A ‘Think Green’ campaign put a focus on the environment thanks to its aim of improving the energy efficiency of buildings through engagement programmes for both employees and student residents. The campaign included both e-learning and building technical programmes, as well as encouraging better recycling and simple tips for energy conservation.
Leaders consistently refer to iQ’s values through communication, live events, or business updates and play a key part in recognising when the values are being demonstrated. Recently, the Senior Management Team sponsored and supported the development and rollout of a behavioural framework aligned to the values, which is now being adopted across the business.
As well as an extensive catalogue of learning provided via our LMS, every team member has access to an unlimited number of funded Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications in a range of subjects such as Mental Health, Customer Service and Fitness and Health. There are also talent programmes, apprenticeship schemes and a high-performance coaching programme.
Yobota's engagement survey picked up that new starters felt isolated because they couldn't see their new workmates in virtual meetings. Employees are now encouraged to switch on their cameras to create a sense of cohesion, boost social interaction and, of course, meet new joiners.
Junior members of the team will receive career development support and advice from senior management in a new mentoring programme. A virtual workshop provided each member of staff with a wellbeing plan for remote working tailored to their individual needs.
Staff have been able to see an online counsellor or ask them questions via Slack. A new online portal features a large wellbeing section which includes advice on mental and physical health. Food and snacks are delivered to people's homes to enjoy during business updates.
YASA likes to reward good service with bespoke gifts aligned to staff members' hobbies and passions. One worker with a passion for the sport of cycling got to meet an Olympic cyclist, thanks to an experience gift to mark his 10-year anniversary with the company.
YASA has introduced a training management system for all staff, with sessions on key topics such as working effectively remotely and longer courses on specific subjects, including corporate social responsibility. The company also sponsors qualifications and provides study leave to allow staff to prepare for exams.
Staff are given three days off a year to volunteer in the local community. This includes anything from helping to dredge canals to supporting worm farms or lending a hand at food banks. The company offers work experience to school pupils.
A pot of money is given to the directors to award to employees they feel have gone above and over expectations. This could be because they have shown integrity, worked collaboratively, taken an innovative approach to their work or exhibited exceptional customer service
Career and apprenticeship journeys published on the intranet, website and LinkedIn highlight how Watford Community Housing attracts, retains and nurtures talent. The two-year-long business graduate scheme provides the chance to learn about different areas of the organisation, while gaining extensive work experience in the housing sector.
All frontline workers were sent care packages containing hand cream, chocolates, tissues, bath bombs and thank you cards. Virtual sessions were held on mental health and working from home in the winter and December's ‘Festive Fridays' included posting advent calendars to all staff, a Christmas quiz and seasonal giveaways.
Training Tuesdays introduce new skills and competencies from effective pitching and storytelling to cybersecurity, improving presentation and how to focus in a world of distraction. In the past year, WAA Chosen has brought in an external coach to run a two-day workshop with the senior team to develop a new one-to-one process.
Wellness Wednesdays at the end of each month focus on mind or body, health and lifestyle. All staff have 24/7 support from an employee assistance programme offering a confidential service. Everyone had a call once a week during the pandemic to check how they were doing, and if anyone needed any extra help
The team set a fundraising target of walking, running, cycling or rowing 2,000 miles – about 43 miles each – to raise £2,000 for laptops and digital equipment for children to use while homeschooling. The amount was match-funded by the company's charity foundation. Colleagues also donated unneeded devices to local schools.
Employees are able to upskill on apprenticeship schemes at any grade, with professional memberships linked to internal development schemes and through the Duke of Edinburgh Business Gold Award programme. Individual development plans cover diversifications of career pathways within the company.
VINCI developed a one-stop online resource called ‘Our Wellbeing' to guide staff on staying healthy through Covid-19. It used Mental Health Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day to focus on kindness and compassion. A 100 virtual steps challenge was run in partnership with Mates in Mind, the workplace mental health charity.
In April 2020, VINCI made £10m of funds available worldwide to fight Covid-19, of which £400,000 was allocated to the VINCI UK Foundation. Beneficiaries included a primary school; Awyr Las, the charitable arm for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board; and the Co Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust charity.
