What are companies doing with regards to 'My Team'

Some teams have team circles where they update every one of their priorities for the day and any support they require from colleagues. Twice weekly Icelolly have 'stand-ups', their purpose being to keep people up to date with business performance, and ensure people are familiar with what's happening in all parts of the business. Every Monday the stand-up covers the previous week's business performance and highlights of what has gone well. They then cover the targets and challenges for the week ahead and specific activities of note that are taking place during the week. Every Thursday, a team gives an overview of the work which has taken place over the previous month, specific achievements and activities planned for the month ahead so that everyone, regardless of team, knows the focus of each part of the business. Icelolly have team days where everyone in the business participates. The aim of the team days is to develop relationships between colleagues and teams and for people to work alongside others that they wouldn't normally work with on a day-to-day basis, have fun, celebrate success and recognise the progress of the business and how the team have helped us gain these results. They also aim to raise money for a nominated charity. Activities they have successfully run to date include Cocktails and Cakes, Photo Rally, Ice cream Making, Geography Challenge and Treasure Hunt, Office Olympics and a Day Trip to Blackpool.

As part of Icelolly's private medical insurance, they have partnered with Vitality Health. Vitality rewards individuals for being healthy and provides incentives to help improve their overall health and fitness. This includes weekly rewards such as cinema vouchers and Starbucks if they achieve a certain level of physical activity in a given week such as walking, running, cycling, swimming or attending the gym. In addition, individuals receive points for undertaking a health check including weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, nicotine with additional points where the results are in the 'healthy zone'. Cash back is given quarterly to non-smokers. Since its introduction, there has been a definite change in peoples' behaviour and approach to a healthy lifestyle. Icelolly actively promote activities to support a healthy lifestyle and also believe that physical health and affect mental health. They have partnered with their local gym to offer reduced membership fees for all employees. As part of Icelolly's stand ups, they regularly have 'team energisers' which are usually short, fun activities which are not work related but they do get people interacting with others and help with alleviating any stress. They have an employee assistance programme which as well as offering a multitude of advice and fact sheets via their website, also provides counselling both over the telephone and face to face. The counselling includes CBT and is available for all employees and their immediate family. Flexi rewards encourages employees to treat themselves and suggested activities include spa days, massages and short hotel breaks. Icelolly are very supportive of employees who may be experiencing personal challenges outside of work and have offered adjustments to working hours to help individuals in their times of need.

Huntswood has a range of wellbeing initiatives, including free gym memberships, massages during work time, health checks, free fruit, cycle to work, discount shopping vouchers, social activities, a fun and functional office environment and an Employee Assistance Programme service. HR have also recently engaged ‘wellbeing champions' from across the business who volunteered themselves to help enhance the wellbeing of Huntswood employees. The champions help with the organisation of wellbeing events and initiatives and provide feedback and ideas around what employees want in terms of their wellbeing at work. The HR team also monitors absence closely by accurately recording absence information, holding return to work interviews and offering appropriate support to employees where necessary. HR have an open door policy and employees always feel that they can speak to a member of the team should they need advice or guidance. Managers are given guidance on how best to manage employees that could be at risk of stress and often provide one to one catch ups to monitor these employees. As well as all this where possible flexibility with working hours is permitted to inspire a healthy work life balance.

Every year Huntswood holds a New Year's party for employees and their partners. Although the concept itself isn't unique, the parties themselves are. The events are extravagant and employees often comment that the Huntswood parties are the best they have ever been to. This year's party was held at the Grosvenor hotel in London with a Great Gatsby theme. Employees and guests were treated to a three course meal, free bar and entertainment. This year's entertainment included Flavia and Vincent from Strictly Come Dancing and a big band with dancers. Last year employees received an all-expenses paid weekend in Paris, with entertainment including Michael McIntyre. At the parties the employees of the year award is presented. Throughout the year to celebrate key ‘wins' or events, the Founder and CEO often treat employees to lunch or gifts. For example, earlier in the year each Friday employees came into the office to find flowers, chocolate or champagne on their desks. Very recently, the Founder of the company hosted lunch for all employees to celebrate the company reaching its 20th birthday, which included Dominos pizza, burgers and Krispy Kreme doughnuts!

