Personal Growth

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

Autosmart International

All staff and their families have access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme helpline, offering advice on legal matters, finances, stress and anxiety, relationships and more. The organisation also offers free private healthcare cover, critical illness cover, and life assurance. For many roles, flexible working practices promote a healthier work/life balance.

As well as ensuring fair pay, the organisation prioritises regular feedback of when employees and teams have performed well. Walk through the company offices and you will see plenty of handwritten thank you notes from the managing director, long service awards on display, and team recognition trophies.

To encourage employee growth, Autosmart International provides a number of opportunities, including internal training, through its Autosmart Performs programme, and its cross-team projects. The skills learnt through these opportunities help its staff to develop new skills, build relationships, and support their professional growth.

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Manufacturing

Sapphire

All the senior leadership team and Directors started at the organisation from the ground up and gained an understanding over of Sapphire's values before being promoted into their current positions. The organisation aims to continue this and has people from various departments currently training to be promoted into the next available management positions.

All senior leaders have regular group and one-to-one time with performance coach Matt Fowler from Incredible Thinkers who helps to support and challenge managers to become braver, healthier, happier leaders with elite mindsets. This performance coaching has been extended to all recently promoted team leaders and supervisors.

Sapphire has signed up for Operation Christmas, which will aim to send 200 boxes of presents to children who would otherwise go without. The organisation is currently working with Zellar to review its carbon footprint and it has invested in planting trees in the UK and abroad in partnership with other green companies and suppliers.

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Accountancy

The Anglican Diocese of Leeds

Placing focus on its environmental efforts, the Diocese is working hard to ensure all its properties are environmentally friendly and that the organisation reaches net zero carbon by 2030. Employees passionate about protecting the environment recently created a ‘Tree-Planting Squad’, where they work towards planting trees on diocesan land.

With a belief that employee development should go beyond annual appraisals, the Diocese encourages the pursuit of personal growth. The organisation’s appraisals process consists of a mid-year meeting with every employee, as well as an annual review to assess progress and create a personalised learning plan incorporating a variety of training programmes.

This year, the Diocese made employee wellbeing its top priority, providing staff with access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and a 24-hour confidential phone line to discuss any issues they are facing. The organisation’s intranet has a dedicated wellbeing section covering a variety of topics, as well as informative staff videos.

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Charity'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

Unity Trust Bank

Unity Trust Bank supports personal growth by offering professional qualification support, including five paid days for professional development. Initiatives like the 'New to line management at Unity' sessions and the Leading with Empathy programme help employees advance their skills and career opportunities.

Unity Trust Bank ensures fair treatment through its profit share incentive scheme, which paid out 9% of base salary in 2024, and by being the first UK bank to pay the Real Living Wage, demonstrating its commitment to equitable employee compensation.

With a focus on wellbeing, Unity Trust Bank offers activities like mindfulness sessions and health awareness campaigns through its Unity & Me programme. The bank has increased its number of Mental Health First Aiders, promoting a supportive environment for mental health.

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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

NATS

All employees can undertake mental health awareness training, and staff and their families can access help – including legal and financial – through the Employee Assistance Programme. ‘Myth Busters’ have been published on topics like domestic abuse, often linked to a colleague sharing their story. There are also wellbeing talks and monthly ‘desk yoga.'

All staff are on the digital learning portal giving them access to content, events and training and helping them create development plans. There are also open sessions throughout the year on topics including ‘unconscious bias’ and ‘building resilience’. And staff can undertake technical training or academic study and learn from internal coaches and mentors.

In the past year, employees have donated more than £200,000 to causes they care about through the Payroll Giving Scheme. And NATS also supports two corporate charities – the Jon Egging Trust (JET), by offering young people communication and leadership workshops and Aerobility, which gives disabled people the chance to fly a plane.

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Business Services

Keech Hospice

Placing a focus on personal growth, Keech Hospice care offer a wide range of development opportunities and regular training. As well as mandatory training the organisation also runs internal and external courses, as well as providing regular opportunities for staff to discuss their personal development needs.

Staff can look forward to fresh hot meals, sandwiches and snacks, thanks to Keech Hospice Care's excellent on-site catering facilities. Employee benefits also include a competitive salary with increments based on performance and training, as well as contribution pension scheme, childcare vouchers and free parking.

The hospice understands just how important it is to look after the mental wellbeing of its staff, and therefore has a dedicated support programme and an employee assistance programme which provides practical information, resources and confidential counselling to all staff and their families.

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Charity's

Growth Fuels Engagement

Leonard Curtis

ADDO PLAY

Autosmart International

Sapphire

The Anglican Diocese of Leeds

Vida Bank

Unity Trust Bank

The Manufacturing Technology Centre

NATS

Keech Hospice

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