Team) and the Curry Off (HR & IT Teams). In July the theme was ‘Barbieoke' and the team were invited to play a part in a musical video to raise money for IPRS's charities of the year. A new staff website called ‘your future' is being launched to provide staff with a fun site that they can go to for information relating to their health and wellbeing, family, social pages and also anything pinned on the noticeboard.

The Chairman's Club Award is ISG's premier recognition programme. The award was established to recognise employees who, through their actions and results, have made major contributions to ISG during the past year. The contributions of Chairman's Club Award winners positively impact objectives, possibly by expanding business development, increasing revenues, innovating, improving the firm's products and services or contributing to the development and professional growth of colleagues. The recognition includes a custom-designed keepsake award and an offsite event held in honour of Chairman's Club Award recipients. This year it was held in New Orleans and previous years have included Barbados, Napa Valley and Portugal. Employees are also invited to bring their Partner to accompany then on the trip as an additional acknowledgement that reinforces the value of the award to the company's continued growth and success.

As part of Icelolly's private medical insurance, they have partnered with Vitality Health. Vitality rewards individuals for being healthy and provides incentives to help improve their overall health and fitness. This includes weekly rewards such as cinema vouchers and Starbucks if they achieve a certain level of physical activity in a given week such as walking, running, cycling, swimming or attending the gym. In addition, individuals receive points for undertaking a health check including weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, nicotine with additional points where the results are in the 'healthy zone'. Cash back is given quarterly to non-smokers. Since its introduction, there has been a definite change in peoples' behaviour and approach to a healthy lifestyle. Icelolly actively promote activities to support a healthy lifestyle and also believe that physical health and affect mental health. They have partnered with their local gym to offer reduced membership fees for all employees. As part of Icelolly's stand ups, they regularly have 'team energisers' which are usually short, fun activities which are not work related but they do get people interacting with others and help with alleviating any stress. They have an employee assistance programme which as well as offering a multitude of advice and fact sheets via their website, also provides counselling both over the telephone and face to face. The counselling includes CBT and is available for all employees and their immediate family. Flexi rewards encourages employees to treat themselves and suggested activities include spa days, massages and short hotel breaks. Icelolly are very supportive of employees who may be experiencing personal challenges outside of work and have offered adjustments to working hours to help individuals in their times of need.

Some teams have team circles where they update every one of their priorities for the day and any support they require from colleagues. Twice weekly Icelolly have 'stand-ups', their purpose being to keep people up to date with business performance, and ensure people are familiar with what's happening in all parts of the business. Every Monday the stand-up covers the previous week's business performance and highlights of what has gone well. They then cover the targets and challenges for the week ahead and specific activities of note that are taking place during the week. Every Thursday, a team gives an overview of the work which has taken place over the previous month, specific achievements and activities planned for the month ahead so that everyone, regardless of team, knows the focus of each part of the business. Icelolly have team days where everyone in the business participates. The aim of the team days is to develop relationships between colleagues and teams and for people to work alongside others that they wouldn't normally work with on a day-to-day basis, have fun, celebrate success and recognise the progress of the business and how the team have helped us gain these results. They also aim to raise money for a nominated charity. Activities they have successfully run to date include Cocktails and Cakes, Photo Rally, Ice cream Making, Geography Challenge and Treasure Hunt, Office Olympics and a Day Trip to Blackpool.

The Partnership Council is in place to safeguard the “soul and conscience” of the firm and is responsible for overseeing 'how' things take place at Hymans, not just 'what' is done. The Partnership Council tests and has ultimate responsibility for who is promoted into the partnership, ensuring that these individuals role model company values as well as being technically competent in their specialist areas. They also test and measure how the company reach out to clients through the 'Voice of the Client' survey. This helps them to understand how each level of staff engaging with external clients and demonstrate behaviours in line with their values. Both Ronnie and John Dickson host annual staff meetings in each of the offices. The theme of their presentation this year was around how Hymans will grow and prosper while still adhering to the company values and principles. The senior management team make sure they are accessible whilst in the office and all senior managers sit in the open plan office environment within the teams in which they work. Both Ronnie Bowie and James Entwisle recorded videos that are embedded into the new start induction video that is shown to all news starters on day one of joining Hymans. As Managing Partner, connecting and engaging with everyone across the firm is an important priority for James. He's an open, accessible person and makes a point of stopping at people's desks and speaking informally to people around each of their offices. He also plays an important role in events such as the graduate and development programmes where he introduces the firm and its latest thinking to new starts and delegates and spends time getting to know them. Earlier this year James co-presented to the CIPD evidence in support of Hymans being shortlisted as 'L&D Team of the Year'.