Hotcourses are developing their own internal coaches so that they can run their own coaching programme, along with additional workshops to support the programme when finished. They have a continuous approach to managing performance. July sees a ‘Main Review', there is a November ‘Mini Review', a February ‘Mini Review' and then in May a more in depth ‘Learning & Development Review', which identifies a personal development plan and identifies learning to be put into the training plan for July to August of the year.

Hotcourses put on a Dragons Den Team Competition which runs throughout the year. Following a new structure they wanted teams to interact, so this year have mixed up people in teams. This approach has improved team interaction and collaboration. Their programme has included a Dragons Den pitch (three out of four pitches won and implemented), a Trust game, obstacles and people paired with one blind folded, a helium pole game, a Sports Day and Culture lunch days. It has now become an annual programme every year and in results from a company based survey it was shown that communication within the business is now rated ‘great' by 78% of employees (in comparison to last year when only 48% rated it as such).

The layout of Horwich Farrelly's offices is open plan in design and all teams occupy a floor or a section of a floor. Most teams participate in regular meetings or daily huddles run by Managers to facilitate team working. This year through the company's soft phone system they gave all employees access to instant messenger, all to enable more direct and effective communication amongst employees. The COO has also recently completed a tour of all offices, delivering a business update to ensure that all employees are clear on the company objectives and successes. Horwich Farrelly's are currently developing an ideas sharing platform to launch in 2017, which will allow all employees in all locations to make comments or suggestions about how they could improve the business.

The layout of Horwich Farrelly's offices is open plan in design and all teams occupy a floor or a section of a floor. Most teams participate in regular meetings or daily huddles run by Managers to facilitate team working. This year through the company's soft phone system they gave all employees access to instant messenger, all to enable more direct and effective communication amongst employees. The COO has also recently completed a tour of all offices, delivering a business update to ensure that all employees are clear on the company objectives and successes. Horwich Farrelly's are currently developing an ideas sharing platform to launch in 2017, which will allow all employees in all locations to make comments or suggestions about how they could improve the business.

Higgidy have a weekly huddle where the business come together for food, networking, a weekly business update on KPI's and a strategy update. The company put on business briefs twice a year, which are really important for making every employee feel like they are part of the ‘bigger picture'. These briefs go off results and key messages. There is a Microsoft 365 space for sharing documents and Whats App groups to send things to teams easily.

Higgidy have a weekly huddle where the business come together for food, networking, a weekly business update on KPI's and a strategy update. The company put on business briefs twice a year, which are really important for making every employee feel like they are part of the ‘bigger picture'. These briefs go off results and key messages. There is a Microsoft 365 space for sharing documents and Whats App groups to send things to teams easily.

Haygarth have recently reinvigorated Strata meetings and see these as an opportunity for employees at each level of the business, regardless of team, to come together on a monthly basis. Strata meetings encompass a finance and general business update, as well special interest presentations and group work. These sessions are great forums for cross-team working and communication, allowing employees to get to know those people that they may not necessarily work with on a daily basis.

Haygarth have a long-standing relationship with a local charity, The Wimbledon Guild, who do valuable work in the local Merton community. The Charity team work hard to plan a calendar of events to run throughout the year and are constantly coming up with new fundraising ideas. As a result, they run a large number of fund-raising initiatives for the Guild, from regular cake sales and sweepstakes, to themed breakfasts and charity raffles and auctions. One of the annual highlights is their charity auction which takes place at the Summer Away Day. This year the company raised over £350 at the event. Beyond fundraising, a team from Haygarth run a stall at the annual Wimbledon Guild Summer Fete – this year, Haygarth assisted with the jousting tournament, selling props and programmes, whilst in previous years, they have run the champagne tent.

