State of Engagement 2026 Report |
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Teams come together regularly in person and virtually across the country. Whether it's lunch and learn sessions or staff networks hosting celebration events. Last Summer, as part of the organisation’s 'Creating Happy Memories Campaign', teams were given the afternoon off to hold a picnic and bring their children.
New employees attend an induction which the CEO always attends. He makes sure all new colleagues understand the organisation’s rich history, purpose, values, and strategy. Once a month it also holds an ‘open’ Executive team meeting, where all colleagues can join to hear the latest updates from the CEO and Directors.
Family Action has 43 FOOD Clubs across the country. FOOD Clubs work with local partners to source food that would otherwise go to landfill. The use of partner organisations to source food and reach local communities means that the organisation is helping to improving economic and social wellbeing.
Eames Group regularly organise company-wide team events to bring the whole business together, but also recognise the importance of building relationships in smaller teams. Each business unit has their own budget for socials, team building exercises and reward programmes. Additionally, weekly team meetings take place face-to-face to maintain strong connections between employees.
Eames Group’s High Achievers Club rewards employees who have performed well over the last quarter with various fun activities, such as a day at Goodwood Races, Division socials at Crystal Maze and day trips to France. The organisation rewards those who have performed exceptionally over the last year with an all-expense paid trip abroad.
Every starter has an ‘L&D introduction’ meeting with the Head of People and Performance, to gain feedback on the interview process, review expectations set by their manager and understand what training they require. New starters also have an HR induction and meet the Operations and Marketing team to help create a culture of inclusion.
Every month, Durhamlane hosts a performance incentive day with the intent to increase employee motivation, morale, and productivity. The company also hosts themed days, i.e. in June there was a Pride day. Durhamlane celebrates employee successes and rewards them for all the hard work every quarter.
Durhamlane supports its managers with externally accredited programmes. Every employee has their own personal development plan that outlines the forthcoming opportunities available. The majority of managers started off as lower-level staff but were promoted to managerial positions off the back of their development and training plans.
The organisation has charities which it supports such as Tyneside and Northumberland Mind; if anyone in the company is fundraising the organisation will match whatever they raise. It also asks staff what charities they want to support throughout the year and holds ad-hoc charity days to raise money for causes close to employees’ hearts.
The organisation has introduced Express-O-Coffee Chats to help keep team members connected. It also brings team members together in its fundraising activities, allowing them to work together to raise money for worthy causes. Cox Automotive now hosts bi-annual 'Town Hall Meetings' so teams can gather to hear updates, share ideas and collaborate as a team.
Cox Automotive uses a reward platform, GearUp. On the platform, is its recognition scheme, Gear Up Grand Prix. This could be a simple thank you card or financial recognition where anyone can nominate a team member. Winners receive £50 into their GearUp account where they can spend it on rewards.
The organisation offers Bitesize learning across the business which is an on-line training library offering topics such as leadership, personal development, IT skills, customer service and sales mastery. It also runs an Apprenticeship programme which offers Apprentices training in automotive & logistics, leadership & management, sales administration, technology & digital and business support.
The ‘We are CBH’, 'Time to Talk' and 'Toolbox Talk' sessions provide opportunity for teams to communicate and allow colleagues to be heard. In addition to this, the People Manager group held 3 times a year provides a forum for colleagues to receive updates, understand priorities and work through any challenges collectively and collaboratively.
Business priorities and objectives have been set and clarified through the organisation’s HRA Business Plan and Performance Framework programme priorities. The Executive team filter messages down into the business via meetings with Heads of Service who then communicate these to their Managers, who then communicate to their teams.
To maintain culture regardless of where employees work, all colleagues are encouraged to live by the values of one team. Face to face meetings are encouraged throughout the course of the month so that colleagues interact with one another to assist with increased communication, collaboration and a sense of belonging to the team and organisation.
