Personal Growth

Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists

Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists offers several development courses throughout the year, open to all employees. Its internal programme is aimed at creating world-class practice managers signifying the organisation’s commitment to fostering a culture of growth and development.

At Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists, managers are equipped with the tools they need to support their teams effectively. The internal programme 'Greatness Starts with You' underscores the importance of supportive, trusting, and caring management in creating a world-class practice.

With regular Team Member Roadshows fostering collaboration and team spirit, Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists ensures that fun and a sense of belonging are integral to the work environment. The values awards further recognise and encourage team efforts.

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Retail

Brighter Places

Brighter Places supports personal growth through initiatives like the Brighter Places University programme and traineeships. These efforts have led to one in four promotional opportunities and 50% of management opportunities being filled by internal colleagues.

The ethos at Brighter Places is one of collaboration, trust and respect, encouraging a sense of belonging and team spirit. The company actively fosters a blame-free and supportive working environment, ensuring everyone feels valued and part of the team.

Brighter Places offers a Flexi Benefit scheme of up to £700 for wellbeing, a 6.16% pension contribution, and 30 days of annual leave. The organisation also provides an interest-free loan of up to £1000 and up to 14 weeks of company sick pay, ensuring a fair deal for their employees.

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Housing Associations

ElectraLink

ElectraLink offers performance based pay increases and performance bonuses which are divided into three tiers. Tier One is for every employee and is based on company profit, paying out up to 100% if targets are beaten. Tier Two is team based targets for joint goals, and Tier Three is individual targets.

The organisation strongly believes in the importance of developing its people. On an annual basis, everyone sits down with their manager to have a development conversation and produce Personal Development Plans. Those identified as future talent can also access additional funds and ElectraLink is currently supporting three employees through their MBA.

In 2023, ElectraLink introduced its Leadership Academy which is mandatory for anyone with line management responsibilities. It covers topics such as fair and inclusive recruitment, leadership styles, engaging your team, emotional intelligence, metrics, performance management, managing through change and building, and sustaining successful and high performing teams.

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Technology

Origin

Origin is known particularly well for promoting and growing members of staff throughout the business - both vertically and horizontally. Due to its nature of being 'one team' it allows employees to understand and recognise interests and passions throughout the business. It has sponsored many employees through professional qualifications, including AAT, CIPD, CIPS, and ILM.

The organisation facilitates welfare meetings for any employees that need support. The services available include stress risk assessments, occupational health referrals, CBT counselling, and bereavement counselling to ensure that it looks after its employees when they need the extra care.

Origin focuses on monitoring its energy usage and then combat this with tree planting and other green initiatives. It has electric car charging points at every site, and the organisation is accredited by ISO 14001 for environmental management – while also working on obtaining its sustainable resourcing accreditation (BES 6001).

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Manufacturing

Brewhouse & Kitchen

The Future Leaders Academy and apprenticeships, including the Brewing Apprenticeship, provide structured pathways for advancement, ensuring employees feel challenged and their skills optimised for career growth.

Brewhouse & Kitchen offer manager apprenticeship schemes, including courses such as Hospitality Manager and Operational Manager. The organisation also has a Leadership Academy, where its leaders of the future are taken through an 8 week programme.

Utilising Yapster, teams can keep up to date and communicate with anyone within the business. Brewhouse & Kitchen use the app to announce employee recognition of "Legends" programme, communicate any new menu items to drum up interest, and any key business change messages.

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Leisure & Hospitality

Noble Foods

The Good Vibe Tribe at Noble Foods is a group of colleagues that champion the organisation’s wellbeing agenda and deliver initiatives across a calendar of events. These events include webinars on subjects such as managing stress and anxiety, and training managers to highlight mental health awareness.

The organisation’s Aspire programme provides development opportunities for all. Through its talent and succession process, Noble Foods seek to highlight future talent and unsure development plans are in place to nurture this. The company also runs a number apprenticeship programmes.

The Noble Leaders Group have a specific Aspire pathway which covers management and leadership, time management and presentation skills and is delivered through formal programs, coaching and action learning sets. Elements of the NLG pathway are then delivered to wider management groups.

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Food & Drink

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

Barnwood Trust

Employees can access face-to-face counselling or mental health support through the charity’s Employee Assistance Programme, and there are always trained mental health first aiders on hand. Staff can decide when to begin their working day, allowing for caring or childcare needs and, depending on role, opportunities to split time between home, office and the community.

Barnwood Trust doesn't want anybody to be disadvantaged in the recruitment process. A variety of application methods are available which makes the recruitment process more accessible for disabled people and people with mental health conditions. For example, applicants can submit video or audio content as part of their application and receive helpful information in advance.

The whole team has a learning plan to underpin the goals of the Trust, including a wide range of disability, mental health awareness and neurodiversity training. Skills, such as emotional intelligence and managing difficult conversations, are also key to underpinning their work. And all employees have access to a personal development plan.

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Charity's

Wanstor

Wanstor fosters personal growth through its fast-track training programmes and mentoring schemes, allowing employees to advance their careers and maximise their potential. The company also offers bonuses for passing beneficial exams, further promoting development.

Wanstor promotes a strong team spirit through initiatives like 'take over days', encouraging employees to socialise and form meaningful connections. Regular team-building events further instil a sense of camaraderie and belonging.

The company prioritises employee wellbeing with initiatives such as Chair Yoga, bike to work week, and Fit Feb. It also advocates for mental health awareness and provide resources like Headspace and Togetherall to support employees' mental wellbeing.

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Business Services

Twenty7tec

Staff received a special cost-of-living bonus, with those on the smallest salaries getting the most. Employees have also been given early access to a proportion of their performance-related bonus and can now get an advance of up to 50% of their accrued salary every month, interest-free. This access comes with financial coaching and tools.

Senior managers are encouraged to use twenty7tec's internal comms platform to publicly 'shout out' employees who've done something outstanding – linking the 'thank you' to one of the company's values. Staff can also highlight their colleagues' good work, and everyone can 'like' or interact with the feedback.

Everyone has a personal development plan that's reviewed each quarter with their line manager and supported by the Head of People. Growth opportunities include internal and external mentoring, 15 hours of paid personal development or study time, paid-for memberships and subscriptions, and access to an 'anytime, anywhere' online training platform.

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Technology

Growth Fuels Engagement

Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists

Brighter Places

ElectraLink

Origin

Brewhouse & Kitchen

Noble Foods

Registry Trust

Barnwood Trust

Wanstor

Twenty7tec

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