People Managers Matter

We held a staff BBQ on 9th September 2011 that all staff, family and friends were invited to attend. Locally sourced food proved a hit with many coming back for extra helpings. Games and other fun actives were arranged proving for a very enjoyable evening.

We have implemented a move from Nationally to Locally agreed terms and conditions. Giving us more flexibility to agree pay awards and shape our own benefits and T&Cs. We are also implementing a contribution pay scheme giving employees the benefit of having good performance rewarded. We held a very extensive consultaiton process to get our message across to employees, resulting in all our staff except one agreeing to accept our proposals.

Fishbowl reward scheme - The purpose of this scheme is to instantly reward behaviour that demonstrates their core CII values and /or shows development of personal competencies. It acts as an incentive as well as a form of recognition. Each department has a 'fishbowl' (lucky dip) containing tokens for a number of rewards such as; cinema tickets, lunch out, half day leave, shopping vouchers etc. A total of 10 rewards are placed in the bowl for each department (and are refreshed as used). When a member of staff is considered, by their manager or department head, to have excelled in demonstrating one of the values through their work, the staff member is invited to pick a reward. This reward scheme runs in addition to the regular bonus scheme and instant recognition (monetary) reward scheme. The scheme has proved popular with both staff and managers being well used with 63 rewards given since the scheme was launched in August 2010. The instant nature of the scheme and the fun and social nature of the rewards marks this scheme out from other rewards on offer in the organisation. It encourages staff to do their best every day and in every part of their work, not just when working on high profile or lengthy projects, and realise that this is recognised and valued.

Fishbowl reward scheme - The purpose of this scheme is to instantly reward behaviour that demonstrates their core CII values and /or shows development of personal competencies. It acts as an incentive as well as a form of recognition. Each department has a 'fishbowl' (lucky dip) containing tokens for a number of rewards such as; cinema tickets, lunch out, half day leave, shopping vouchers etc. A total of 10 rewards are placed in the bowl for each department (and are refreshed as used). When a member of staff is considered, by their manager or department head, to have excelled in demonstrating one of the values through their work, the staff member is invited to pick a reward. This reward scheme runs in addition to the regular bonus scheme and instant recognition (monetary) reward scheme. The scheme has proved popular with both staff and managers being well used with 63 rewards given since the scheme was launched in August 2010. The instant nature of the scheme and the fun and social nature of the rewards marks this scheme out from other rewards on offer in the organisation. It encourages staff to do their best every day and in every part of their work, not just when working on high profile or lengthy projects, and realise that this is recognised and valued.

The Leadership and Management Development Programme (L&MDP) supports managers to develop their skills and knowledge. This programme provides first line and aspiring middle managers and more experienced managers with the necessary skills to progress within the organisation. This programme has provided the skills and knowledge for managers to move into senior management roles when opportunities arise.

To re-open the town centre following a programme of extensive improvements, a Pancake Race was held to raise funds for Sport Relief and Red Nose Day. Over 30 teams from the Council, outsourced services, partnership organisations and local businesses competed for the winners frying pan trophy. Teams forged new friendships, strengthened existing ones, honed their competitive rivalry and had great fun on their way to the podium. It was a great day for all the competitors and spectators.

All teams within the business hold regular team meetings to communicate and share information. To combat silo working, teams often invite colleagues from other teams to carry out training and provide updates at team meetings. In addition, managers are required to carry out regular 1:1 meetings with their employees to provide feedback and support. Managers within the Trust also encourage social events such as team lunches, birthday meals and evenings out to celebrate achievements and for fun!

All teams within the business hold regular team meetings to communicate and share information. To combat silo working, teams often invite colleagues from other teams to carry out training and provide updates at team meetings. In addition, managers are required to carry out regular 1:1 meetings with their employees to provide feedback and support. Managers within the Trust also encourage social events such as team lunches, birthday meals and evenings out to celebrate achievements and for fun!

Octavia Housing set up Octavia Foundation - an independent charity which has been running for many years. The aim of the Foundation is to improve the lives of individuals and communities where Octavia Housing operates. The Foundation operates numerous projects and grant programmes that help to meet one of 5 aims: to engage with young people and children i.e. through award winning media projects, to help with training and jobs i.e. they run an in-house employment and training programme, to involve the community i.e. organise a community festival and Christmas parties for the elderly, to advise on money and debt providing debt advice workshops and welfare benefits advice and support. The Foundation also operates 21 charity shops across London, which takes on volunteers and funds the projects of the charity.

Octavia Housing set up Octavia Foundation - an independent charity which has been running for many years. The aim of the Foundation is to improve the lives of individuals and communities where Octavia Housing operates. The Foundation operates numerous projects and grant programmes that help to meet one of 5 aims: to engage with young people and children i.e. through award winning media projects, to help with training and jobs i.e. they run an in-house employment and training programme, to involve the community i.e. organise a community festival and Christmas parties for the elderly, to advise on money and debt providing debt advice workshops and welfare benefits advice and support. The Foundation also operates 21 charity shops across London, which takes on volunteers and funds the projects of the charity.

LMH arranged an It's a Knock Out Competition against other Housing Associations. This was held on a Sunday and all staff attended bringing their families along for a fun packed day. The employees were put into teams and competed against other Housing Associations through a variety of assault courses and team tasks. Activities for children and those staff who came to support the event were also put on including hook a duck and other prize winning games. The event also raised a significant amount of money for our local charities.

LMH arranged an It's a Knock Out Competition against other Housing Associations. This was held on a Sunday and all staff attended bringing their families along for a fun packed day. The employees were put into teams and competed against other Housing Associations through a variety of assault courses and team tasks. Activities for children and those staff who came to support the event were also put on including hook a duck and other prize winning games. The event also raised a significant amount of money for our local charities.

Due to the recent surge in interest in baking brought on by television programmes such as the Great British Bake Off, LUU decided to hold its own baking competition and ran a baking league throughout 2010-11. Each month staff were invited to submit entries under a theme and they were judged and scores awarded. The baking league was successful in engaging a whole range of budding bakers from across the organisation and had the added benefit that those who did not wish to bake could be involved as judges or just chief tasters after the formal judging had taken place. The league culminated in a Grand Afternoon Tea provided by the two winners of the league which was held at lunchtime. This excellent event was attended by a good cross section of LUU and was very enjoyable.

In summer 2011 the company held an all staff event at the University's sport facilities to promote the facilities to encourage employees to sign up for membership. The event included dodgeball, swimming, 5 a side football, climbing wall, spinning, image consultancy, and walking tours amongst other things. For the last two years the company have also run an employee baking league. This has been particularly effective for engaging their staff in something fun at work , mixing with other people and encouraging them to take a break! In previous years they have offered an employee Wellbeing Week every January. Employees can participate in a number of healthy activities during their working time to improve their health, safety and wellbeing. Free fruit is also provided during the week. The idea for the week is that they provide free of charge taster sessions that employees can then choose to continue in their own time to improve their lifestyles.

The organisation is a charitable housing association providing a wide range of housing and support services for the families and single people including those with special needs. They are a well-established provider of support to people with complex needs, both in the community and living in their own supported housing schemes, supporting people with learning difficulties, mental health issues, young people, women and the homeless. Their aim is to provide appropriate support to each person living in their own home to enable them to develop independent living skills, be involved in decisions regarding their life and participate in their local community. They also run charity shops.

Employee development is fully supported and the Association has become an accredited City and Guilds Centre and has a dedicated Learning and Development Team to ensure that qualifications are offered for most roles within the association. It is also an approved centre for the Institute of Leadership and Management, offering a variety of levels of management qualifications for staff wanting to go into management or improve their management skills.

Gallions have been working with Bexley Council since 2009 to deliver REGULAR Well@work programmes to staff. These programmes invite staff to take part in a free 10 week programme of activity and (optional) education. Activities vary from week to week (e.g. circuits, aerobics, zumba, salsa, yoga, body pump) and are held in the Association's offices. Gallions' Well@work champion works closely with the council to promote and deliver the programme of events and has already arranged additional activities for staff in addition to the scheduled programme (e.g. Badminton classes as subsidised rates).

Gallions offer an excellent foundation for all new members of staff. On the first day with the Association they undertake an introductory meeting with HR and are presented with an Induction Plan and Induction Guide, which includes background information about the growth of the Association, their structure, aims, values, purpose and how they fit into this. The organisation helps employees develop a better awareness of their stock and challenges managing it. They offer a Neighbourhood Warden Tour where employees spend an afternoon with their Wardens, walking and driving round the estate, again gaining an understanding of their stock, residents and the challenges. They also do CCT Awareness so employees listen to the variety of calls that come into Gallions' Customer Contact Centre to understand the issues from their residents and how Gallions deal with them.

Employees are rewarded for their efforts. Those who have shown a dedication and commitment beyond expectation are rewarded through nominations such as Team and Teacher of the Year at the College's Annual Awards Ceremony. This prestigious event acknowledges the award winners for their outstanding commitment to both the customer and organisation as a whole. Their success is fed back to all College staff at both the ceremony and within articles published in the monthly newsletter 'Eastleigh College Matters'.

