Team Cohesion = Performance

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.

QC Supplies have a nominated charity which receives their organisation's support and employees are actively involved in choosing which charity to support. They support the Send a Cow Charity, to which they donate a percentage of their Own Brand turnover towards provision of cows in Africa. In addition they also sponsor events held by local schools and charities.

Their employees may undertake a variety of training activities throughout the year dependent on their position, which department and office they are in. A focus for many is the Continuing Professional Development requirements of their professional bodies (such as ICAEW, ACCA, CIOT etc). These people attend update courses on all relevant areas of accounts, audit and taxation, and more specific courses such as charity legislation. They encourage their team to attend courses and to undertake challenging work for both the benefit of the company and their own personal growth. Examples of this include a series of practice and people management courses attended by two of our managers. This included areas where they had to apply the theory into practice between training sessions then to report back at the next session.

They have been very selective when moving offices, despite wanting the most suitable accommodation they have taken into consideration the location for team members, for example close to town for public transport and lunch hours. The cycle to work scheme and they also encourage participation in sports teams, including football, cricket, badminton and unihoc and arrange and fund the games.

We have an interative break out zone with amongst other things, a Nintendo Wii! Staff are encouraged to take a breather from their desks to use this area to clear their head and return to work with a clear and calm perspective.

They have an annual company conference, which not only gives the opportunity for employees to be updated regarding business performance and future strategy and developments, but also involves team building events, on a company wide scale. These are held in September of each year and this year, the employees worked in 4 teams (in line with our 'House system') and took part in 'it's a Knockout.' The budget has been utilised for their annual Christmas party, team based Christmas meals and a 12 days of Christmas campaign in the office, in which there is a different treat or competition for the 12 days of Christmas. There are also social events incorporated into the incentives for the sales team on an adhoc basis outside of this budget.

They support a charitable organisation which was founded by Working LInks - this is the Links Foundation. Each year they give a percentage of our profit (over £5m in 10 years). Local organisations within the communities where they work can submit bids to use this fund for local budgets. During this, their 10th anniversary year, every person in Working Links will be given a day to support a charity or local community project of their choice.

Although Working Links doesn't have a set budget for social events, they do support local managers to make their own decisions on funding events for their teams. These range from team lunches through to full days out. During their 10th bithday year as an example each team across the business was able to choose a day out for everyone to attend. Teams decisions ranged from days at theme parks or horse racing through to a 'car park carnival', where a team organised a fair in the office car park. As 2010 is Working Links' tenth anniversary as a business they also organised a huge event in London to celebrate. For this everybody in the business was given free transport and accommodation to London, where they had a huge black tie event. This brought together the whole business, with special prizes, fun activities and entertainment.

The company has an instant policy including things such as Meals/trips/football matches/wine.

The company has an instant policy including things such as Meals/trips/football matches/wine.

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 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.

Village Vets support employees' wellbeing by offering healthy eating advice, Fit club and they also have external organisations to provide help with stress.

Village Vets try to encourage team work by holding Staff dinners, Theatre trips, bowling, ice skating and many more fun events.

In ValueClick we regularly meet up for social events such as Friday beer, Team-lunches and events such as Christmas parties, Summer Parties and Leaving parties.

In ValueClick we regularly meet up for social events such as Friday beer, Team-lunches and events such as Christmas parties, Summer Parties and Leaving parties.

All Turner &Townsend offices with more than ten people around the globe have a CSR representative and each of these provides a quarterly report to the CSR committee on how they have engaged with the community where they live and work. There is also an emphasis on children and homelessness. Staff have been given total freedom to choose local charities and good causes that have popular support within their particular office. Such activities as fund raising, taking volunteer days, time given for pro bono advise are monitored via key performance indicators, with a view to achieving a consistent approach globally and demonstrating continuous improvement.

All Turner &Townsend offices with more than ten people around the globe have a CSR representative and each of these provides a quarterly report to the CSR committee on how they have engaged with the community where they live and work. There is also an emphasis on children and homelessness. Staff have been given total freedom to choose local charities and good causes that have popular support within their particular office. Such activities as fund raising, taking volunteer days, time given for pro bono advise are monitored via key performance indicators, with a view to achieving a consistent approach globally and demonstrating continuous improvement.