My Team - Employees' feelings towards their immediate colleagues and how well they work together
My team benefits from a high scoring My Manager factor as the manager is key to creating and sustaining a productive and positive work environment.
An employee’s perceived team will be those they work with on a daily basis.
The company describes its socials as "second to none" with "amazing turnout." Its monthly get-togethers are always fun-focused, with activities such as mini golf and visits to street food markets. And there are wellness ones too, including a trip to Kew Gardens and one to see Romeo & Juliet at the theatre.
All new recruits receive an in-depth starter pack before they join the company, with everything they need to get started. They're allocated coaches, and there are plenty of opportunities to ask questions with meetings with their peers, managers and all Managing Partners arranged for their first few weeks.
Managers are only ever hired from within, having already benefitted from internal training in areas such as copywriting, client servicing, confidence training and building rapport. They also get internal training with the Managing Partners and external training when they're new to post and as they develop.
Palmers is a mindful business – signed up to a 'Mindful Business Charter.' It promotes staff wellbeing and considerate communications with clients and other contacts. Staff can attend a six-week mindfulness course and a nutrition and wellness seminar and are free to use a quiet room for meditations or "time outs".
The Entertainments Committee arranges events to help employees get to know each other socially, from the annual party, trips to London and the theatre to BBQs with games and challenges. There are also charity events, including marathons and themed days. And a team-building Palmers' football team competes with other local businesses.
Local people, local businesses, employees and their families are invited to Palmers' annual Christmas carol concert in aid of its charity of the year. The firm hires a choir and band and hosts a poetry competition for school children – the winners getting to recite them to the congregation.
At the monthly breakfast club, staff get together and chat about non work-related subjects. They are asked to talk to someone new and offer topics of conversation as ice-breakers. It means people socialise outside of their circles and it's a great way to introduce new starters.
Senior management believe it is important that staff feel empowered and trusted. They are given the autonomy to make decisions. The leadership team has a "door always open" policy, meaning they are on hand for advice and support whenever it is required. That gives staff the confidence to challenge themselves while feeling supported.
Every year, top performers take part in the annual Disney trip which showcases the company's top-selling products. They stay in luxury accommodation throughout their two-week stay and enjoy the experiences that clients would have, such as meals from a private chef, a Disney firework cruise or a glass-bottomed kayak tour.
The agency goes big on Mental Health Awareness Week with yoga, resilience and gratitude sessions and British Sign Language workshops. And everyone got an experiences voucher "to do something awesome." DesignStudio has also worked closely with Mental Health UK to offer regular training on topics such as imposter syndrome and supportive conversations.
Monthly gatherings bring the team together in new ways, from a sound bath and meditation in the office to Zoom-hosted pottery workshops and a fancy dress tribute to David Bowie. There are also competitions, such as for the 'most steps', with the victor rewarded with a National Trust membership.
There's a generous yearly training budget split amongst teams ensuring everyone can benefit. There is also a growing mentoring culture, with 10 employees joining the Creative Mentor Network to learn how to be inclusive industry leaders to support those from disadvantaged backgrounds in getting a foothold in the creative industries.
In addition to a company-wide 3% inflationary salary increase, staff received a one-off cost-of-living payment to recognise the challenging times. The company also introduced innovative benefits that help employees' money go further and invested in targeted pay increases for roles it believed were falling below the industry benchmark.
The monthly company-funded lunch is popular with office-based and visiting staff, as it gives them the chance to socialise and interact with people from other departments and teams. TetraMapping workshops help employees to understand their nature and that of others. They provide a learning experience that strengthens understanding of others and improves collaboration.
The Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal was chosen as CitNOW Group's charity last year and various fund-raising events took place, including bake sales. Staff from across the globe also ran, cycled or swam the distance between Stirling, in Scotland, and Kyiv, in Ukraine — an impressive 3,070 miles — to help the cause.
Staff collaborate at TLC Open Forum, an all-agency meeting to brainstorm ideas and initiatives to make the marketing agency a better place to work. A sports club on the Strava app brings people to share and take part. Both encourage cross-business teamwork.
In the summer, staff volunteers took 60 families with seriously ill children who are supported by the Rainbow Trust for a day out to Whipsnade zoo. The event gave families the chance to spend time together and allowed carers to have a break, because TLC Worldwide staff did all the leg-work.
The TLC People Academy programme offers skills training to each part of the business. The courses are designed as bite-size sessions of 45 minutes, followed up by a quiz. Those who pass qualify for a badge and once they've gained a certain number, they receive a TLC Worldwide reward.
Employee wellbeing underpins day-to-day life at Staysure Group. There's a dedicated quarterly newsletter, trained mental health first aiders, wellbeing champions, a wellbeing room for staff in need of quiet time and walking route maps for those who could do with stepping away from their desks and getting some fresh air and exercise.
Online channels and apps keep everyone part of the social goings-on and activities, even if they're not in the office. They're also forums for people to comment and share ideas. At Christmas, small local businesses were invited to sell their products – an event encouraging staff into the office.
When employees get excellent service, they're encouraged to hand out 'we're looking for great people like you' cards showcasing Staysure job opportunities. Everyone who accepts a job offer gets a welcome pack, including a travel mug and snacks. And they get paid a 'set up' day, so they're ready to go on their first day.
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