Employees are rewarded for their efforts. Those who have shown a dedication and commitment beyond expectation are rewarded through nominations such as Team and Teacher of the Year at the College's Annual Awards Ceremony. This prestigious event acknowledges the award winners for their outstanding commitment to both the customer and organisation as a whole. Their success is fed back to all College staff at both the ceremony and within articles published in the monthly newsletter 'Eastleigh College Matters'.

To impact employee engagement, in the last 12 months face to face briefings have been provided to staff about the current stock options appraisal process to answer concerns and questions that staff may have. The Chief Executive has personally delivered the briefings and has made an on-going commitment to ensure that regular staff briefings take place during this period of uncertainty.

A race night was held in January 2011. This was a social event but was also used as an occasion to raise money for the chair's charity. 70 staff attended and £800 was raised for charity. They also held an away day which included staff representatives from their staff forum, union reps and Board Directors. The event was an excellent way of building relationships between the staff and the Board and they received excellent feedback.

By supporting people in making changes to the way they live their lives. This can be powerful and positive, not just for the individual concerned, but for their children, their families, their friends and their communities. CAN's Mission statement ‘Touching lives and changing futures by inspiring people to make positive choices' therefore creates a ripple effect that reaches far beyond their immediate remit to support people with drug, alcohol and homelessness problems.

Individual supervision sessions are held with a line manager every 4-6 weeks where agenda items include a review of any work/personal issues affecting their work and identification of effective/ineffective competencies. Managers are explicit about what high performance looks like and focus on the results required from actions and tasks. They meet regularly with staff as a team to create a clear vision for their project area. They attend to individuals within the team, to ensure they understand their role in the performance of the organisation and feedback is provided regarding service level key performance indicator. They meet with their team regularly to share information and respond to staff questions and suggestions. They also take the time to relay information that could be confidential or impact in particular roles or individuals in the most sensitive way possible.

Antrim Borough Council provides a holistic and innovative Wellbeing Programme aligned to their Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy. This includes a wide range of options for individuals including Individual Wellbeing Action Plans, Healthy Lifestyle Schemes, Cycle to Work Schemes, 'Quickfit' Health Checks, Health Surveillance Checks, Work Life Balance Policies, Carecall Counselling and a number of special events. Individual action plans are tailored to suit the needs of an individual at a point in time as the Council recognise that personal circumstances change over time and the programme is flexible enough to accommodate this.

Antrim Borough Council are an accredited Employer of Choice and a working group comprising representatives from across the Council meets monthly to ensure that relevant action plans are developed and implemented. The Council survey employees regularly on work life balance issues and incorporate the Health and Safety Executives Stress Management Standards within the survey. The results demonstrate that employees believe Council values staff and that relationships are good in the workplace. They use a 'Talkback' system to enable staff to forward ideas or ask questions but the primary method of listening to employees is through the line manager and their latest survey results showed that 89% of employees confirmed that their manager has an 'open door' approach. Line managers have also been fully trained to adopt a coaching style which focuses on listening to employees and encouraging them to fulfil their potential.

Employee development is supported at Affinity Sutton and they are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to grow and their learning and development programme reflects that. They are passionate about continuous improvement and seek to ensure their people have the resources and working environment that promotes job satisfaction and employee wellbeing. There is targeted internal training supported by on the job coaching, regular one to ones, annual appraisals, an E-learning provision and ILM management programmes and there is also high level management support and endorsement.

Managers allow time for 1:1's to take place with members of their team every 4-6 weeks and ensure that this is structured to discuss work, work life balance, Health and Safety and any other issues. Part of this process is allowing for an open conversation to take place between the manager and members of staff. They are encouraged to discuss any recent training their team have been on during team meetings and individual 1:1's and through these and appraisals managers should be working with individuals to determine training that will be useful in the future to help them grow and develop. Managers attend training themselves to identify possible signs of stress or workload issues to help prevent this occurring in their members of staff. Managers are the key to driving the direction and vision of the organisation to their team, this is done through team meetings and on an individual level at 1:1's.

In the last 12 months the Senior Management Team have introduced "Back to the floor"; an initiative that sees all Head Office employees go back to work in restaurants for a day, from CEO downwards. The impact has been fantastic and the initiative has improved communication and enhanced understanding of both sides' job roles. The CEO is extremely down to earth, personable and 100% people focused. He will happily listen to any ideas from any member of the YO! Team and implement initiatives quickly if he agrees there is value in doing so.

The organisation sets clear restaurant KPI's with General Manager's agreement and rewards through a profit related bonus scheme available to all restaurant employees. Managers cascade targets to their team through team briefs and a daily follow ups, rewarding and recognising achievements. They hold appraisals twice yearly on all staff, reviewing actions and agreeing focus areas for development. They hold coffee chats and one to ones coupled with an open door policy which encourages feedback and two way communication. Managers also motivate staff with daily meetings to encourage and set the scene for every shift. Every manager sees their restaurant as a theatre and the team as the actors when they are open.

As well as providing free fruit and reduced cost gym memberships to employees, Wolters Kluwer has launched 'My Benefits'; a flexible benefits programme designed to fit in with employee's lifestyles. Covering Health & Wellbeing, the programme includes Dental Insurance, Health Assessments, Private Medical Insurance, a Medical Cash Plan and a cycle to work scheme. They also provide a free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). This service offers expert advice, information, specialist counselling and support for employees and their immediate family. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can provide wide ranging information and guidance on topics such as buying a new home, having children, relationships, managing money, retirement personal and family crisis and staying healthy to name but a few.

As well as providing free fruit and reduced cost gym memberships to employees, Wolters Kluwer has launched 'My Benefits'; a flexible benefits programme designed to fit in with employee's lifestyles. Covering Health & Wellbeing, the programme includes Dental Insurance, Health Assessments, Private Medical Insurance, a Medical Cash Plan and a cycle to work scheme. They also provide a free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). This service offers expert advice, information, specialist counselling and support for employees and their immediate family. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can provide wide ranging information and guidance on topics such as buying a new home, having children, relationships, managing money, retirement personal and family crisis and staying healthy to name but a few.

Over the last 12 months, the Senior Management Team has been broadened and now includes a representative from all parts of the organisation and meetings are held monthly. This has enhanced communications between departments and also from the top down and has been driven by a desire to make sure that everyone in the business is informed about the decisions that are being made and developments within the business. The chairman, Tom Bloxham MBE is committed to hard work, fresh ideas and building relationships and he is well known and respected across the company for these reasons. He is open and available to all staff. One of the things he always tells new recruits is that no question is trivial and if a question is important to them then it is important to him. From his open door policy, induction presentations, staff lunches or quarterly staff meetings, he is open to ideas, feedback, criticism and questions.

Over the last 12 months, the Senior Management Team has been broadened and now includes a representative from all parts of the organisation and meetings are held monthly. This has enhanced communications between departments and also from the top down and has been driven by a desire to make sure that everyone in the business is informed about the decisions that are being made and developments within the business. The chairman, Tom Bloxham MBE is committed to hard work, fresh ideas and building relationships and he is well known and respected across the company for these reasons. He is open and available to all staff. One of the things he always tells new recruits is that no question is trivial and if a question is important to them then it is important to him. From his open door policy, induction presentations, staff lunches or quarterly staff meetings, he is open to ideas, feedback, criticism and questions.

The Leader is approachable and makes very open and honest communications. He actively seeks input to decisions from all levels of the organisation and he takes a personal interest in issues of importance to even the most junior staff. He is able to adapt his style depending on who he is communicating with depending on whether that is ashop floor employee or senior manager. He regularly takes the time to walk around the offices and factory, visiting all departments and stopping to get an update on how the various teams are doing.

Managers often mentor high performing employees from other departments in the business, providing support guidance and a sounding board to support employee development. As part of the Enhancing Service Excellence training, Trend Control run an additional module for managers called "crediting". This is where they train managers on how to recognise their employees with words so that they can understand the impact their work has had on others and the wider business.

The Toolbank News Letter which is sent out every 3-4 months in the year has worked really well as employees are constantly informing them of any fund raising they have been doing, welcoming new staff, congratulating colleagues on their nuptials or new arrivals. The news letter has allowed employees to get involved and the feedback from employees has been that the news letter has been very well received as it is great to know what is going on in the other branches.

The Toolbank News Letter which is sent out every 3-4 months in the year has worked really well as employees are constantly informing them of any fund raising they have been doing, welcoming new staff, congratulating colleagues on their nuptials or new arrivals. The news letter has allowed employees to get involved and the feedback from employees has been that the news letter has been very well received as it is great to know what is going on in the other branches.

Quarterly Core Values Awards: The company ask for peer nominations of employees who uphold their Core Values. They recognise winning nominees in their newsletter and in company meetings. They give winning nominees a small reward, such as a gift voucher to Amazon.

