What are companies doing with regards to 'Personal Growth'

Abri encourages colleagues to shape their future in housing through the learning and development programmes it has on offer. The company recently launched 'Housing Professional of the Future', which is a framework for colleagues to build their careers and development pathways, as well as an abundance of training materials available on its learning platform, LEAP.

Every six months the firm completes a pay and promotions review, with around 20 people promoted each time. Some 90% of the firm’s partners have advanced through this scheme. All members of staff have access to CPD webinar training covering both technical and soft skills, and every year a training needs analysis is undertaken.

A two-day training programme is available for those looking to develop their role and their management skills. This year more than 50 staff have signed up to attend. The courses cover a range of skills, including building effective relationships, delegation and managing in the changing environment of remote working.

The association's Making Room to Grow days, which run twice a year, are popular with staff and provide an opportunity for everyone to come together and learn through interactive team-building activities. Another popular initiative is the Knowledge Share Calendar which offers access to a range of topics through interactive hour-long sessions.

The banding system for engineers provides them with a clear goal to progress their career within the company. Instead of having to wait for four years to move from an engineer to a senior engineer role, they can progress from engineer level 1 to level 2 in six months or a year.

Learning and development blends technical audit, behavioural skills and specialist skills training with professional qualifications. Mentoring, alongside lunchtime-learning with guest speakers and TED talks, also plays a critical role in supporting everyday learning and career progression. Junior team members are encouraged to take the lead chairing meetings and facilitating discussions.

The business plans to launch a BigChange Talent Academy to attract staff by offering outstanding development and progression opportunities. It will provide learning for new starters, those who are developing their careers, and new managers and aspiring leaders. There will be a mixture of internal and external trainers.

Regular "lunch and learn" sessions mean teams can get together to share knowledge and boost team spirit and collaboration. They are also a valuable way of supporting professional development as mentoring from the senior team, including the chief executive, Alan Price, is on offer.

During lockdown, Card Factory introduced a 'Curiosity Corner' where staff would discuss a different topic. It was linked to the company's learning management system, which hosted e-learning material related to the topic. The scheme was available to all staff, and was optional, but proved to be popular.

CFG has created a learning and development culture, with a strong focus on career progression for everyone. Monthly legal lunch clubs are aimed at developing the skills of junior fee earners, who are given the opportunity to present a chosen research topic to their peers.