An internal network working together as a People Engagement and Wellbeing Team, run by the organisation’s employees, helps with educating and running events on a range of topics and creating a network where colleagues can support one another. Quarterly socials and regular lunch and learn sessions helps bring teams together and drive employee engagement.
Communication is at the heart of what Dufrain Consulting does. Quarterly CEO calls with all employees to discuss its sales, financial, and other business updates. Furthermore, it has regular people updates to discuss the progress of the organisation’s goals and how it support its employees. Leadership also record regular videos on progress for all employees.
The organisation has attended and supported Cash for Kids and local foodbanks. Recently Dufrain Consulting started producing branded merchandise where it purchased t-shirts and hoodies at a higher cost, sold them to employees for a discounted rate, and gave the full amount to charity. Through this approach, the organisation raised over £1000 for three charities.
Daily 'Energisers' of fun and fast-paced games get employees geared up for the day ahead. There are virtual quizzes and competitions, and teams enjoy monthly social events, including all-expenses-paid meals and nights out. And every Friday, there are free lunches from popular high street eateries encouraging colleagues to sit together and reflect on the week.
Designed in-house by Seven Resourcing, UGrad+ is one of the UK's only undergraduate recruitment courses. It allows sixth-form and college leavers to learn at degree-level while earning postgraduate pay. It recognises that university isn't for everyone and that recruitment careers aren't often highlighted as an option for teenagers.
Community and charity are fundamental to the agency's work. It offers free recruitment for charities such as Ormiston Families, which works with families affected by offending or poor mental health and has donated more than £10,000 from events and challenges. It's also provided mentoring for primary school pupils and funded renovations and learning materials.
Employees can access a new mental health hub on the company’s wellbeing platform, making it easy to explore all options for support, including the 24/7 employee assistance service. Staff can also access up to six paid-for counselling sessions. And new recruits are invited to a wellbeing afternoon, including a well-received workshop on personal resilience.
Every team member gets a monthly fun budget of £10 which can be spent on anything to encourage team building, from dinners to escape rooms. And employees who a colleague has nominated for going the extra mile could win a prize if they win the monthly vote.
More than 600 nominations were received for the company’s inaugural ‘Simply Oscars’, which aim to reward and recognise employees for their efforts. Including behaviour-related categories such as ‘guiding light’ and fun ones like ‘best dressed,’ the winners – chosen by the CEO – were announced at the end-of-year party, all receiving a £100 gift card.
Teams have been holding meetings, one-to-ones, quizzes and celebrations over MS Teams. Using the broadcast feature, the new CEO held a meet and greet with all employees. Over 100 colleagues participated in the organisation’s live Q&A, reflecting how engaged its people are. It received extremely positive feedback and Target Group has held more since.
Its Aspire programme is designed to develop the capability of its future Leaders ensuring a smooth transition and enhanced performance in their future roles. The course principles are to create development opportunities, prepare employees for future opportunities, and increase the talent pool within the organisation. 50 individuals have completed the Aspire Development Programme.
Current and aspiring leaders are supported by Target Group through access to: Leadership Management Development and Performance Modules, which cover leadership soft skills, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills; High Potential Programmes, set over a 9-month period; and external qualifications through the organisation’s access to courses from The Institute of Leadership & Management.
The Board and Senior Leadership completed a course on the ‘human iceberg’, and conscious and unconscious motivators to better understand each other, improving communication and team dynamics. This has been extended to all managers in 2023. The organisation host team building events throughout the year, including BBQs, online get togethers, and Christmas celebrations.
As part of the onboarding process at Nicholas Associates Group, its three Board Members and Directors host a session for all new starters where they share information on the organisation’s history, vision and values. Its bi-monthly newsletter provides information to all employees about priorities and initiatives that are happening across different departments.
All managers at Nicholas Associates Group are provided with specialist training through its Management Academy. Modules covered include leading self, leading others, coaching and mentoring, and leading a team. It also offers online training that provides structured development pathways for managers, to support their ongoing development.
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