The company provide staff with access to gyms at a discounted rate via PruHealth, their medical insurance provider. They have enrolled their company in the PruHealth ‘well-being' programme, through which staff can accrue points for living a healthier life-style. Staff can use these points to get discounts for holidays, cinemas, etc. The company also have a relationship with Occupational Health professionals and if appropriate will refer staff to these professionals at company expense (for example, to assist staffing in receiving specialist assistance relating to difficult-to-diagnose medical conditions).

Three years ago, Sterling Insurance Group set up a staff suggestion scheme called "Bright Ideas" which encourages employees to submit ideas on ways in which they can improve the organisation. The scheme is a brilliant success with the ideas being judged on a quarterly basis by a cross sections of individuals within the organisation. The ideas are voted for based on a number of criteria i.e. profitability, efficiency, motivational and the winners receive shopping vouchers and company recognition. Many ideas the company have received have been implemented, resulting in greater efficiencies across working areas. Sterling Insurance Group also encourages total collaboration from employees. Through the MD's weekly update, individuals are encouraged to email any ideas on improving communication specifically to the MD.

Sterling Insurance Group operates a bonus plan for all of its employees. The bonus plan is based on two factors, company profitability and an employee's individual performance.

Managers at Skrill hold bi-weekly performance reviews, personal introductions based on skills, regular team lunches, bi-weekly feedback sessions, weekly team meetings and weekly team reports in order to support, encourage and develop staff members.

Managers at Skrill hold bi-weekly performance reviews, personal introductions based on skills, regular team lunches, bi-weekly feedback sessions, weekly team meetings and weekly team reports in order to support, encourage and develop staff members.

Roke has a Sports & Social club which offers access to wide variety of sporting activities. Onsite, Roke has a gym, tennis court and sports field. The Sports & Social club organises an annual rounders tournament, summer tennis league, yoga, Pilates and circuit exercise classes. Mountain bikes have also been purchased to allow employees to cycle at lunchtimes. Most recently, Roke has hired a personal trainer to help improve the fitness of their employees by having a weekly training sessions and offering advice on healthy eating. With regards to health, all employees can have access to the Company Counsellor/Occupational Health and the majority of employees are entitled to non-contributory BUPA (options of single, couple or family cover available). Health Assessments are available for Senior Management.

Roke has a Sports & Social club which offers access to wide variety of sporting activities. Onsite, Roke has a gym, tennis court and sports field. The Sports & Social club organises an annual rounders tournament, summer tennis league, yoga, Pilates and circuit exercise classes. Mountain bikes have also been purchased to allow employees to cycle at lunchtimes. Most recently, Roke has hired a personal trainer to help improve the fitness of their employees by having a weekly training sessions and offering advice on healthy eating. With regards to health, all employees can have access to the Company Counsellor/Occupational Health and the majority of employees are entitled to non-contributory BUPA (options of single, couple or family cover available). Health Assessments are available for Senior Management.

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

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

Pure Recruitment Group holds a Quarterly Communications meeting where the company provides employees with information about the business and staff are actively encouraged to submit items for discussion and new ideas.

Last year's AGM was held at the Raceway and following the formal communications meeting, the entire company was split into teams for Go Karting. Races were held with the winners of each race being put forward to the final at the end of the afternoon.

Managers at Pricoa Relocation hold regular team meetings where they encourage open discussions and conversations about how the team are doing and if there are any concerns or feedback that needs to be given. Management arrange ETM sessions where employees are trained on the system and outline their personal objectives. Positive Organisational Scholarship sessions were introduced to encourage positivity in the work place. Management have run Customer Service Training for all employees and introduced a customer service pledge with 9 main principles.

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

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

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

NDS Cool change initiative is a commitment made by the organisation to work towards being carbon neutral. The organisation has invested in reducing power consumption of Set Top Boxes and has installed an IT switch-it-off campaign in all offices. NDS has also invested heavily in high quality video conferencing rooms throughout the world which has dramatically reduced travel requirements between offices, therefore benefiting the reduction of carbon emissions. NDS continues to support various charities not only at a national level but also smaller local charities that are proposed by employees and agreed by the charities committee on an annual basis. Employees have utilised volunteering days to assist these charities and local schools with technical support such as website set up, painting and general maintenance and fundraising events. Employee fundraising is matched by the company whether undertaken at individual, team or organisational level.

NDS Cool change initiative is a commitment made by the organisation to work towards being carbon neutral. The organisation has invested in reducing power consumption of Set Top Boxes and has installed an IT switch-it-off campaign in all offices. NDS has also invested heavily in high quality video conferencing rooms throughout the world which has dramatically reduced travel requirements between offices, therefore benefiting the reduction of carbon emissions. NDS continues to support various charities not only at a national level but also smaller local charities that are proposed by employees and agreed by the charities committee on an annual basis. Employees have utilised volunteering days to assist these charities and local schools with technical support such as website set up, painting and general maintenance and fundraising events. Employee fundraising is matched by the company whether undertaken at individual, team or organisational level.

Metaswitch believe the key to the wellbeing of their employees is their relationship with their manager. The happiest and most productive employees are those treated with respect and fairness and who have clearly defined goals. Each employee is guaranteed one-on-one time with their manager every week and they believe that this is invaluable for their employees' general wellbeing. If they have any concerns or worries, the manager will dedicate as much time as is needed to resolving the issues. Metaswitch also give employees a lot of flexibility with managing their time. They are able to fit their work around their life, so that they are not under any unnecesssary stress. For example, many of their employees in Enfield are in a lunchtime sports club, which has been set up for for Metaswitch employees. There are currently groups for football, rugby, ultimate frisbee, badminton, and many more! Employees play these sports in the local park and then use their changing room and shower facilities on site. They are able to take extended two hour lunch breaks to accommodate these sports and make up the time later.

At Metaswitch, a line manager is an individual's Personnel Manager and is responsible for their wellbeing, engagement at work and their career. Weekly status meetings are a key element of this role and it guarantees one-on-one time every week between the manager and employee. Managers are trained to be able to manage their people effectively and this means using careful judgement and thought when making decisions about the employee and agreeing all key decisions with their line.

Mercedes Benz Retail regularly hold road shows for all their staff to ensure they are kept up to date with the business performance and reminders about their core values to ensure that they are all pulling in the same direction. The top line results will be communicated to all staff with the more detailed results being disseminated to each department/site to ensure action plans can be put in place to act upon the feedback where appropriate. Mercedes Benz Retail have always looked at the results and created action plans to address the feedback provided to ensure that employees realise that their feedback is very important and is acted upon.

Mercedes Benz Retail regularly hold road shows for all their staff to ensure they are kept up to date with the business performance and reminders about their core values to ensure that they are all pulling in the same direction. The top line results will be communicated to all staff with the more detailed results being disseminated to each department/site to ensure action plans can be put in place to act upon the feedback where appropriate. Mercedes Benz Retail have always looked at the results and created action plans to address the feedback provided to ensure that employees realise that their feedback is very important and is acted upon.

It is difficult to pull out just one or two examples of how Lands' End seek to enhance the wellbeing of their employees as they offer a raft of opportunities which they believe encompasses the full diversity of their employees. Lands' End recognise that personal development, job satisfaction and a realistic work/life balance all have a positive impact on the wellbeing of their employees.

It is difficult to pull out just one or two examples of how Lands' End seek to enhance the wellbeing of their employees as they offer a raft of opportunities which they believe encompasses the full diversity of their employees. Lands' End recognise that personal development, job satisfaction and a realistic work/life balance all have a positive impact on the wellbeing of their employees.

There is no formal feedback programme and have not conducted an employee opinion survey for several years. However, Kyrocera Mita openly welcome ideas and suggestions from all employees irrespective of how large or small. Departments will often take time out to brainstorm for ideas to increase revenue, minimise expenses, improve the office environment and motivate employees. As an example, it was at the suggestion of an employee that, as a means of celebrating their success, Kyrocera Mita should have a prize draw when they over achieve on their monthly Masterplan revenue target. This has now been in place for the last 12 months with two employees per month receiving a net payment of £100. It is not always possible to implement all ideas and sometimes ideas have to be changed a little in order to make them more relevant.

Kyocera Mita run two ad hoc employee reward schemes. One is an extra mile award which is awarded to employees who put in extra special effort - e.g. during the unexpected absence of a colleague, in order to meet a particular tough deadline, in order to avert a crisis. Employees can be nominated by any member of staff with the Human Resources Manager making the decision as to whether or not the award should be granted. The award is usually a bottle of champagne. The other is the Employee Excellence Award. This is awarded to employees who not only put in extra special effort but who are exceptional in all aspects of their work and are fully engaged in the company culture. Employees can be nominated by any member of staff with the executive team making the decision as to whether or not the award should be granted. The award is usually flowers, champagne and £100 of high street vouchers.