Higgidy have a peer to peer recognition scheme called the 'Higgidy Heroes', which is nominated by the people for the people. These get given back to all employees so they know they have been chosen and there are two levels of rewards - the Everyday Hero and the Super Hero. These have to link back to their company values of being Brave, Smart or Kind. In addition to recognising and rewarding employees for their hard work the company work had to ensure that they look after employee wellbeing. There are yoga sessions on a Friday, free fruit is provided, they contribute to exercise classes, pay for people to enter marathons, offer flexible working and operate a no long hours culture. They also ensure that they give support to people during difficult times including, paid time off, support with appointments etc.

Hardies main community initiative is supporting and raising monies for local charities. Each office within the firm has selected a local charity and events are run throughout the year, with the funds raised being given to these charities. The company also runs a school's programme initiative, where again each office adopts a local school to encourage an interest in surveying and administration and to provide work shadowing and job opportunities. Hardies' Corporate Social Responsibility document is reviewed annually and includes a list of all members of staff and Partners who commit to various boards and charities within the community.

Gopher Money try to embrace a 'Relaxed, high pressured' environment. They appreciate this is a contradictory statement but they give their staff the freedom to manage their own day meaning that to an extent they can come and go without having to log in and out expect for health and safety purposes. Anyone feeling stressed can step out and unwind knowing they can work beyond their contracted hours to catch up if they fall behind their target. In essence a lot of the staff class themselves as 'self-employed' meaning the pressure they apply is at their own volition. As a business Gopher Money are always trying to encourage employees to move away from their desk on breaks and lunches and be able to clear their head ready for work. The existing Learning and Development manager works closely with staff in helping them deal with issues both inside and outside of work such as relationships and stress and personal development. This has seen sickness per FTE continue to improve this and the feedback from those who are working with him is very positive.

The Good Relations Training Academy provides ongoing support for managers of all levels. Training sessions are tailored to ensure they are as relevant and effective as possible for both junior and senior managers. One-to-one coaching and mentoring is readily available from the senior management team. Senior managers work closely with their teams to ensure that management styles are carefully honed.

Genuine Solutions truly believe that as a company their vision, mission and values are what makes them come alive throughout the business. There are several ways in which they communicate them to their staff, for example the large posters on the walls throughout the buildings to ensure visibility. Whenever there are new starters within the company, an induction is held for each and every one of them to ensure that they are all aware what Genuine Solutions vision, mission and values are. They are also available to view on the company's intranet, as well as them being discussed in the monthly management meetings, board meetings and departmental meetings, such as the All Hands Meeting. Genuine Solutions strongly believe that all of their staff are aware of what the company's vision, mission and values are, ensuring that they are then able to implement them successfully into the fantastic work they generate.

At the end of the year, Frame go away together to spend time in each other's company, to celebrate, socialise and talk about the year behind and the year to come. It's accompanied by a presentation of the year in review so that everyone knows where the company is, what kind of year they have had, and what their plans are for the coming year. The impact of the trips lingers long into the next year. Relationships are deepened and new ones formed, they gain collective memories, discussed for months afterwards. Barriers come down, and the company talk about work, but also life in general – away from the office environment, where they try to be informal, but where there are inevitably some structures and hierarchies. Above all, the trips are a shared experience enjoyed by everyone. They're a reward for collective effort. Alongside more individual rewards like annual performance-linked bonuses, salary reviews and promotions, these trips are a way for the company to reward staff at the same time, in the same way, in the same degree. As Frame have grown, they have discussed whether there is still a role for these trips. And in particular, now that they are nearly sixty people, whether the expense is justified. Staff feedback on this subject is universally that they would rather go away together in this way, than be given an equivalent cash sum. Previous trips have included Paris, Amsterdam and Belfast, and this year's trip will be in Berlin from 15th to 17th December.