What are companies doing with regards to 'My Team'

Bilfinger GVA's people care passionately about the communities they live in and every year collectively and individually they take on a variety of amazing and inspirational challenges in the name of charity. A number these initiatives include: Raffling the reception flowers every Friday, charity dress down days (Pretty in Purple, Comic Relief, Jeans for Genes, Wear it Pink, and Xmas Jumper Day), charity events such as; Breakfasts, Raffles, Quizzes, Back to School, Land Aid and Rainbow Fun Runs, Three Peak Challenge, Children in Need, Bike Rides, Moon Walks, Nightriders, Tough Mudders, Shawn the Sheep Charity Trail, Shwop at Work and Brave the Shave to name a view. They work with local communities on specific community schemes; an example of this is where 13 volunteers from their Glasgow office helped out with the gardens at their local Robin House children's hospice. They collectively contributed over 70 hours of time to transform the grounds in time for the hospices special memorial weekend, they also have a number of senior managers who give their free time as school governors, business coaches or confidents to SME businesses.

Bilfinger GVA provide support to employee's development in many different ways; in the last 12 months they have fundamentally overhauled their training principles, they have driven the training to relate to their values and beliefs and in parallel carried out a gap analysis of training requirements. There are three examples worthy of note that they have created recently and rolled out across the business: Firstly, the introduction of career pathways into the business, allowing clarity of expectations and how individuals can progress within the organisation; secondly, the release of a CMI (Chartered Management Institute) Level 5 accredited leadership programme for middle management, and lastly; a new graduate training programme for their graduate planners; as part of this programme they engaged with both past and present graduates and partnered with the RTPI to establish a training programme to be used as a standard across the industry, this training programme was recently recognised at the annual RTPI awards by being nominated and winning the governing body's Excellence Award.

Guidance Marine Ltd has a profit related bonus scheme which is up to 4% half yearly. This is paid dependent on the individual employees performance and also that of Guidance Marine Ltd. This scheme reflects the company's intention to share their success amongst their employees.

Guidance Marine Ltd supports employees in participating in charitable initiatives within the community and matches any money that is raised. Guidance Marine Ltd was the largest financial contributor to a local Leicestershire school through supplying and fitting solar panels on the school premises. Guidance Marine Ltd has also previously provided reading material for a school in Brazil showing their intention to help projects both in the UK and abroad.

Grass Roots' has a learning platform which holds sections dedicated to programs which support their manager's development. There is a curriculum of workshops; insights; webinars and various materials, as well as a toolkit of activities the managers can use to engage, develop and inspire their teams. A separate pathway supports those people who aspire to be a manager at Grass Roots'- providing them with the skills and knowledge before they are promoted into a management role.

Grass Roots' has a learning platform which holds sections dedicated to programs which support their manager's development. There is a curriculum of workshops; insights; webinars and various materials, as well as a toolkit of activities the managers can use to engage, develop and inspire their teams. A separate pathway supports those people who aspire to be a manager at Grass Roots'- providing them with the skills and knowledge before they are promoted into a management role.

The managing director at Global Payments holds quarterly huddles whereby all employees gather and he provides updates on key business activities, good news stories, personal achievements and upcoming projects. At the end of each huddle, the floor is opened for questions and the Managing Director along with members of his team will answer any questions posed to them from the rest of the staff openly and honestly.

At Global Payments there are numerous courses available to all employees, a number of which are geared towards line managers and their development, they range from 'Having Difficult Conversations' to 'Introducing Coaching'. One recent programme aimed specifically at the management team is 'The 4 L's'. This programme was designed to introduce, reinforce and embed the Living Our Culture programme that is in place at Global Payments.

At Genesis Associates they ensure that employees in business support have the relevant qualifications and training required to ensure all processes run smoothly and efficiently, 2 examples of this being the learning and development/HR manager completing their CIPD and the Talent Acquisition Manager completing their PTLLS in order to enhance their skills set to training. Both funded by the business and provided with paid time off to study. At Genesis Solutions they also have a learning and development manager who provides a 4-8 week focused induction training programme for new employees, in conjunction with consistent training taking place on an ongoing basis for additional requirements/ refreshers for existing employees. Upon transitioning from the training academy each trainee is provided with a one to one mentor to continue assistance with their development and act as a one to one support. The company also conduct monthly review meetings with each employee where a needs analysis is conducted in order to ensure all training and support requirements are being met. There is also a competency based assessment in place for when employees qualify for promotion. Genesis Associates utilize an e-learning library accessible to all employees suitable from Trainee to Director level accessible 24 hours a day. There is an external course provided to future leaders and current managers to enhance their skill set and transition into a new role. There is also external programme training provided such as Broadbean where businesses come in to train employees on their direct product for optimal utilization. At Genesis Associates they implement PIP- ‘Personal Improvement Plans' these are designed for employees who are behind in terms of targets or competency development level.