Hardies main community initiative is supporting and raising monies for local charities. Each office within the firm has selected a local charity and events are run throughout the year, with the funds raised being given to these charities. The company also runs a school's programme initiative, where again each office adopts a local school to encourage an interest in surveying and administration and to provide work shadowing and job opportunities. Hardies' Corporate Social Responsibility document is reviewed annually and includes a list of all members of staff and Partners who commit to various boards and charities within the community.

Hardies main community initiative is supporting and raising monies for local charities. Each office within the firm has selected a local charity and events are run throughout the year, with the funds raised being given to these charities. The company also runs a school's programme initiative, where again each office adopts a local school to encourage an interest in surveying and administration and to provide work shadowing and job opportunities. Hardies' Corporate Social Responsibility document is reviewed annually and includes a list of all members of staff and Partners who commit to various boards and charities within the community.

The values are clearly set out and communicated at all levels. Harbour have a competency framework which contributes to the values and is incorporated into their recruitment, training and appraisal processes. The organisation's 360-degree appraisal process includes all Senior Managers so Harbour can receive feedback on how well they demonstrate their values. Lesley operates an open door policy and staff at all levels know she can be approached about any matter, something that happens regularly. She is based in Hartlepool but spends time in the working week based at other Harbour locations so she is visible and experiences the front line operations at all times.

Harbour believes passionately that to provide a great service they need to employ enthusiastic, compassionate and talented people, then ensure the organisation continually invest in them so they keep learning, improving and developing their services. As a result of this staff receive ongoing training and development throughout their employment with Harbour, with many of them working towards accredited qualifications.

Hall & Partners are mindful of the importance of communicating with one another regularly outside of the daily and weekly team gatherings. Working in a busy and rapidly evolving environment, it's important staff are presented with new and innovative ways to interact and communicate with leaders. One of the avenues for doing this is through the company's annual company-wide initiative ‘Imagine Day'. This gives staff the chance to come together and share ideas through collaboration and training. This year saw a presenter from TrendWatching comment on the latest industry trends, encouraging staff to consider new approaches and areas of growth in their respective industries. Hall & Partners also hold frequent ‘London Pop-Up' meetings with the whole office to ensure all employees are kept up-to-date with Marketing, People, big wins, any key developments and news. They have also maintained their ‘Fifteen minutes of fame sessions', which are held monthly. These provide all employees with a platform to share and inspire their colleagues, showcasing examples of innovative and exciting work. Hall & Partners also encourage teams to enjoy a monthly ‘wellbeing day', an opportunity to leave their desks, escape the office and do something fun together. These include outings to theme parks, treasure hunts, sports days, cooking classes and even murder mystery days.

Hall & Partners are mindful of the importance of communicating with one another regularly outside of the daily and weekly team gatherings. Working in a busy and rapidly evolving environment, it's important staff are presented with new and innovative ways to interact and communicate with leaders. One of the avenues for doing this is through the company's annual company-wide initiative ‘Imagine Day'. This gives staff the chance to come together and share ideas through collaboration and training. This year saw a presenter from TrendWatching comment on the latest industry trends, encouraging staff to consider new approaches and areas of growth in their respective industries. Hall & Partners also hold frequent ‘London Pop-Up' meetings with the whole office to ensure all employees are kept up-to-date with Marketing, People, big wins, any key developments and news. They have also maintained their ‘Fifteen minutes of fame sessions', which are held monthly. These provide all employees with a platform to share and inspire their colleagues, showcasing examples of innovative and exciting work. Hall & Partners also encourage teams to enjoy a monthly ‘wellbeing day', an opportunity to leave their desks, escape the office and do something fun together. These include outings to theme parks, treasure hunts, sports days, cooking classes and even murder mystery days.