Personal Growth

Hastings Direct

Hastings Direct offers its employees a range of wellbeing initiatives, including a Colleague Assistance Programme, an in-house therapy app, Smart Health GP services, Menopause cafes, a Hardship Fund, and men’s talking and listening clubs partnering with The Talk Club. It also has 55 Mental Health First Aiders and 75 Wellbeing Champions.

The organisation supports colleagues personal growth whether their choice is to develop in role, progress into other roles in the team, or change ‘career’ within Hastings. It does this by offering employees the opportunity to enrol in professional programmes, apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and internal and external mentoring to on-the-job?training

Hastings Direct has different levels of leadership development, including Operational Leadership Excellence (OLE) – a 12–18-month leadership programme that is focused on building skills, knowledge and confidence to better coach customer facing teams. It also offers Leading 4 Growth – a module-based programme aimed at senior leaders and keeping the group aligned to company strategy.

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Insurance

Benefact Group

All employees have access to private health cover, a 24/7 virtual GP service and a 24/7 employee assistance helpline. The Group has also developed a 'mental health pathway' which links providers together to ensure effective routing to the right professional help first time, no matter who they contact first.

Developing team members is embedded as a core expectation of line managers and regular 1:1 meetings are expected. More formally, the company supports professional subscriptions and CPD, be that in insurance or professional specialisms. It tracks key talents and these processes feed into both the Benefact Emerging Talent Programme and the Benefact Leadership Development Programme.

Benefact Group runs a leadership programme for middle to senior leaders identified through the talent process as having future potential. This is a modular 18 month programme that covers Leadership and Emotional Intelligence, Innovation Tools, Financial Decision Making, Strategic Analysis and Collaborative Working Methods, delivered across 3 residential events.

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Insurance

Digital Cinema Media

DCM has an extensive range of benefits that support and prioritise its staff’s wellbeing. These include monthly access to an independent coach, an Employee Assistance Programme, and as well as GP, mental health, physiotherapy and life and money support via Help@Hand. Everyone also has full access to the MyMindPal app to help handle daily challenges.

The organisation is committed to promoting employees’ growth and development. Once per month, an external coach comes in and anyone across the business can participate in the sessions with them. DCM also has an annual away day for team building and development, and away days to encourage growth and inspiring ideas.

Managerial development is offered via a learning and development partner, You Can Now, which offers classes, talks and sessions to build core skills, as well as access to MasterClass, a set of online classes which enable people to develop personal interests and skills.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

Croudace Homes

Croudace Homes shows a strong commitment to employee development, with over 10% of its workforce participating in structured training for three consecutive years. The company is a Platinum-accredited member of the 5% Club and was recognised by JobCrowd for its apprentice and graduate programmes.

Managers are identified through succession planning programmes and are provided with compulsory formal management training and leadership training for future leaders. There is also an in-house training programme that covers broader management activities like interviews and PDRs.

Senior leaders at Croudace Homes are instrumental in fostering a positive culture by consistently modelling organisational values and communicating them regularly through staff conferences, newsletters, and meetings. They also embed these values into key policies and PDRs, recognising employees who exemplify them.

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Housing Associations

Circle Health Group

The Big Circle Move initiative was launched in support of physical health. 725 members of staff participated in a 30-day active challenge of moving for 30 minutes every day in May. A total of 40,730 miles of activity was completed and three winners received an Apple Watch in recognition of looking after their physical health.

The organisation’s values and principles are Respect, Compassion, Selflessness, Support, Agility, Bravery, Collaboration, and Commitment. The leadership team live these values and principles every day, setting an example for the staff. Every employee was invited to have candid and direct conversations with the COO about the business

The organisation has created a dedicated career development hub which enables employees to map out their professional careers within the organisation, regardless of role. Circle Health Group believes in growing and developing talent from within and there are numerous clinical and non-clinical opportunities available.

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Health & Social Care

Impact Futures

The organisation's commitment to employee growth is evident in its strategic development plan and career framework. This includes a structured qualification delivery programme during onboarding and a management development programme that equips leaders to have career conversations and help their teams unlock their potential.

Managers at Impact Futures are empowered through a dedicated management development programme. This programme provides training on coaching skills and encourages a consistent approach to leadership. The focus is on inspiring and engaging teams by getting to know individuals, creating a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone feels heard.

Impact Futures recognises the importance of team cohesion, especially for its remote and hybrid workforce. They strengthen team relationships through a variety of initiatives, including roadshows, 'Dragons Den' pitching experiences, and social events like quiz nights, creating fun and interactive opportunities for colleagues to connect.

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Education & Training

Pixel Inspiration

The company supports employee development through several schemes, including a paid apprenticeship programme that is open to all staff. The appraisal system is used to set and monitor individual development plans, and managers encourage open dialogue to help staff identify and achieve their professional goals.

Managers at Pixel Inspiration work closely with their teams, using regular catch-ups to set clear expectations and provide guidance. The leadership team models this behaviour by mentoring and guiding staff, creating a supportive environment where micromanagement is avoided in favour of trust and autonomy.

Regular team meetings help to maintain a cohesive company culture and provide a platform for project direction. The company's two-day in-office policy encourages communication and helps employees develop strong working relationships and a sense of belonging.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

Ascentis

Ascentis invests in employees' development through its comprehensive development programme, nurturing talent and helping employees realise their ambitions, thereby enhancing job satisfaction and career progression.

Ascentis offers competitive benefits, including up to 43 days of annual leave and a salary sacrifice pension scheme, ensuring employees feel valued and fairly compensated compared to similar organisations.

Ascentis integrates sustainability within its qualifications, supporting the development of green skills and encouraging societal contribution, reflecting its commitment to positive community impact.

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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

ADDO PLAY

Over the last 12 months, the organisation Barbie Day, Company Away Day with team building games, Pancake day and Games Day. All employees were gifted a Company branded t-shirt to play 'Get me Out of Here' team challenges, where they also enjoyed a BBQ, and fun awards voted for by colleagues.

ADDO Play’s Project Possibilities is a scheme that asks employees to share if they feel they can make a difference to the company outside of their role today, or want a new challenge to come forward. The aims of the scheme are to share knowledge, apply new or unutilised skills, providing opportunities to nurture ambition.

All managers at ADDO Play have access to manager focussed learning via its eLearning tool, The Entertrainer. The organisation is also rolling out Mental Health Champions training for all leaders in the business. On the job coaching from HR and workshop based sessions are also offered.

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Manufacturing

Growth Fuels Engagement

Hastings Direct

Benefact Group

Digital Cinema Media

Croudace Homes

Circle Health Group

Impact Futures

Pixel Inspiration

Ascentis

Leonard Curtis

ADDO PLAY

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