The KFI 'Health Living Club' provides employees with an all-round approach to wellbeing. This includes a healthy eating programme within the restaurant and their occupational health adviser provides advice and support with both health monitoring and nutritional advice. The on site gym provides a comprehensive programme of exercise classes, one to one training and state of the art equipment to encourage a more active workforce. Alternative therapies are also subsidised through the Health Living Club.

As charity giving is an integral part of of the culture of KFI, they have gradually introduced a number of activities which all help to form their commitment to charities. They include a payroll giving scheme called 'Donate an hour's pay' which encourages staff to sign up and allow a salary deduction of the equivalent of one hour's pay each month, dress down days when they ask staff to donate once a month £1, a 'Countdown to Christmas' weigh in scheme in which employees are sponsored to lose weight (monitored by the Occupational Health Nurse), a number of group events during the course of the year, including Maggies Monster bike and Hike, Caledonian Challenge and fun events such as white water. Each year, employees select a charity of the year. Last year, Rutherglen High School (a local special needs high school) reveived many benefits including a new minibus and a new sensory garden.

Keyfuel's leader is approachable, an excellent communicator, passionate about the business and the people who drive it forward. He communicates a clear vision and practices the company values.

Keyfuel's leader is approachable, an excellent communicator, passionate about the business and the people who drive it forward. He communicates a clear vision and practices the company values.

Each piece of work given to a staff member is formally reviewed by a more Senior Manager, thereby providing very regular feedback. Appraisals are carried out twice yearly for all staff, ensuring that all employees know what is expected of them, and receive feedback on the macro level.

Sometimes the simple ideas which have stood the test of time are the best, so the company place great emphasis on their appraisal process. Appraisals take place twice in the year, and focus not only on an assessment of performance and areas for development, but also on engagement and career potential. Technical and soft skills are assessed by reference to 'Career Maps' - freely available documents which lay out the requirements for staff at each of seven levels within each of their professional practice functions. Every appraisal is read by a representative from the HR team, and one from the Training and Development team, so that support can be given on an individual level to the appraiser as well as the appraisee.

The company facilitate 3 packages for all of their staff to take advantage of they are ;- Private medical cover: Healthshield Health Plan that also offers an employee assistance programme and gym membership with a local gym. All of the above have been extremely effective and popular with the team.

Performance related bonuses are offered across some key areas of the business e.g. sales. An annual bonus is given to all members of staff at Christmas as a thank you for their hard work over the festive period. The company allocates money to each department so they can enjoy a meal out together. A small Christmas Eve party is held for all staff providing drinks and nibbles along with a gift for everyone. When an employee has contributed something really worthwhile they will always use the in house publication to print an article about them.

The company carry out their own staff survey every April as well as the Best Companies in October. Each dealership has a staff group that work with managers to improve staff satisfaction. All dealership staff receive an update presentation every three months regarding the company. This is usually followed by food, drinks and socialising.

The company now have personal development plans for all employees and all job roles. This has seen a great improvement in staff engagement and productivity.

Every manager that joins Jagex goes through a session on setting objectives and ensuring they are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timed. Managers ensure that through the PDR each employee has complete clarity on what is expected of them and they review their performance against their objectives on a monthly basis. In addition to the annual bonus, managers reward staff through their flash bonus system, effectively a cash bonus can be awarded to anyone at any time by their manager from a pot of funds put aside by the company to the value of 2% of all salaries.

As a company they have a "giving back committee" who work with the HR team to bring fund raising ideas to fruition, supporting events such as Children In Need and Red Nose Day. In the last financial year they have donated £156,944 to various charities. The company have also rolled out ‘just giving' which is where employees can donate to any charity they want to via payroll which comes from their gross salary, they save on PAYE deductions.

A recent memorable social event was the New Year Kick Off which launched the New Year in May, introducing their new V2MOM's for the Company. All employees attended and there was a Gala Dinner and Dance in the evening. Team working at IRIS is one of their highest priorities and they recognise everyone's individual contribution towards team achievement which they believe helps them create the optimum environment to help achieve success.

Managers recognise and reward employees. They recognise over achievers and consider the level of support individuals will need to achieve their tasks. They review this regularly asking for feedback on how they feel things are going and also make communication a priority through regular team meetings and 1-2-1's and Personal Career Discussions are offered to all their direct reports. They are open to receiving information from others, asking questions and responding to feedback and have an open door policy. They also organise team events and nights out to enable team members to socialise.

Instant has a variety of ways in which they communicate with employees, and how ideas and feedback are collected. Best Company Ideas Lunches – two of these take place each year (one with all new starters in the past 6 months, another with a random selection of more). The goal is to get new ideas for making Instant a better place to work. HR Surgery – every month the People & Culture Manager runs an HR Surgery where staff can talk in confidence, be listened to, give their feedback and share ideas. Ideas Box – Anyone in the company can submit a new idea for innovation at Instant. Employees can submit as many ideas as they wish, the best idea is put into practise and the winner receives a cash prize, an extra day of holiday and two return flights to a European City of their choice! Active Listening – Instant has run master classes for managers on active listening and coaching.

As part of POPs across the business, Managers will hold informal monthly and more formal quarterly and annual reviews with their team members. During these meetings Managers ask what support their team member would like - what do they find tricky? Are they confident? Can more support be provided? Informally Instant has a very open plan environment, everyone has the same equipment and is visible and totally approachable in the office. Instant genuinely cares about employees wellbeing and want success for each other.

ING Direct provides Lifeworks which is an employee Assistance Programme; they also offer counselling services and alternative therapies every quarter for their employees.

Inchcape provides consultancy advice on customers' fleet, including advice on creating an environmentally efficient fleet.

Inchcape's CEO encourages empowerment and colleagues' acceptance of responsibility for the creation of solutions to business challenges. He also encourages a commercial attitude with the willingness to take acceptable risks in decision-making.

hyphen held a 'Question Time' session for onsite teams Virgin Media, Nokia and Aviva at Head Office at Bouverie Street where members of the team from Hook, Manchester and London were introduced to representatives from both the hyphen senior management team and Adecco Group central services. They took the opportunity of having some new faces on site to host a “Q&A Question Time” panel at the end of the day where everyone was invited to ask questions of the panel. Rory Jeffcock played Paxman for the session and armed with a microphone “borrowed” from his local Karaoke bar, audience members comprising of a mix of hyphen Head Office employees and the Aviva, Virgin Media and Nokia teams were invited to grill the panel. The event was a success and following the encouraging feedback from attendees, hyphen have decided to roll the event out on a more regular basis and across all their employees.

Structured hyphen induction programme in addition to the wider Adecco Group Induction. Internal menttoring and coaching. Manager and employee work together on the personal development plan which is linked to the core competencies of the job role and identifying the skills gaps that may exist. These are reviewed during the ad hoc and mid year reviews. The Manager also takes the opportunity in these meetings to ensure that the individual is happy in their role. This provides an opportunity for discussion around an individual's wellbeing or any personal concerns they may have at work.

Group Positive provides staff with thank you cards, flowers, cakes, champagne and husband and wife weekends to the South of France in appreciation for their work.

Group Positive provides staff with thank you cards, flowers, cakes, champagne and husband and wife weekends to the South of France in appreciation for their work.

All staff were asked to submit suggestions that could improve Greene & Co both internally and in the service the company offers to customers. They have a company colleague rep who staff can talk to in absolute confidence about any problems/issues they may have (be it to do with work or of a personal nature). The colleague rep can feedback any issues to senior management. All staff at Greene & Co have a monthly one-to-one with their manager, and a quarterly one-to-one with David Pollock the MD, where any feedback can be given.

Managers carefully monitor how their team is performing and whether they are achieving their goals. Managers will review progress in one-to-one's, and put measures in place to provide extra training if needed. One-to-one's with managers are also for receiving feedback from staff as well as giving it. Sales techniques are also covered in monthly company training sessions.

Managers review if the skills and the capacity of employees in their team needs to be reconsidered against the requirements of the work, both in team and 1-2-1 meetings on a weekly and monthly basis. At appraisal interviews, managers discuss with each employee what their personal aspirations are. Managers also debrief their teams after Board meetings. Discussions are encouraged whereby employees can ask questions and receive feedback in an open and honest environment.

Gleeds has an internal team known as "GYM" - Gleeds Young Marketeers - which has been running for circa 20 years. Younger members are encouraged to sign up and take part in the activities designed to help develop a sense of belonging and build up long term internal and external relationships. Activities include a conference (attended by 120 GYM members from across the world) sailing, bowling, wine tasting events with clients and charity marathons. 2011 saw a re-launch of GYM with new members and greater involvement. As well as occupational health provision and employee assistance programmes, they have also run yoga and massage courses at Head Office and their social calendar includes Christmas events, sailing days, team sports, away days and charity fund raising.