At Genesis Associates they have a competency based assessment for their employees to gain promotions. The company work to a meritocratic policy whereby management promotions and opportunities are awarded based on performance and competency based assessment. Each applicant for management has the chance to demonstrate their applicable competencies towards a position, and all employees are eligible to apply for this role. If an employee does not currently possess required competencies for a promotion, then an action plan is developed so they have a detailed plan of what is required in order to get there. At Genesis Associates both internal and external training is provided to management level employees, from coaching on how to carry out reviews of performance with team members, through to external training such as enabling change, on how to become a top performing manager which was delivered to both existing and up and coming management. There is ongoing coaching and mentoring provided from director level, with reviews of performance and action plans based on improvements/skill development. Genesis Associates hold a networking event that 4 different managers will attend on a monthly basis to gain insight and guidance on their future role in leadership.

Last year Gemini People spent a large portion of their profit on training their managers and hired an external business coach to work with managers on a 1-2-1 basis and in group sessions. The company now have a formal training programme for all of their managers which runs on a monthly basis. The training is spread out over 12 months and covers everything from learning about “emotional intelligence” through to “what does it mean to be a leader?” The training is being facilitated by the company's Head of Talent, the Directors and the CEO and they have also appointed an external training company. The company also decided to split the management team into two groups so that managers are working in small groups and getting lots of attention in these sessions. Gemini People have recently rolled out a new review process and have been running one to one sessions with each of the managers on how to implement this process with their teams. Gemini People believe that everyone is an individual and one size does not fit all so they are conscious about this when it comes to training.

With a nurturing ethos that supersedes any sense of hierarchy in the business, the senior management team at Gemini People are committed to leading the company through collaboration, fun, inspiration and integrity. They hold Friday wrap-up meetings for the whole company, where they publicly recognise the week's best efforts in the office. They are the first people in the office each morning and the last people to leave at night, they hold regular cross-team meetings, where they share client information and they also run a host of training courses to up-skill everyone in the company. They are always the first to be involved in Gemini CSR initiatives, they have an open door policy and are always there to talk to. The senior management team at Gemini People also lead by example and are the top performers in the business. They would never ask a team member to do something they wouldn't do themselves (even clean the kitchen on their team's day on the rota!) and they frequently use WhatsApp as a quick way to chat about any issues their team members have out of hours.

G Adventures has 25 community projects in the destinations their travellers visit. They have just committed to launching another 50 projects in the next five years. All 50 social enterprise projects – known collectively as G Adventures for Good projects - are under development by G Adventures and its non-profit organisation, Planeterra Foundation. Together they will invest more than CAD$5-million in social enterprises over the next five years. G Adventures is constantly evaluating potential new G Adventures; For Good projects and these are selected according to the biggest impact in terms of community benefit and traveller numbers. The projects are primarily located in communities where indigenous people, women and youth have been disadvantaged by a lack of access to education, jobs and income opportunities.

All the senior management team wear Core Values t-shirts and set-up and host Summit Talks, where different business leaders and people with interesting stories come in to the office for an open forum chat about their job and how they got there. They support both The Monarchy (culture team) and Green Queens (sustainability ambassadors) in their goals to create happiness and community, and to do the right thing. They are also the barometer for the office ensuring morale is well and people are passionate in what they do every day!

Manager's competency is assessed so that bespoke training and development can be provided on a regular basis with checks to ensure quality. L+D works to support managers by regularly assessing their training and coaching skills, providing feedback and development to improve this. Managers attend induction training to embed the vision and values and lend valuable context to their work across the business. L+D works hard to coach managers to provide the best feedback, support and development utilising a sports coaching methodology, ensuring that all staff at all levels of the business can expect the same consistent level and format of support. Lead Advisors are supported on their unique development path by L+D Managers to ensure their vision of a new career in management is fulfilled.

Freedom Finance has a charity committee. The committee holds various activities and competitions where all proceedings go to their chosen charity, St Anne's Hospice. At the end of each month they hold a dress down day where employees have to pay £1 to participate, the event has proven to be extremely popular with employees. Employees have participated in the Manchester Midnight Walk for St Anne's Hospice and also helped and attended a Quiz Nights and Bake Sales. Other events that staff have organised for another charity called Brainwave are a sponsored 5k run, fancy dress days, and formal dress Wednesdays. Freedom Finance holds an annual event called Freedom Festival, which is run across the entire workforce for their chosen charity. The activities that were in this year's festival included mangers participating in several events across the week such as limbo, races and treasure hunting events.