All apprentices are given support to carry out their duties while the office, as well as time to study. Two of the finance team are being supported through their Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualifications. A skills matrix identifies engineers' training needs
It wasn't possible to hold the annual bowling night and meal and so socialising went virtual. Beer, gin, wine, cheese and chocolate tasting sessions provided a great opportunity for staff to mix informally with each other. Friday night drinks were enjoyed together at virtual pub nights
VCG has donated six new laptops to a BBC campaign to provide computer equipment for schoolchildren to learn on at home during lockdown. Staff wore yellow and took their teddy to work to raise money for Children in Need. They also joined in Save the Children's virtual ‘Christmas Jumper Day'
As the stress levels rose and employees juggled working from home with home-schooling, mental health awareness training was introduced for managers. This training was tailored to the pressures of the pandemic and helped managers feel supported when talking to employees about their mental health.
The ‘Future Leaders' programme prepares the top 5% of talent to lead the company in future. Spread across 12 months, it includes access to time with senior leaders and inspirational speakers and training on topics such as how an agency makes money, the art of persuasion and perfect pitching.
The agency has been striving to cut its carbon footprint since 2006 and new KPIs will increase the reduction in CO2 emissions from transport. Other environmental measures range from an annual ‘Green Week' to a rolling programme of technology upgrades to ensure the most energy-efficient systems are in use.
Management development includes a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited programme designed by Multiverse in partnership with Mind Gym. Delivered over 13 months, it includes 1:1 monthly sessions with a career coach and covers the management of self, management of others and core functional skills, such as project management and budgeting.
Each month, one star performer is thanked for Going the Extra Mile with a GEM award. Introduced in 2020, the scheme recognises employees who exemplify Vashi's core values and use their initiative to improve not just their work, but also that of their team.
Digital learning ensures employees can receive engaging training no matter what restrictions are in place, with more than 100 courses available. The whole company took part in a gemstone mini-masterclass during the first lockdown and, in November, there was a training activity every weekday for a month.
UKCloud is committed to supporting employees' development, ensuring that it is tailored towards each staff member's specific ambitions and career path. A buddy system for new recruits provides a career mentor for people as they embark on a five-week programme of on-the-job training.
Colleagues found new and interesting virtual ways to use their social budget – £75 per head every quarter – while operating remotely. UKCloud believes this initiative has been pivotal in helping to maintain strong team interaction during a challenging year.
A Health and Wellbeing Week in January 2021 promoted practical strategies for feeling better. Senior leaders got behind the initiative, encouraging staff to exercise during the cold winter months. They have also been active in continuing to break down the stigma associated with mental health.
Every second Wednesday, staff have the afternoon off to work on personal development projects alone or in groups. They show off their projects in a regular video series and monthly newsletter. Each employee also has £300 to spend on courses and resources on the online learning platform Learnably, launched in December 2020.
One of the lessons of lockdown was that the more people communicated outside their day job, the more productive collaborations they had on important projects. Mediatonic recognised its teams had different rhythms and stopped organising fun events such as quizzes and tea breaks in favour of empowering groups to host events of their own design.
Mediatonic is a founding partner for Safe in Our World's new campaign, #LevelUpMentalHealth, which seeks to unite the gaming industry to support both players and developers who may be struggling silently with their mental health. The company has also set aside money to support two charities fighting racial inequality in the UK.
Thrive Homes switched quickly to being a remote business last March. The Chief Executive, Elspeth Mackenzie, took to the internal social network OneThrive to provide business updates and advice on public health guidelines. Workplace by Facebook was also used to keep staff informed.
The Lumina Spark programme is used to develop people's understanding of themselves and others. It provides tools to constructively share, challenge, debate and give feedback, and to enhance emotional intelligence when interacting with colleagues and customers. Managers draw on its insights in the growth of their teams.
Inspired by a two-minute video from New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, managers took part in a 15-second challenge, #PrideinThrive. Each of them filmed themselves talking about what they were most proud of and grateful for. The clips were posted on the firm's internal social network.
Employees at all levels are passionate about what they do. They are committed to helping people reach their goals and expanding career opportunities through learning, and nurture the company's ethos – achieving excellence, inspiring, developing talent and collaborating for success – through every project.
With access to The Skills Network's portfolio of more than 100 distance learning courses, employees have plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. All staff are encouraged to work towards a qualification relevant to their post and some take further courses for professional and personal development.
A Pilates instructor delivered sessions to employees via Zoom to help people improve their posture while sitting at a desk for long periods due to home working. The Skills Network has sent out a Wellbeing newsletter to remind people of their entitlements under the employee assistance programme, and courses about mental health.
