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

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

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.

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

PPDG have a comprehensive internal communications strategy, that aims to inform and engage employees in a variety of ways, including: Workshops. Last year their Executive and People Development Directors embarked upon a companywide road show to canvass the opinions of employees regarding a range of key business areas, from IT systems to benefits/rewards. The outputs of all sessions were collated and feedback to operational and departmental heads who are taking direct action where necessary. The results of the exercise and actions taken will be communicated to all workshop participants & discussed at all PPDG site meetings. Executive Briefing: a re-vamped version of a previous communication tool, the Executive Briefing is a discussion document that shadows the Executive Board meeting, with key business updates/strategic issues released to all staff via their intranet system. All managers are encouraged to discuss its content as a standard action point within team meetings.

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

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

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

The Company also has a CSR strategy which focuses on Wellbeing, Charity, Schools and Colleges and the Environment. Outsourcery sponsor charity annually and encourage employees to take part in events such as the Sport Relief Mile, BUPA Great North Run and the Manchester to Blackpool Bike Ride. Entering a company team in these events helps both build relationships across the business as well as improve the health and wellbeing of their employees. Internal events such as the pedometer challenge were also conducted, encouraging employees to work together in groups of five to walk the equivalent distance between their Bury and London offices in one week. Outsourcery have also worked with organisations such as the NHS to introduce on site stop smoking and health works groups and offered a weekly on site GP service with annual flu jabs for all employees.

Managers regularly meet with employees, through 121s, team briefings and team events, encouraging them to speak openly and honestly, ask any questions they may have as well as raising any concerns or improvement ideas.

Orthoplastics reward efforts with bonuses and competence payments.

Orthoplastics offer private health to a manager group.

OPM give their staff time for community benefit, and freedom to use that time as they see fit. Staff members get six days a year for volunteering. This has led to a range of innovative and impactful volunteering - community groups in Camden, staff work with a centre in Somerstown. Support includes running a community café and classes for people with English as a second language. For the past eight years staff have worked with the Calthorpe Project a community garden and centre, keeping the site in fit repair. They've also been raising money and campaigning for the Project to continue - an unfortunate victim of council funding cuts, despite the local authority being one of OPM's biggest clients. In terms of support to the ‘wider world', OPM staff run monthly fundraising projects, including bake-offs, bring and buy sales and charity auctions. Staff have raised thousands of pounds for the Pakistan floods appeal, Sudan crisis and Japanese earthquake recovery.

OPM give their staff time for community benefit, and freedom to use that time as they see fit. Staff members get six days a year for volunteering. This has led to a range of innovative and impactful volunteering - community groups in Camden, staff work with a centre in Somerstown. Support includes running a community café and classes for people with English as a second language. For the past eight years staff have worked with the Calthorpe Project a community garden and centre, keeping the site in fit repair. They've also been raising money and campaigning for the Project to continue - an unfortunate victim of council funding cuts, despite the local authority being one of OPM's biggest clients. In terms of support to the ‘wider world', OPM staff run monthly fundraising projects, including bake-offs, bring and buy sales and charity auctions. Staff have raised thousands of pounds for the Pakistan floods appeal, Sudan crisis and Japanese earthquake recovery.

A particularly enjoyable social event was the team night out at Batchwood, St Albans in April.

During the last 12 months the Senior Management team have agreed their core values with their staff.

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.

Mott MacDonald utilises two primary groups to listen to the views of employees. To promote professional excellence, a Young Professional Excellence (YPE) network exists across all of the company's business units. This network creates a learning culture among the company's younger staff. YPE promotes two way communications and ensures that the views of their young professionals are fed back to senior management. As the YPE networks are representative of Mott MacDonald's business units, the Groups can be targeted depending on the nature of the query on which the company is seeking views. The other channel which MacDonald uses is staff councils. These allow effective two-way communication between the company and staff at all levels. In doing so, they provide a forum in which company policy can be explained to staff. They are held on a quarterly basis and minutes are posted on the company's intranet to ensure all staff have access to on going discussions.

Mott MacDonald utilises two primary groups to listen to the views of employees. To promote professional excellence, a Young Professional Excellence (YPE) network exists across all of the company's business units. This network creates a learning culture among the company's younger staff. YPE promotes two way communications and ensures that the views of their young professionals are fed back to senior management. As the YPE networks are representative of Mott MacDonald's business units, the Groups can be targeted depending on the nature of the query on which the company is seeking views. The other channel which MacDonald uses is staff councils. These allow effective two-way communication between the company and staff at all levels. In doing so, they provide a forum in which company policy can be explained to staff. They are held on a quarterly basis and minutes are posted on the company's intranet to ensure all staff have access to on going discussions.