Listening to employees and gaining valuable feedback and ideas is of vital importance to Freestyle's business. The company believe it's only through listening to your employees that you can really gauge how your business is progressing and how the office is feeling in general. They could use terms vibe or team cooperation ratings, but when it comes down to it, it's just about how they are all getting along in both a personal and professional capacity. And getting along and working together is just about the most important thing in making a business successful. In recognition of this importance, at Freestyle Interactive they encourage managers to meet with their staff on a regular basis. These ‘1-2-1s' benefit both employee and employer by acting as a direct conduit between team-members and team-leaders. These meetings function as a platform on which employees can discuss work and job satisfaction, as well as putting forward ideas that could benefit the company as a whole.

Freestyle's recruitment process is all about recognising talent and just because you start Freestyle life in a certain role doesn't mean you'll stay there. Previous recruits have started in junior roles and progressed through the company to senior management roles. This is just an example that shows how Freestyle recognises and develops people's strengths and talent.

During summer 2011, Ffastfill had a Summer BBQ and Dragon Boating event for all staff and their families. It was well attended and the feedback was great from employees. Ffastfill catered for families including small children where a bouncy castle was available for their entertainment.

Dialogue is encouraged between managers and team members. Managers are encouraged to adopt a flexible approach to team members. Allow flexibility in work patterns and allow work from home without significant prior arrangement.

Eurostaff Group respect employees' life outside of work: time for family, friends and outside interests/hobbies. Managers have the ability to alter working hours and responsibilities to make working life more flexible. The introduction of the early finish at 3pm on a Friday was a result of realising the efforts of employees. Managers spend one on one time with each employee at least once a week either inside or outside the organisation, in which they discuss personal goals and ambitions, and what they can do to help them reach their potential. Managers set clear key performance indicators for every employee, and are quick to reward high achievements with a market leading incentive scheme including trips to Paris and Las Vegas. Managers and Directors all sit on the sales floor, not locked away in an office. An open door policy is not necessary at Eurostaff as there are no doors. Each individual's opinion and feedback is invaluable and considered. Many approaches and processes were heavily influenced by employee's feedback to managers.

They assign each new starter a 'mentor' who coaches each new employee from day one within the organisation. They ensure that the new trainee takes part in each area specific training and on-going development programmes. They have regular contact with the new starter and provide training related support and advice.

The company regularly brings the entire workforce together in a single business event in which the wider economic environment, the industry marketplace, recent business results and continuing objectives are presented. This is an important event which allows the entire organisation to meet and socialise whether office-based or field-based.

Their approach to reward and remuneration structures is such that an employee's salary reflects the role they fulfil, whilst a variety of bonus mechanisms reflect employees' achievements versus predetermined personal objectives. In addition, all employees are eligible to participate in the Share Incentive Plan and Sharesave Plan and a majority of employees are awarded share options under the company's Executive Share Option Plan. Each year shares and options are awarded under these plans to reflect the importance of staff participation, and contribution towards, the success of the company. Over 80% of staff hold shares in the company either by direct ownership or participation in the plans, and the company's approach towards employee equity participation has been recognised by three “ifs Proshare” awards. In 2006 the Share Incentive Plan won awards for best new share plan and most effective communication of an employee share plan and in 2007 won the award for best overall performance in fostering employee share ownership. Furthermore, the recognition apparent in the “Roll of Honour” is further reinforced through a handwritten letter from the CEO acknowledging the nominee's efforts and thanking them for their contribution to the business.

The organisation does a lot to enhance the welfare of their colleagues. They offer many traditional benefits such as a pension, free life assurance, private medical insurance, dental care, optical care, an employee assistance programme, child care voucher scheme, an enhanced service day and unpaid leave package. Ellis Whittam has their own apple trees, colleagues pick their own apples and their committee arranges for those apples to be pressed and bottled. Their home grown organic Ellis Whittam apple juice is then available free of charge for colleagues to drink throughout the winter months. In addition, they have a vegetable patch and produce from it is offered to colleagues with an honesty box. Any funds raised go towards their annual chosen charity. They also organise regular sports competitions including cycle challenges, 'It's a Knockout' and an annual sports day. Taking time out in the fresh air to play and compete together has proven to be hugely successful in enhancing the feeling of wellbeing and morale amongst their colleagues.

Their engagement plan comprises many elements implemented in the last 12 months, including a thorough and comprehensive induction programme for new starters. Twice yearly unique “Sharing The Vision” sessions at which they take the entire business off site for half a day to report on progress towards achieving their mission, vision and values. The organisation also holds “Afternoon Tea & Cake with Chairman & CEO” sessions for all new starters. An appraisal programme, refreshed within the last 12 months and their “Client Champion” reward scheme. The leader of Ellis Whittam, Deven Thakrar, is certainly distinctive. It is the unique combination of many traits and qualities that make him distinctive, including his ability to inspire colleagues. His ability to mentor and develop and genuine passion and commitment to achieving EW's Mission, Vision and Values. His tremendous work rate, pace and ambition – all of which are infectious. Deven is also accessible to all colleagues, his active involvement with all teams and attendance at all team meetings. He also has a personable nature, knowing all colleagues by name and taking the time to build a rapport with all of them.

e.surv's leader is inspirational, understanding and passionate about the company. She has a drive to be innovative, to deliver the best possible service to the customers and shareholder value. All of the senior management team have made a greater effort with staff communication and transparency about their strategy.

e.surv are constantly promoting the carbon reduction programme and encouraging their surveyors to reduce their carbon footprint by driving efficiently.

Denplan undertake community actions that make Winchester a better place whether this is painting the local theatre, renovating a youth club or helping to clear ground so everyone can enjoy it.

Denplan undertake community actions that make Winchester a better place whether this is painting the local theatre, renovating a youth club or helping to clear ground so everyone can enjoy it.

The firm's appraisal process is comprehensive, detailed and fully supported. It ties together all aspects of training and development and all appraisals are reviewed and training is designed and provided to meet demands. The firm consistently achieves a 100% completion rate of appraisals and as such it is the major tool in ensuring personal growth.

The firm's charity, 'Build Africa' facilitates the firm's direct involvement in the building and equipping of a school in Kenya. The scale of the project has allowed them to have a very direct and tangible impact on the lives of an entire African community and has included members of the firm being directly involved when visiting Kenya. In addition, each year for the last 10 years, staff members bring in Christmas presents for local children who are in the care of Tunbridge Wells Social Services and who would not normally enjoy the kind of Christmas most of us take for granted.

Within the organisation a working party has been implemented following an employee suggestion, with the aim to review operational progress and identify any areas for improvement. It involves a group of voluntary representatives who provide a voice for the rest of their team to highlight key operational concerns and any ideas/suggestions to rectify them. The MD is also in attendance as the final decision maker on feasibility from a commercial point of view. The Management focus group meet on a weekly basis to evaluate business as a whole. This encourages sharing best practice, cohesion and support between departments. Feedback is communicated back to teams and actions implemented. The mission, vision and values workshop encouraged the involvement of respected employees and demonstrated the business commitment to listening to its employees and reinforced the inclusive culture and open door policy.

Within the organisation a working party has been implemented following an employee suggestion, with the aim to review operational progress and identify any areas for improvement. It involves a group of voluntary representatives who provide a voice for the rest of their team to highlight key operational concerns and any ideas/suggestions to rectify them. The MD is also in attendance as the final decision maker on feasibility from a commercial point of view. The Management focus group meet on a weekly basis to evaluate business as a whole. This encourages sharing best practice, cohesion and support between departments. Feedback is communicated back to teams and actions implemented. The mission, vision and values workshop encouraged the involvement of respected employees and demonstrated the business commitment to listening to its employees and reinforced the inclusive culture and open door policy.

The company organises and pays for one charity initiative each year which anyone in the agency can join. They believe passionately that the event should put something back into the local community where they work. On the surface Covent Garden, and the borough of Camden, where they are headquartered, is a wealthy and vibrant part of London. Behind the scenes it is home to many disadvantaged and under-privileged people and children. Their Give Day is designed to undertake a project which makes an immediate, if small, difference to the community. In the past they have cleared ponds in local parks, doing work that would otherwise need to be paid for by scarce resources, or painted local community facilities which again would need to be paid for from limited funds.

The company organises and pays for one charity initiative each year which anyone in the agency can join. They believe passionately that the event should put something back into the local community where they work. On the surface Covent Garden, and the borough of Camden, where they are headquartered, is a wealthy and vibrant part of London. Behind the scenes it is home to many disadvantaged and under-privileged people and children. Their Give Day is designed to undertake a project which makes an immediate, if small, difference to the community. In the past they have cleared ponds in local parks, doing work that would otherwise need to be paid for by scarce resources, or painted local community facilities which again would need to be paid for from limited funds.

The wellbeing of employees is supported through various means. Longer lunch breaks are provided to encourage healthy pursuits, such as running, swimming and gym time and extra holiday days are also given for every member of staff. They also provide fully equipped kitchens on every floor and a chill out area/social room to relax and play. To make sure their staff are both healthy and happy they offer medical screening. Their occupational Health advisor has introduced a monthly newsletter on different topics which is circulated to staff and has also been invited to present to staff to address any relevant health issues that are raised. They ensure the external staff are safe, by providing driver assessment training, and Help at hand; a telephone helpline; to assist with personal issues which may require expert assistance.