The Howard de Walden Estate promotes training and development within the wide-ranging roles in the property company, including tiers of management. Support is also available for further education where applicable to the role and the individual employee.
Daily and weekly meetings kept teams bonded in the past year using cloud technology that the company already had in place. Team members also got together online to boost morale with virtual cocktail evenings and a book club.
A personal trainer kept employees on their toes with weekly workouts, recipes and advice for staying healthy during lockdown. Excellent health benefits for staff at The Howard Walden Estate include 24-hour access to mental health advisers.
Team leaders at the Hanley are measured against the six characteristics the society believes define good people management: to engage, motivate, develop, empower, coach and drive. Manager – and staff – behaviour is rated during the annual appraisal process that links into performance-related pay reviews.
The Hanley, which enjoys a low rate of staff turnover, says it is small enough to ensure everyone is treated as individuals, equally and without discrimination. It utilises blind recruitment, which eliminates personal identification details, but this year nonetheless refocused to start attracting future candidates from more diverse backgrounds.
Employees have individual development plans that are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the relevant training and support is provided. The society assesses high potential by way of an in-house High Potential Trait Indicator tool, and it has succession plans in place as people move up the ladder.
The Grand Recognition Incentive Scheme rewards those exceptional effort with Grands which can be exchanged for 35 different treats including cinema tickets, champagne, afternoon tea and dinner. Every six months those earning 50 Grands are entered into a draw to win an all-expenses paid two night break, normally abroad.
The Grand has introduced an apprenticeship programme across the business and has also launched a range of other development schemes including a Management Academy and a Food and Beverage Academy. More than 50 staff have moved into new roles or been promoted each year for the last four years.
The hotel's Green & Grand philosophy is driven by the hotel's Think Green team. Eco friendly initiatives include sustainably sourced coffee beans and using recycled products from bed throws made from old bottles to balcony furniture made from ice cream and milk cartons diverted from landfill sites.
The senior management team is committed to a leading-from-the-front approach. Covid-19 saw an increased focus on employee safety, with team leaders regularly consulting with staff, encouraging feedback, and following through on initiatives that drive safety in the workplace.
Career progression has continued despite lockdowns and the Coaching Inn's Innspire app promoted such development. Skills training takes place internally and externally through online courses, video tutorials and tailored team-member communication. Face-to-face coaching was actually enhanced by delivering it in smaller groups.
The company has continued to support industry-specific charities such as Hospitality Action and Only a Pavement Away (OAPA), with fundraising and by promoting awareness of their causes. Coaching Inn CEO Kevin Charity waited on tables for the day at an OAPA function, along with other business leaders in the industry.
The company has introduced an official development scheme, called #TrainToGain, which is founded on a philosophy of self-development and empowers staff to take ownership of their progression. It will support employees working towards industry qualifications as well as continuous professional development activities.
At Christmas, the elves from the Source Community Team asked all staff what was top of their Christmas wish lists, then wrapped the presents – valued at up to £100 each – and delivered them by courier. Staff posted videos and photos of themselves opening and enjoying the gifts.
Source has introduced a “Me Day” that can be taken spontaneously by staff to boost their mental wellbeing by recharging or relaxing. The day does not count as sick leave, and was promoted to employees even while they were working from home.
A positive outcome of the pandemic is that communication within and across the company is better than ever. Good communication was key to maintaining high levels of engagement and CEO Georg Ell led from the front with weekly All Hands meetings that kept everyone informed.
Though this was paused it from April to September 2020, an individual training budget for every employee has since been reinstated. Smoothwall recently recruited a software engineer apprentice who will complete a DevAccelerator upskill programme with Northcoders – a bespoke apprenticeship scheme – for 16 months. The executive team supports managers' with personal coaching.
Salary sacrifice scheme Tusker supports employees to buy electric or hybrid cars, and the company installed four charging points in the car park. There were two further salary-sacrifice schemes to help eco- and health-minded staff fund the purchase of bicycles.
The senior management team lead by example, by living the organisation's values and principles. They demonstrate this through their behaviour and how they interact with staff. They have a friendly, honest and open approach and staff have regular opportunities to engage with them and ask them questions.
