What are companies doing with regards to 'My Team'

Cornish Bakery runs a Mental Health First Aiders course for all of its teams. Every new employee completes a level one MHFA as part of their induction. Additionally, the organisation has created the Hardship Fund to help its employees with the cost-of-living crisis by enabling them to lend money from the business interest free.

With 50 bakeries across the country, Cornish Bakery encourages each bakery to fundraise independently for local charities. In 2022, employees walked 20 miles in Cornish pasty outfits, created village-wide treasure hunts, cycled over 185 miles, sky dived, and shaved their heads to raise money. The organisation’s bakeries also donate leftover food to foodbanks every day.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The sky is the limit for Meridian Business Support's staff. They believe you don't have to have previous experience to be considered for a role, what is more important is that you demonstrate that you have the right behaviours and attitude to give something a try and they will provide the support to develop you.

Ensuring staff wellbeing has always been a key priority, and a host of initiatives are in place to support this. In 2019, their Mental Health Awareness programme was launched, this has had a tangible impact on its culture and contributed to making it the open and supportive environment which it is today.

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".

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.

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.