Managers take a holistic approach to their reports, both professionally and personally which can only be done by recognising strengths and weaknesses of individuals, guiding them through difficult challenges and always being available for advice. They understand that from time to time situations arise which may be unplanned and endeavour to take a flexible approach to day to day working and will accommodate life outside of the working day where possible, e.g. appointments, deliveries at home or when illness arise. They also go out of their way to make sure enough time is taken to resolve any issues, even if this may mean working from home. They also recognise achievement, both individually and externally and celebrate every success and achievement as a team.

Commercial has run a successful environmental programme for a number of years. It is the first company in its sector to become CarbonNeutral and was declared a Beacon Company for sustainability in 2008. It has successfully reduced waste to landfill by over 90% and normalised carbon emissions by over 70% since 2006. They also have Green Angels, which are a small group of staff from different parts of the business with different levels of seniority who work together for a short time on a project. They are tasked to deliver two things; communication and business transformation. Each Green Angels group selects one commitment as the focus for their activity. One team focused on Eliminate Waste and revamped the internal signage, introduced new recycling bins and added two new recycling streams. They also held a “What a Load of Rubbish Day” which included all staff in seminars, tours and a game to encourage recycling. Following their activity, not only did the level of contamination in recycling bins decrease, but staff also reported much better recycling rates at home.

Arthur Hindmarch the MD spends a morning every month with all new starters, taking the time to get to know them individually, taking them around the premises, explaining the functions of teams, developments that have taken place and plans for the future. He is very involved and hands on working with sales people across all divisions of the company. He personally launched the Added Value Programme and is spending time working with Business Development Managers across the business to empower and train them to sell cross divisionally all of the products and services. Arthur is a humble, open, understanding, funny and empowering individual. He firmly believes that staff should be given the space to grow and at times learn from their mistakes in part of that growth, is hugely appreciative and constantly praises all the staff personally.

Social events at COAL IT are circled in everyone's diary and none more so than the annual incentive. A memorable trip was where a group of 17 attended a 4 night all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas. It was a fantastic experience especially for those who had not been before. Staff stayed at the Encore which is one of Las Vegas' new hotels and dined in top Las Vegas restaurants including Koi and Steve Whynn's SW restaurant. The holiday was topped off by a night in the Encore's new club XS, seeing the Rat Pack show and even bumping into the legend that is Tom Jones.

COAL IT hold regular appraisals and one to ones between managers and their staff, where they ask for feedback on the company, as well as any issues in general and these are then relayed back to all staff in the monthly sales meetings. In addition to this, they have a quarterly newsletter where they ask staff for feedback and give them an opportunity to put forward anything they would like to be included in the next issue.

As an organisation they seek to enhance the wellbeing of employees by providing daily fruit portions for every member of staff and managing stress and losing weight. They have weekly exercise classes and encourage sporting events and participate in many local firm sporting activities. They organise monthly end of the week get-togethers to wind down in readiness for the weekend and close the office during office hours to celebrate Christmas. They also operate a Health Benefit scheme which provides counselling and has a general health enquiry line.

As an organisation they seek to enhance the wellbeing of employees by providing daily fruit portions for every member of staff and managing stress and losing weight. They have weekly exercise classes and encourage sporting events and participate in many local firm sporting activities. They organise monthly end of the week get-togethers to wind down in readiness for the weekend and close the office during office hours to celebrate Christmas. They also operate a Health Benefit scheme which provides counselling and has a general health enquiry line.

Managers receive training in reviewing with staff. Managers also work alongside staff on a daily basis and teamwork is heavily promoted. Managers have monthly staff meetings to review how things have gone etc. Managers are required to carry out monthly training bites and ensure job descriptions and information is up to date.

Managers receive training in reviewing with staff. Managers also work alongside staff on a daily basis and teamwork is heavily promoted. Managers have monthly staff meetings to review how things have gone etc. Managers are required to carry out monthly training bites and ensure job descriptions and information is up to date.

Managers have to ensure that the maintenance of the PRIDE boards and the free flow of information is delivered consistently throughout the year. They also need to be aware of issues within the team and particulary if individuals within their team seem to be struggling and in turn giving them the advice and support they need to continue to be fulfilled within their role.

The leadership has built the business from a standing start in 2005 to a £25 million pound business at the end of 2011. This has been achieved by adhering to the values and ethos that the company was established on and being able as the company grew to communicate, motivate the new team members joining to all feel a sense of ownership and pride in the development of the company. This has been supported by a really effective communication and engagement policy that means that all team members feel they have a voice and that voice will be listened to and acted upon by all members of the management team. They believe that the success of the business is firmly established in the culture and the ability of the team.

ByBox gives everybody the chance to prove to themselves how good they really could be. It helps them to find and unlock the unique energy that is in all of us but that so many other companies work so hard to stamp-out. At ByBox, it doesn't matter a jot where you came from, how old you are, how you were educated or what you do in your spare time. All that matters is that you have the true desire to be part of something memorable.

ByBox gives everybody the chance to prove to themselves how good they really could be. It helps them to find and unlock the unique energy that is in all of us but that so many other companies work so hard to stamp-out. At ByBox, it doesn't matter a jot where you came from, how old you are, how you were educated or what you do in your spare time. All that matters is that you have the true desire to be part of something memorable.

As part of Brocade's global WellFit strategy all employees in Europe, including the UK, are invited to participate in all global contests and challenges by leveraging on line tools and resources. Wellness programmes provide unique fitness alternatives for employees and are designed to improve their overall health and wellbeing globally while decreasing benefits costs. Most recently this has included an Executive Fitness Challenge. In this challenge Brocade's CEO Michael Klayko and his direct reports challenged all Brocade employees to partner in teams of 12 to complete at least 30 minutes of exercise for two weeks. Over 500 people participated in 44 teams across all geographic locations. In the end the executives came in 28th place. Their CEO said it was a humbling experience for him and it was a fun event for all employees who participated. They also held TheHealthy Living Family Fun Challenge. In its first challenge designed for families, Brocade's WellFit team launched the Healthy Living Family Fun Challenge. Participants tracked the number of fitness minutes they completed with a family member. Another event was Specific for EMEA and was called The Step on it Challenge, Walking is simple and an easy way to get fit you can do it any time, anywhere, on your own or with your family. In this challenge, designed to meet the needs of Brocade's employee population in Europe, participants were given a free pedometer from WellFit so they could track steps and complete against colleagues.

As part of Brocade's global WellFit strategy all employees in Europe, including the UK, are invited to participate in all global contests and challenges by leveraging on line tools and resources. Wellness programmes provide unique fitness alternatives for employees and are designed to improve their overall health and wellbeing globally while decreasing benefits costs. Most recently this has included an Executive Fitness Challenge. In this challenge Brocade's CEO Michael Klayko and his direct reports challenged all Brocade employees to partner in teams of 12 to complete at least 30 minutes of exercise for two weeks. Over 500 people participated in 44 teams across all geographic locations. In the end the executives came in 28th place. Their CEO said it was a humbling experience for him and it was a fun event for all employees who participated. They also held TheHealthy Living Family Fun Challenge. In its first challenge designed for families, Brocade's WellFit team launched the Healthy Living Family Fun Challenge. Participants tracked the number of fitness minutes they completed with a family member. Another event was Specific for EMEA and was called The Step on it Challenge, Walking is simple and an easy way to get fit you can do it any time, anywhere, on your own or with your family. In this challenge, designed to meet the needs of Brocade's employee population in Europe, participants were given a free pedometer from WellFit so they could track steps and complete against colleagues.

At an Away Day in April the Senior Management Team spent the day facilitating the whole team in the development of the 5 year plan. This was done by first asking the team to step into the tardis, and via various stimulations, come up with their vision of the future both professionally and personally. The team were then split into groups and each group had a lense to explore the future through and brainstorm what the business would look like in that area. The groups were then asked to present their thoughts back to the whole team at the end of the day. These thoughts and ideas were then used back at the office by the Senior Management Team in the final write up of the 5 year plan. The inclusiveness of the day had a huge impact on the team which was reflected in the very positive verbatims recieved in their bi-yearly employee engagement survey.

In March the company had an away day at Foxhills Golf Club in Ottershaw, Surrey. The day's theme was 'World Book Day Characters' and the whole team came in fancy dress. There were all the characters out of Alice In Wonderland, Charlotte's Web, Winnie the Pooh, Where's Wally? and The Cat in the Hat to name a few. The day's activities focused on developing their Knowledge Management systems and processes as well as sharing information and best practice. The evening's activities involved pre-dinner drinks, team quiz and a dinner. Everyone sat on round tables with people they don't normally work with to increase connectivity. There was a tremendous spirit all day and everyone came away feeling energised.

Bovey Castle display the correct behaviours by communicating regularly in the form of meetings and appraisals. They also provide training sessions.

Bovey Castle display the correct behaviours by communicating regularly in the form of meetings and appraisals. They also provide training sessions.