Scarf has introduced a further learning support policy which encourages staff to take courses that lead to a recognised educational or professional qualification. The organisation loans employees up to £1,000 in course fees.
Last year, Scarf set up a support fund for householders struggling with fuel debt. The Heat Fund has distributed more than £7,000 to help residents heat their homes, mainly through buying prepayment meter credit.
The past year has brought new ways of working in a pub over and again, with changes implemented fast – from social distancing tables to how to serve ketchup. Peach added cleaners to pub rotas to keep up with new sanitising measures, sourced washable face masks and provided a strong pack of communication tools to help staff deal with challenging guests when The Rule of Six and Tier system came in.
A structured in-house training programme complements external courses such as Wine and Spirit Education Trust qualifications. On Peach Adventure Days teams head to big cities such as Manchester and London to soak up the restaurant and bar scenes and gain inspiration for Peach venues.
Most Peach pubs have continued to make meals for homeless people, including turning the pumpkins that would have been used to celebrate Halloween into soup and pasta for them. Some venues have used their facilities for charity or to help local needs in other ways and around 70% of employees have volunteered at some stage during the pandemic.
Sales-focused though Optimus Search is, not only financial big hitting earns rewards; every month a different incentive award recognises contributions in areas such as going above and beyond to help colleagues or reaching non-financial goals. Rewards include extra holidays, vouchers, a gift of choice or points towards the next incentive trip.
Weekly training sessions for each team focus on sales-related group coaching, while lunch-and-learns incorporate more ‘life' elements – such as how to buy a house or understanding credit ratings – tailored to support young employees. Team members are brought up through the business under the guidance of director Richard Eggleston and new managers receive both in-house and external training.
Colleagues recorded congratulatory videos for each other to celebrate achievements and special occasions such as birthdays and work anniversaries during lockdown. A daily social group call helped keep team spirits lifted, plus there were quizzes, bingo nights and virtual games.
Engineering recruits who were not fully trained at the start of the pandemic were able to continue their development through virtual training sessions. The company invested in new camera equipment to help trainers using Microsoft Teams. Staff can also access learning material via the Workplace platform.
Openreach introduced #ThankYou days, where people tagged others who had supported them through the pandemic. Microsoft Teams, Workplace and emails were used to provide information and advice to staff, many of whom were working from home, and there was a “let's beat loneliness” campaign.
Colleagues who excel are recognised for their performance: managers can nominate individuals for a £50 reward and teams can share up to £500. When the annual awards ceremony was switched to a virtual event, the firm sent hampers to winners' houses so their families could enjoy the celebrations.
All salaries and benefits have been reviewed and a fair pay policy and job evaluation process introduced. This has resulted in most staff receiving a pay rise, benefits being streamlined and the gender pay gap being removed. A full-time learning and development specialist has been appointed.
Open Doors gives all staff the chance to go on a ministry trip to give them an insight into the experience of Christians oppressed for their faith. Trips are held in work time and are paid for by the charity, although fewer have gone ahead during Covid.
Online events providing a sense of community and fun have included a secret Santa, a crisp-tasting tournament and a knitting and crochet group. The usual two-day staff retreat was replaced with small group walks. These were held near people's homes, in line with Covid regulations.
Induction Week for new recruits is now an entirely virtual experience. IT equipment is sent to their home and setup is assisted remotely. Microsoft Teams chats allow newcomers to ask questions and meet their colleagues, and there is time for an occasional Kahoot! session.
Furloughed staff were provided with industry-specific and regulatory training, with workshops on productivity, communication and wellbeing. Line managers and team leaders were offered training on managing remote teams and across the business there was a learning package that featured LinkedIn courses, TED Talks and documentaries.
Employees were encouraged to stay healthy during the pandemic, with virtual exercise classes twice a week and a run club set up on Strava. Company-wide meetings were held focusing on mental health in the workplace, and there was a stress reduction course.
Continuous learning and development are an integral part of the culture at OAG where managers act as mentors helping staff to gain professional skills or relevant experience and everyone is encouraged to dedicate one paid day per month for self-development.
In addition to weekly wellbeing webinars and regular wellbeing surveys the firm organised a wide range of fun events to boost team spirit with virtual activities including horse racing, a Family Fortunes game show, photo competitions, a Quarantine Kitchen OAG cook-a-long, and quiz nights.
