Best Companies Factors: Personal Growth

Zest

Zest allocates a dedicated training budget and holds monthly meetings to assess learning priorities. A new Learning Management System enhances access to materials and a comprehensive skills and development project aims to map clear career pathways for those wishing to advance within the organisation.

Managers at Zest are supported with a comprehensive Manager Toolkit, offering guidance on recruitment and performance management. This is complemented by proactive conversations with the People Team, along with ongoing training and development opportunities to help them confidently navigate their responsibilities and grow in their roles.

The company provides a fair deal through performance-related pay increases throughout the year. Additionally, a yearly bonus is awarded based on both company performance and personal performance, directly linking individual contributions to overall organisational success.

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Utilities

Leonard Curtis

Leonard Curtis instils pride in its employees through its strong organisational values and commitment to delivering top-tier services. The 'Be the Difference' ethos encourages staff to feel valued and recognise that their work makes a significant impact.

Leonard Curtis promotes personal growth by offering external management training and apprenticeships. These initiatives ensure that employees are constantly learning, challenged, and that their skills are fully utilised.

The Leonard Curtis Foundation is a clear demonstration of the company's commitment to giving back to society. Employees are actively involved, given the opportunity to nominate registered charities for support, reinforcing a sense of purpose and engagement.

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Accountancy

iconsys

The leadership team at iconsys believe that only by living the organisation’s culture will the company achieve its mission. This starts with employees at all levels becoming learners in all things and having a growth mindset. Leaders further demonstrate the organisation’s behaviours: Safety, Excellence, Responsible, Agile, Transparent, and Teamwork.

iconsys has created its own Academy to support employee growth and development. The Academy was created with the support of several experts in the field of training and talent development.

The organisation participates in a range of charity and fundraising initiatives, including donating to foodbanks close to its clients rather than sending them Christmas cards. It also holds regular coffee mornings and cycling events to raise money for the British Heart Foundation, and supports Movember, with a number of engineers joining in.

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Technology

TOG24

TOG24 fosters a sense of pride among employees with its strong company values and motto, “Truth Over Glory Everyday”. The company's internal newsletter 'The Whippet', provides regular updates, reinforcing employees' sense of being part of the company's journey.

TOG24's customised e-learning platform offers opportunities for skill development and advancement. The company supports a culture of internal promotions, leading to long-term employees occupying senior roles.

TOG24 promotes team spirit through regular team meetings and social events. The organisation also utilises social media and in-house systems like SageHR for clear communication and engagement.

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Retail

Registry Trust

Registry Trust facilitates personal growth through a Learning Management System. This not only provides structure to core learning needs but also offers access to self-service topics, enabling employees to broaden their skill set and advance in their roles.

Registry Trust fosters a strong team spirit through Connection Days and Kickstart the Year events. These initiatives encourage camaraderie, fun, and a sense of belonging within teams, enhancing the overall work experience.

Registry Trust ensures a fair deal for its employees through regular salary benchmarking exercises. Additionally, it offers a benefits platform where employees can access various discounts, demonstrating a commitment to employee wellbeing.

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Not For Profit Body's

Vida Bank

To foster strong relationships between teams, Vida Bank organises regular quizzes, competitions, and challenges to support fun social interactions across teams. The organisation also brings the leadership teams together for off-site development and further hosts regular summer events to gather all employees together.

Thanks to an online recognition tool called Applause, colleagues can give and receive adhoc thank you/recognition against the company's values. The imitative, which is supported by the leadership team, sees each acknowledgement appear on an online ‘wall of fame’, where they are instantly visible so colleagues can add comments, like, and share.

Vida Bank offers a large suite of online learning and development modules to all colleagues. This covers both work and life skills, including wellbeing. In-house designed and delivered virtual skills workshops are also available via its Learning & Development framework. The catalogue of topics is continually reviewed and aligned to business and colleague requirements.

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Financial Services

The Manufacturing Technology Centre

The Manufacturing Technology Centre offers ample opportunities for personal growth. Initiatives like the 'Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre' and the 'National Centre for Additive Manufacturing' allow employees to develop and utilise their skills in a challenging and innovative environment.

Managers at The Manufacturing Technology Centre ensure a supportive and caring environment for their team. Regular 'State of the Nation' events hosted by the Exec team provide transparency about the company's progress, strategic changes, and financial performance, fostering trust between managers and their teams.

The 'Celebrate Success - Team Building initiative' at The Manufacturing Technology Centre encourages team spirit and a sense of belonging. It allows teams to recognise and celebrate their achievements, enhancing camaraderie and fun within the team.

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Education & Training

Abbeyfield Living Society

All employees of The Abbeyfield Society have access to a range of wellbeing initiatives. These include an e-voucher scheme, a generous pay review and enhanced benefits, an Employee Assistance Programme, and financial fitness advice.

To support employee growth, the society provides access to an LMS containing multiple high-quality online learning courses, and career pathways. The organisation also offers apprenticeships and a leadership development programme.

All leaders participate in the society’s Leadership Excellence Programme accredited by The Institute of Leadership and Management (TILM) and endorsed by Skills for Care. The programme includes 24/7 access to the TILM My Leadership platform and a variety of learning initiatives to support continuous professional development. This includes workshops, blended learning and 121 coaching.

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Ryder Architecture

The people at Ryder Architecture enjoy annual team trips to expand their knowledge and strengthen bonds, as well as opportunities for international secondments. The organisation captures life beyond work, from charity events to family days, and invest in a culture that is built by its people, for its people.

Ryder Architecture’s internal summit, Blueprint is a unique aspect to the business. Hosted each year, the leadership team shares the practice’s goals for the year, announce promotions, and present awards which recognise great achievements, stand out contributions to the business, and outstanding project work.

Staff are supported through the provision of 80+ hours of training per person, per annum through the Ryder360 Learning Programme, which encompasses all aspects of personal development and covers personal skills. This is to support the continuing professional development of its people, including those working towards charterships.

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Architect & Surveyor

Prospero Group

The Group energise our teams through its Social-Wellbeing committee. Initiatives such as in-office events, company-wide celebrations, and team day-outs help to foster camaraderie and excitement while providing opportunities for relaxation and team bonding.

One effective way Prospero Group rewards employees for their efforts is through goal achievement competitions. By achieving goals throughout the year, employees can win prizes either for themselves or, if it's a team goal, for the team/office. The Group also conducts summer and Christmas awards to recognise employees for their achievements over the year.

The organisation promotes employee growth and development through structured training, mentorship, cross-functional projects, performance feedback, leadership development, and recognition programs. These initiatives empower its workforce, enhance job satisfaction, and improve overall organisational performance.

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Recruitment

Growth Fuels Engagement

Zest

Leonard Curtis

iconsys

TOG24

Registry Trust

Vida Bank

The Manufacturing Technology Centre

Abbeyfield Living Society

Ryder Architecture

Prospero Group

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