All staff are actively encouraged to put forward ideas to the Leadership team. This is made easier by the fact that they have face to face contact with all the Directors on a very regular basis. The speed with which good ideas are followed up and implemented is outstanding. Boodles plan to fully understand the results and identify the topics with the biggest impact. The Directors and HR Manager will devise an action plan with clear goals and a timescale. They will then communicate the results and share their commitment to an action plan to all staff, linking it to the business plan. Continuous monitoring of the action plan and celebration of successes.

Employees recieve handwritten cards from the Managing Directors for exceptional work. Staff are proud to receive them and it really encourages motivation and commitment.

Bond Pearce has a confidential and free employee assistance helpline, for anyone to call and discuss personal or work-related problems. They also have regular occupational health visits by a qualified GP to each of their office locations. He is available for any employee to attend a private consultation, should he/she need to do so. They also have free eye tests and flu jabs for all employees.

Bond Pearce has a confidential and free employee assistance helpline, for anyone to call and discuss personal or work-related problems. They also have regular occupational health visits by a qualified GP to each of their office locations. He is available for any employee to attend a private consultation, should he/she need to do so. They also have free eye tests and flu jabs for all employees.

Managers are expected to use the 'LMS' system to conduct regular reviews with teams. Employees are asked to rate each objective on a given scale and constructive feedback is provided to support development. Managers are also expected to use the 'Shine' recognition platform by reviewing nominations for employees and approving awards. Managers are also expected to utilise the full range of resources on offer to support personal and career development. Using such programmes enables managers to adapt to a variety of challenging situations and also offer support in giving feedback to teams.

Managers are expected to use the 'LMS' system to conduct regular reviews with teams. Employees are asked to rate each objective on a given scale and constructive feedback is provided to support development. Managers are also expected to use the 'Shine' recognition platform by reviewing nominations for employees and approving awards. Managers are also expected to utilise the full range of resources on offer to support personal and career development. Using such programmes enables managers to adapt to a variety of challenging situations and also offer support in giving feedback to teams.

BMT celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching a new significant philanthropic project called BMT Giveback. All staff were invited to submit ideas for ways in which the application of BMT's technical scientific and engineering capabilities could make a difference to the lives of people in developing countries. The winning idea which has been put into practice is the design and implementation of a low cost sewerage and sewage treatment system for a rural village in India. At present, with no sanitation system, dirty water flows in open channels down the middle of unpaved roads, creating health risks. The project is much more than just a charitable donation, it is a technical challenge which BMT's engineers have taken on to design a novel system which will work with very low water flows and be easy to maintain by the local people. By choosing materials and skills for the construction which area available locally, businesses in the area have been able to secure contracts to deliver the works, ensuring the maximum economic benefit to the local community. The new design having been created and piloted by BMT's technical experts is being given away to an international development charity who will seek to implement it elsewhere. So not only will the 2500 people in this village experience a significant increase in their quality of life, but potentially many thousands elsewhere.

BMT celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching a new significant philanthropic project called BMT Giveback. All staff were invited to submit ideas for ways in which the application of BMT's technical scientific and engineering capabilities could make a difference to the lives of people in developing countries. The winning idea which has been put into practice is the design and implementation of a low cost sewerage and sewage treatment system for a rural village in India. At present, with no sanitation system, dirty water flows in open channels down the middle of unpaved roads, creating health risks. The project is much more than just a charitable donation, it is a technical challenge which BMT's engineers have taken on to design a novel system which will work with very low water flows and be easy to maintain by the local people. By choosing materials and skills for the construction which area available locally, businesses in the area have been able to secure contracts to deliver the works, ensuring the maximum economic benefit to the local community. The new design having been created and piloted by BMT's technical experts is being given away to an international development charity who will seek to implement it elsewhere. So not only will the 2500 people in this village experience a significant increase in their quality of life, but potentially many thousands elsewhere.

November 2010 saw Billington Cartmell host its 20th Birthday Party celebrations at Paramount, situated on the top floor of London's Centre Point Building. The venue has 360 degree vistas of London reinforcing the company's view to the future and vision. Dinner and welcome drinks were followed by a motivating speech by guest speaker, Craig Sams founder of Green and Blacks (to expand on their core principles and OA), live music from the James Taylor Quartet and comedy from Reginald D Hunter.

All employees from Senior Account Manager level and above attend the BCL Academy Line Manager Training.

They consider flexible requests and work with staff to agree suitable work patterns. Back to work interviews are carried out to ensure that staff are OK. They then provide specialist equipment and increased support if needed such as phased return to work, reduced hours and change to shifts. All managers and heads of department take part in the QSM's. They also have Q and A's and feedback forms for staff to communicate. Managers lead by example and this cascades down to staff, positivity, enthusiasm and drive. They provide incentives to staff through minor rewards or company recognition.

Europ Assistance Holdings Limited provides intranet wellbeing, charity work and a discounted gym. The organisation also has a ride to work scheme and provides flu jabs.

Across the business, employees have the opportunity to develop through different training schemes. The Raising the Bar programme is more than the run of the mill training programme. It is based around changing the mind-set of the company's senior store colleagues, and giving them the tools to inspire and lead their teams to be the best they can be and enhance service to customers. STEPS is a tool that helps Argos' non-management employees achieve desired levels of performance, it is used for stores to develop their teams, whilst delivering exceptional customer service. Idevelop is used in Argos' Head Office and is an online development tool which facilitates learning. Distribution: Connecting You, is designed for the senior team, to give them the tools to understand the needs of their teams. SkillPac – includes the distribution induction, and specific training including H&S/manual handling and department role training. Professional training: Across the whole business, any employee can opt to do a funded professional course related to their role including paid study leave.

Argos believes the wellbeing of all their colleagues is vitally important and something they are widening over the next year. At their distribution centres, the company are currently trialling a wellbeing programme which will potentially be rolled out to other distribution sites and the rest of Argos. This trial aims to prevent and/or incorporate early detection, therefore maintaining and improving the health and wellbeing of the workforce. A regular monthly calendar of events incorporates health awareness campaigns including mental health, diet & exercise, cancer, stopping smoking and flu vaccinations, corporate benefits promotion, managing money and fun/team building events. Across the whole business the company offers the below, under the umbrella of wellbeing: All colleagues have access to a confidential telephone line to support facilities that provide guidance on health, financial and legal advice. In addition to the actual health of their colleagues, other elements of wellbeing including financial help.

The company provides Wellness testing for cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and also provides free Flu jabs.

The company frequently celebrate successes.

On December 10 2010, the company held their annual Christmas Party and put on a stunning Venetian-style Masquerade Ball and invited everyone at Albany Software to buy or create a mask for the occasion. On the night, there were awards for the most spectacular mask, the most creative mask, the most striking male and the most dazzling female. The Ball was well attended by 40 staff and 21 of their partners and everyone there enjoyed themselves, seeming to relish the occasion to let their hair down at the end of a challenging year. As always, these events are a great opportunity for staff at all levels including the Senior Management team to communicate and interact.

On December 10 2010, the company held their annual Christmas Party and put on a stunning Venetian-style Masquerade Ball and invited everyone at Albany Software to buy or create a mask for the occasion. On the night, there were awards for the most spectacular mask, the most creative mask, the most striking male and the most dazzling female. The Ball was well attended by 40 staff and 21 of their partners and everyone there enjoyed themselves, seeming to relish the occasion to let their hair down at the end of a challenging year. As always, these events are a great opportunity for staff at all levels including the Senior Management team to communicate and interact.

Keith Abel and Ted Bell, the leaders of the organisation, make regular ‘pilgrimages' to every sight in the company and meet with every single employee either as an individual or in small groups for a Q&A session. Managers are not present at the employees' meetings. This sometimes involves visits to the drivers' depots at 3.00 am and a lot of travelling around. These meetings have a huge impact on employee engagement as they cut out the middle-man and allow employees from all levels to sit down with those at the top of the company. Employees are invited to ask questions and give feedback and often the sessions can be quite intense and challenging from the directors. Afterwards, lists of actions are produced for each department and all employees are regularly updated on the progress of these actions.

Keith Abel and Ted Bell, the leaders of the organisation, make regular ‘pilgrimages' to every sight in the company and meet with every single employee either as an individual or in small groups for a Q&A session. Managers are not present at the employees' meetings. This sometimes involves visits to the drivers' depots at 3.00 am and a lot of travelling around. These meetings have a huge impact on employee engagement as they cut out the middle-man and allow employees from all levels to sit down with those at the top of the company. Employees are invited to ask questions and give feedback and often the sessions can be quite intense and challenging from the directors. Afterwards, lists of actions are produced for each department and all employees are regularly updated on the progress of these actions.

Salary is split between base salary and a discretionary bonus which is made up of three elements, company revenue, cash and personal objectives, so when the company is doing well, everyone benefits and there is an additional element of personal performance which contributes towards bonus payments.