Throughout the pandemic OAG has continued to support charities by taking part in virtual fundraising events including a week long Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children where staff were encouraged to get creative and jazz up an old jumper to help the environment and children at the same time.
During the pandemic the company introduced the Naked Treat Box, as a way of boosting community and rewarding one another. Everyone gets to nominate one person every quarter and write them a message of appreciation which goes in the box containing locally sourced goodies.
Every year Naked Wines sends six budding future leaders on a four day Happy Leadership course. Two employees who attended the course have since been promoted to Head of Partnerships and Head of Continuous Improvement. Two rising stars have been supported to study for an MBA at the local university.
Employees get one day paid leave a year to support the local community from volunteering to giving blood and cleaning up local beaches. It also raises money every month for winemaker Carmen Stevens to run a soup kitchen for disadvantaged children in South Africa.
Moneypenny still runs on the family ethos embedded by its sibling co-founders. Everyone treats each other with the same respect, from director to visiting delivery driver. Everyone rolls up their sleeves: from CEO Joanna Swash manning reception or CTO Pete Hanlon picking up laptops for people when everyone moved to remote working.
The company had an 81.5% internal promotion rate last year, with 103 new roles created, of which 84 were filled internally. Moneypenny says: “We learnt so much from our last survey in 2018, which highlighted a concern by staff about personal development. We launched our Leadership Development Programme and 163 people participated in 2020.”
Company co-founder Rachel Clacher set up national charity WeMindTheGap to provide support and opportunities for young people. Moneypenny adopted 26 different species of animals and raised £1,170 after a Chester Zoo appeal and its charity committee, Raising Pennies, gave £1,000 to a local foodbank, hospital and the Salvation Army.
There is a simple ethos for training and development. LPF supports 100% any training that is required for people to do the work; any training that helps a colleague do their job even better; and any training that helps a colleague develop into a future role.
Technologies such as Zoom and Teams have been embraced by staff, who use them for collaboration, interaction and socialising. An informal chat lounge is very popular for sharing photos and memes, while team quizzes ensure people can stay in contact. The Christmas market was a virtual treat.
LPF increased the frequency of its recognition scheme from annual to quarterly. Staff can nominate someone who has gone the extra mile by helping a member or colleague or by thinking outside the box. Winners receive a Social Stories Club hamper, a branded pen and a certificate.
In the Know' sessions take place weekly with a different presenter, either internal or external, doing a 30-minute presentation on a specific area. This is used for knowledge transfer and product overviews, and allows employees to get some insight into areas of the business they may be less familiar with.
The online resource EAP Care first is available to all employees, offering information and advice on a wide range of personal and workplace issues. Liquidlogic staff can also access Healix private healthcare for medical support as part of their benefits package.
In line with the firm's environmental policy, staff are encouraged to keep printing to a minimum, turn off electrical items when not in use and use the air conditioning responsibly. Energy saving lightbulbs are fitted throughout the offices and waste is sorted for recycling.
Managing Director Malcolm Vincent encourages colleagues to share knowledge and inspire people to care about their holistic health and overall wellbeing, so that they can lead healthier lives. The guiding principle at Lifeplus is to help people feel good and its vision is to help everyone around the world live well.
As part of its approach to hiring staff, Lifeplus creates short videos that summarise a job role and use this when reaching out to potential talent to stimulate a conversation. It also makes use of social spaces to showcase the company's culture and people.
The company helped staff to cope with feelings of uncertainty during the pandemic, using podcasts explaining the nature of anxiety and some CBT-based techniques. It also encouraged people to focus on their listening and noticing skills when using video-based online communication.
For anyone who was furloughed, the company organised training through the learning and development team and worked closely with their managers to ease them back into work. It encouraged every employee on furlough to learn a new skill that could support them on their return to work.
The bespoke Launch programme caters for people's individual learning needs. Each employee is assigned to a course which they complete over a number of months. The delivery is increasingly and sometimes wholly online, using tools such as Zoom to ensure content is delivered in an engaging manner.
The LHi Global Challenge, launched during Mental Health Awareness Week, connected people across the group and encouraged them to run, walk or cycle. During the pandemic there were virtual race nights, escape rooms, bingo, quizzes, workout classes, coffee breaks, book clubs and guitar lessons.
The company's values, which drive recruitment and its recognition and review process, are embraced by everyone but the senior team sets an example. Geekiness is about employees' passion for understanding what they do; generosity is about being generous with time to help people; drive is about commitment to action.