All Fourfront employees are enrolled in to the Fourfront Academy and are given a career development training programme, tailored for their specific needs and job role. The company invest three times the national average on training which helps the Group retain and attract some of the best talent. The Fourfront Academy is important not only to individual development, happiness and success, but is vital in ensuring Fourfront Group remains a leading organisation in the industry and, more importantly, delivers excellence to their clients. Fourfront Group also recognises that specific groups can have specific developmental needs, so has launched a number of initiatives. NextGen creates a platform for innovation and networking and gives an opportunity for young talent to feed their expertise back into the business. Women in Fourfront supports women in their career development through a workshop-style learning environment with quarterly meetings and coaching sessions. The company has trained internal mentors support individuals throughout the business in their career development by passing on knowledge and experience. This programme enables the company to bring fresh new talent into the business and give students studying towards relevant degrees and opportunity to learn and develop. Outstanding interns are sponsored during their final year at University with a view to bringing them back as full time employees. Fourfront invests in the learning activities through which professionals develop their abilities and ensure they remain effective and increasingly capable. This is achieved through a programme of accredited seminars, supplier visits and payment for employees' annual professional body memberships.

All Fourfront employees are enrolled in to the Fourfront Academy and are given a career development training programme, tailored for their specific needs and job role. The company invest three times the national average on training which helps the Group retain and attract some of the best talent. The Fourfront Academy is important not only to individual development, happiness and success, but is vital in ensuring Fourfront Group remains a leading organisation in the industry and, more importantly, delivers excellence to their clients. Fourfront Group also recognises that specific groups can have specific developmental needs, so has launched a number of initiatives. NextGen creates a platform for innovation and networking and gives an opportunity for young talent to feed their expertise back into the business. Women in Fourfront supports women in their career development through a workshop-style learning environment with quarterly meetings and coaching sessions. The company has trained internal mentors support individuals throughout the business in their career development by passing on knowledge and experience. This programme enables the company to bring fresh new talent into the business and give students studying towards relevant degrees and opportunity to learn and develop. Outstanding interns are sponsored during their final year at University with a view to bringing them back as full time employees. Fourfront invests in the learning activities through which professionals develop their abilities and ensure they remain effective and increasingly capable. This is achieved through a programme of accredited seminars, supplier visits and payment for employees' annual professional body memberships.

Their Communities Team run c120 community events a year, including sports, arts, fun, recreation, guided walks and coach trips to interesting destinations. They also run a structured volunteering programme called Step Up which engages with c50 volunteers a year aged 12 to adult; these volunteers work at Fortis's events, help at community gardens and organise events in their own neighbourhoods. The team also supports a network of community gardens. In the first instance staff organise the meetings and oversee operations, but with time the gardeners are enabled to form constituted groups with bank accounts and supported by the Fortis Fund Raiser and Bid Writer to seek independent funding for their garden. One of their gardeners won a Community Cohesion Award last year as a result of her work in their Droitwich garden. In 2015 they delivered their second annual Communities Week during which colleagues tidied 28 gardens for elderly and unwell tenants, collected over half a tonne of food for local food banks, ran a sports camp for disadvantaged children, painted and repaired fencing in five neighbourhoods and ran a Pop-Up 50p Shop in a deprived neighbourhood and raised £780 for a local charity nominated by colleagues. The shop alone represented 160 colleague working hours. The Fortis Social Club Committee organises monthly charitable events like dress down days, a bake sale or themed day. The organisation corporately supports the CAB, the local children's football league and lends out its Fund Raiser and Bid Writer to local charities and community groups.

Fortis Living have a strong believe in lifelong learning which support employee development in a variety of offering to suit differing learning styles and ability. These opportunities include:- Professional, Academic and Vocational courses from level 2 to level 7, this will either link to current role or career aspirations, supported financially and with time off as appropriate. Secondments to other departments and teams from 3 to 18 months, workshops and Seminars, Open Courses and networking group to support sharing of best practice. Training courses delivered in traditional style, from 2 hour bitesize course to 8 day programmes spread over a period time to embed the learning. They delivered 365 events last year using internal and external training at their offices. E- learning is used to provide Health and Safety updates and support in house training courses. Toolbox talks for short updates for operatives to give them training updates, coaching is encouraged and supported throughout the organisation, managers are given a bespoke series of training day to give them the skills to be able to support a coachee. 12 % of Fortis Living employees have gained promotion and they have examples of employees starting and undertaking an apprenticeship and progressing to supervisor level.