Zeus have quarterly CEO awards, one to an individual in each team in the business, in recognition of outstanding achievement or efforts. The most recent awards in one department were i-Pads.

At QC Supplies a selection of fruit is available to all staff, free of charge to encourage healthy eating and Employees are given paid leave, when required for mental health issues. QC Supplies encourage staff to get more exercise and regularly have Inter-departmental team sports events. They also offer a Debt Counselling service and provide interest-free loans upon request.

Staff at QC Supplies are given the opportunity to earn bonuses and commission by achieving agreed goals. Also, staff are frequently taken to events involving refreshments, entertainment and meals as a 'Thank you' for their whole-hearted committment to the company to ensure that they feel they are rewarded for their efforts.

To ensure employees feel rewarded they send Thank you letters and hard work is always acknowledged .

To ensure employees feel rewarded they send Thank you letters and hard work is always acknowledged .

There is internal support counselling and recommendations for external providers to assist employees if required through Andover Mind and other counselling services. These can also be part or full funded by the company. Vitacress have a professional therapeutic massage consultant that comes in weekly and conducts 15 minutes head and shoulder massages for any employee that would like to participate. The employee pays for this service but Vitacress pay the employee whist they receive their massage.

There are many courses that employees can take part in: Manual Handling, HACCP Auditor courses, IOSH NEBOSH Environment Awareness, Forklift Training, HR Workshops, Management Programmes, Finance for non Finance Managers, NVQ's in Warehousing, iTQ,Business Skills, Business Improvement Techniques, ESOL Skills for Life, Food Hygiene, Diversity.

Teletext Holidays have Milestone Recognition by giving additional holiday for long servers and Instant Recognition is given which is usually drinks in the pub!!! Individuals at Teletext Holidays with great performance are recognised by the full company at monthly meetings.

Teletext Holidays have a budget specifically for fun and social events. Some examples of these events are: Bowling, Quizzes and Nights Out. Team celebrations are held with regular monthly meets and specific milestones are always celebrated in various styles. Staff at Teletext Holidays recently celebrated Stag and Hen do's for two team members.

Quitting smoking, Eating healthily, Losing weight, Managing stress, Healthy heart/ cholesterol and Getting more exercise all form part of TD Waterhouse's calendar of well being events. They offer support for other mental health issues through their employee assistance programme, Validium. TD Waterhouse believe the investment they give to employee well being is above and beyond what other companies offer and clearly demonstrates their commitment. In 2010 they were awarded with the Investors in People Good Practice Award for Health & Well-being.

TD Waterhouse match funds raised by their employees for charity pound for pound with no upper limit. Their HR Director is chair of the Leeds and Bradford Cares Advisory Board. - In the past 12 months they have won the CARES North West Community Impact award and more than 48% of employees have so far taken part in one or more CSR activity this year. They also achieved a Gold Award for their Investors in People Application. They use CSR as a development tool and have a CSR module on their Management Development Programme. They have a mix of volunteers across all of the business areas at all levels, from the CEO and beyond and their CSR strategy adopts a community based approach to ensure that they are giving back consistently to the communities in which they operate.

Talkington Bates have training programmes on the intranet for their managers and offer pay/ support for external management qualifications through NLP and external training facilitators. Individual training plans are set and 360 feedback is given at 6 monthly appraisals. All managers have a mentor as well as external coaching/ mentoring through Skills south east. Managers regularly attend seminars on employment law as well as field trips to other sites, suppliers and high street organisations.

Talkington Bates have training programmes on the intranet for their managers and offer pay/ support for external management qualifications through NLP and external training facilitators. Individual training plans are set and 360 feedback is given at 6 monthly appraisals. All managers have a mentor as well as external coaching/ mentoring through Skills south east. Managers regularly attend seminars on employment law as well as field trips to other sites, suppliers and high street organisations.

System C plc ensure that employees feel they are rewarded for their efforts. They have a Competitive benefits package, Annual performance related bonus (based on company performance and indiividual performance), Competitive salaries (internal/external benchmarking to ensure fair and equitable salaries), Comprehensive Appraisal process in place as well as regaular one to one meetings with line managers to discuss progress against set objectives. The Company supports employees through professional qualifications, both financially and with given study leave. There is a dedicated training budget in place for each employee, to ensure continued personal development. Share options are awarded to employees for performance periodically and they have implemented a SAYE for 3 years sharescheme.

System C plc ensure that employees feel they are rewarded for their efforts. They have a Competitive benefits package, Annual performance related bonus (based on company performance and indiividual performance), Competitive salaries (internal/external benchmarking to ensure fair and equitable salaries), Comprehensive Appraisal process in place as well as regaular one to one meetings with line managers to discuss progress against set objectives. The Company supports employees through professional qualifications, both financially and with given study leave. There is a dedicated training budget in place for each employee, to ensure continued personal development. Share options are awarded to employees for performance periodically and they have implemented a SAYE for 3 years sharescheme.

Some examples of the sorts of training activities Steljes employees might undertake are product training event weekends, bespoke training courses written for Managers and employees, Health and Safety Training, Professional Qualifications, Role specific courses, Internal Product Training and Product Certification Training. There are fully funded professional courses, time off work for study leave and exams and fully paid for course materials.

Steljes have a sales Employee of the month award which comprises of a plaque on the wall and a prize awarded by the Sales and Business Development Director. Milestone recognition is awarded with Fortnum and Mason Hampers at the Company Christmas Party by the Chairman for those staff who have reached 5, 10, 15 and 20 years service. There is instant recognition in the form of thank you cards, instant rewards, peer recognition etc. Steljes have Boy and Girl Done Good Awards from the Group Chief Executive of a meal for two at a restaurant of their choice awarded at monthly company meetings for staff nominated by others in the business and customers for things they have done well.

Managers toolkits are available on the intranet at STA Travel as well as formal external management courses. Internal management development training is offered as formal leadership training opportunities and coaching/ mentoring is provided by external leadership specialists. STA Travel have external meetings within peer groups and HR Breakfast meetings provided by Employment Lawyers etc are supported. They support and enhance the development of people managers within their organisation by working alongside the employees providing easy access to decision making and coaching.

Managers toolkits are available on the intranet at STA Travel as well as formal external management courses. Internal management development training is offered as formal leadership training opportunities and coaching/ mentoring is provided by external leadership specialists. STA Travel have external meetings within peer groups and HR Breakfast meetings provided by Employment Lawyers etc are supported. They support and enhance the development of people managers within their organisation by working alongside the employees providing easy access to decision making and coaching.

Full range of tailored HR policies and procedures to enable Managers to get the best of their people including recruitment questionnaires, leadership training etc. Leadership development is given through action learning with secondment to other groups e.g. HR Building Blocks Group, F&B Development group, Health & Safety committee etc. Somerston strive to get Deputy Managers to carry out Maternity Leave cover so that they can get their feet well and truly wet over a six to nine month secondment and they get a real opportunity to handle the rough and tumble of managing people and teams with high expectations of their leaders.

Keith Griffiths, Managing Director and HR Manager have quarterly informal lunch get togethers with employees from three hotels. Usually three colleagues from each hotel are picked up in the MD's and HR Manager's cars and transported to the venue where they have an informal chat about how it is working for Somerston and including a brief business update. Keith Griffiths and Senior Managers make regular, structured visits as well as ad hoc visits to all locations and purposely engage with the front line employees.

The Westfield Scheme is available to all employees for help quitting smoking, eating healthily, losing weight, managing stress, other mental health issues and getting more exercise. They also have regular medicals for partners to support healthy heart/cholesterol, know your numbers. Westfield offers advice and if what was required was not there, they would be able to speak to someone to find out where help could be found. On approval, they have access to Clare Haynes, a life coach. A work life balance is also encouraged.

Robinson Low Francis say "Steve is a strong, visible leader who interacts with his partners and staff on a daily basis. He encourages ideas, he is enthusiastic, he believes in his company and his staff, he is outspoken and approachable and believes in transparency."

Robert Dyas have a No Smoking Policy and Smoking is not permitted inside any premises and a lot of Head Office Colleagues will now offer fruit as well as cakes when buying for their birthday! They promote their Retail Trust Helpline as well as encouraging colleagues to approach their Line Manager or HR if they have an ongoing concern. With regards to other mental health issues they refer all cases to their occupational Health provider for advice and support and any colleague who requests time off for private treatment will be given the time requested. Head Office colleagues have a discounted membership at the local Health Centre and they encourage all Colleagues to take regular breaks.

Robert Dyas have a No Smoking Policy and Smoking is not permitted inside any premises and a lot of Head Office Colleagues will now offer fruit as well as cakes when buying for their birthday! They promote their Retail Trust Helpline as well as encouraging colleagues to approach their Line Manager or HR if they have an ongoing concern. With regards to other mental health issues they refer all cases to their occupational Health provider for advice and support and any colleague who requests time off for private treatment will be given the time requested. Head Office colleagues have a discounted membership at the local Health Centre and they encourage all Colleagues to take regular breaks.