Kyan has two ways of recognising employees: a bonus linked to performance against living the company's values and a less formal "thank you" where staff are encouraged to thank team members on a personal level with surprise gifts such as a book or a new mug.
All team members have a self-directed development budget. Training and development is flexible and can involve studying team coaching and board dynamics at Henley Business School, training in practical skills via HubSpot Academy or having a go at improv to help with presentation skills.
Just has signed up to the Race at Work charter, each member of the executive team has a personal objective to support its diversity and inclusion agenda and the firm has also established a network of D&I Champions to drive forward its strategy in each business area.
There are a number of local recognition schemes in place within the organisation, tailored to the employee base and types of roles those employees perform. They include a Hi 5 or HUB hug as a way of saying thank you, as well as other monthly and quarterly awards where vouchers can be won.
Development opportunities include in-role development, coaching, mentoring and in normal times face-to-face training programmes. The company also provides LinkedIn Learning membership to all employees and has launched a management development apprenticeship for people managers. They also run regular lunch and learns on topics from Dementia Friends to Plain English.
The annual appraisal process allows individuals to set objectives with their manager and these are reviewed throughout the year to ensure goals are reached. This provides the basis for two promotion waves within the year where individuals are put forward for progression.
Physical and mental wellbeing has been a key focus during the pandemic. IFF introduced a range of initiatives to boost positivity and the general welfare of staff from weekly wellbeing updates to team movement challenges, regular surveys and engagement audits. It also promoted its employee assistance programme to all employees.
For Christmas, instead of giving gifts to clients, IFF donated to two charities on their behalf. By supporting homeless charity Centrepoint and The Trussell Trust which support foodbanks, IFF was able to help others at need last Christmas. Staff also get two paid volunteering days a year.
Annual awards and ‘Spin to Win' vouchers thank brilliant staff with holidays, electrical gadgets, days off and lie ins. Ice Comms' entire operations team were given a £500 voucher at Christmas in recognition of the especially challenging time they have had. Senior managers sit amongst their teams to improve communication.
Online training courses are readily available and those taking part are rewarded with £50. There is regular customer service and compliance training, and performance is monitored on a daily basis with live data. All senior managers sit amongst their teams so friendly advice is never too far.
Staff taking part in The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, a 24-mile, 5200ft climb across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, raised more than £20,000 for a local hospice. Ice Comms also offsets its carbon emissions with a tree planting scheme, which employees will be able to partake in.
HWCC has continued to support professional development including degree apprenticeships. Managers have access to the training courses and webinars the Chamber has organised for external businesses which range from building resilience to managing mental health during the Coronavirus crisis and leading through change and uncertainty.
Morale boosting activities included quizzes, origami making, a sunflower growing contest and the 12@12 initiative - 12 minutes of exercise at noon to encourage staff to get away from their desk. During the initial lockdown HWCC also introduced a Friday Pause at 4 to encourage employees to meditate.
During the pandemic, HWCC has provided a day's paid leave for employees to take part in charity work. Fundraising events included a virtual Macmillan Coffee Morning and a short comedy festive video it made for a virtual carol service to raise money for the local food bank.
Healios is launching its first management development programme. The People Manager learning pathway is based on an analysis of the day-to-day challenges and opportunities managers face. The scheme aims to enable managers to act as stewards for the company's culture and engender an atmosphere in which all employees thrive.
Last year, Healios launched the Healios Academy, a career-development initiative for experienced clinicians to develop autism assessment skills. The academy was set up to address Helios's need to expand its neurodevelopmental team, as a result of unprecedented demand for its assessment services.
Concerns were raised about physical and mental wellbeing when lockdown restrictions precluded employees from leaving home. Staff spearheaded a Healios group on an exercise tracking app to support and generate fitness-related activities and ideas. The company continued its weekly mindfulness sessions, fortnightly yoga classes and “Walking Wednesdays”.
Hallam has a social channel dedicated towards recognising achievements where employees can nominate one another for going the extra mile or being a great colleague. At the weekly get together the person with the most nominations receives a prize, usually a gift card or a day trip.
Hallam has three training tracks: leadership, specialist, and consultant. During the pandemic Hallam delivered comprehensive training including a reading programme and online courses in assertiveness, machine learning and design. It also launched a programme called Unity to promote integrated working and communication.
Hallam's mental health and wellbeing programme includes trained mental health first aiders, free counselling, training on resilience, meditation and purpose, and access to peer coaching. Hallam also works to create an atmosphere of psychological safety and a culture that encourages a sense of unity and togetherness.
To thank its team members in the north east for their efforts, commitment and resilience during an unusual year Haines Watts stopped work on a Wednesday afternoon and encouraged everyone to do something they enjoyed and had afternoon tea delivered to their homes.
Haines Watts promotes employee development by showcasing stories of those who have completed its award-winning talent programmes which earned it Silver for Employee Training and Development at the UK Employee Experience Awards in 2020. The Leadership Development Programme has transformed learning and development at the firm.
During Stress Awareness Week one of the managing partners shared his story about his mental health and this year Haines Watts has run a national mindfulness training programme and staff also took part in quizzes, yoga and fitness initiatives to boost morale.
.avif)
In 2020, as part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion Goodstuff launched its D&I network: the Do the Right Thing Council. The Council is made up of eight working groups covering different areas of diversity each spearheaded by a Partner in a leadership role.
All training programmes have continued during the pandemic during which time 30% of Goodstuffers gained a qualification from the industry's governing body, the IPA. Development opportunities include Manager's Academy, a six-month programme for all managers and regular all-agency training talks which everyone is encouraged to attend.
In addition to mental health workshops, staff have free access to online fitness classes, and Goodstuff launched an agency 'Couch to 5k' group. It also ran a Feelgood Week, with activities including a crafty cuppa, one on one mindfulness sessions, a nutritionist talk and financial planning advice.
Team leaders – and all employees – were able to access coaching and mentoring throughout. GMCA also piloted a reverse mentoring scheme and initial feedback has been excellent. It organised resilience workshops for all staff, as well as specific training around resilience for managers.
GMCA has continued with operational training, after an initial pause at the start of the pandemic. Now done in a Covid-safe way, development moved online through e-learning, webinars, and other platforms. The organisation received excellent feedback after two very well-attended events, ‘Learning at Work' week and a ‘Festival of Learning'.
Lots of teams do lots of different things to try to replicate some of the things they are missing about the office, including randomised coffee meets, huddles, quizzes, escape rooms and more. GMCA has installed new audiovisual equipment at all fire stations to support firefighters with group training, communications, and debriefs.
%20LIMITED_CompanyLogo.avif)
GPS's Learning and Development Programme offers one to one coaching and mentorship for all managers. Breakfast Brainstorms and Lunch and Learns are available to all and bimonthly virtual presentations keep everyone in the loop. Through its emerging leaders programme participants receive the Star Manager level 4 certificate.
Company healthcare, assistance plans and financial wellbeing sessions help its workforce keep well. Nobody was obliged to return to the office full time once its doors opened and flexible working is supported. Home office equipment was offered to all staff during the pandemic to ensure their physical wellbeing.
A signatory of the Women in Finance Charter, GPS is dedicated to promoting female talent in the sector. Men are also supported and last November staff raised money for mental health charities by taking part in Movember. Virtual breakfasts and blog posts also helped spread awareness of men's health issues.
It was paramount for the company to maintain a regular training rhythm during the pandemic and digital learning made sessions more flexible. The company ran an onboarding session with the education team to allow new starters to understand better the history, culture and products.
The firm also increased the frequency of 1-1 catch ups, introduced a virtual Covid hub with key information on mental health and wellbeing including managing yourself and others and it also launched a Facebook page to share additional social activity.
For 16 years ghd has supported Breast Cancer Charities globally and has helped raise $20 million through annual limited-edition collections and awareness campaigns. It no longer uses silica gel within its supply chain, replacing it with a non-toxic, chemical free and is fully biodegradable.
Development opportunities include the Leading the Way and Momentum management programmes and apprenticeships to develop new talent. Recent training has included how to effectively manage and support remote teams, a mental fitness training workshop, safety training and courses in competition law and anti-bribery.
During the pandemic the Fulcrum family swung into action with daily wellbeing calls to every employee, helping colleagues stay in contact by encouraging virtual cuppas and lunch dates, TikTok challenges and online competitions. Line mangers also had weekly 1-2-1s with everyone in their team.
During the pandemic Fulcrum prioritised and provided enhanced services to those helping combat Covid-19. This included speeding up utility connections for new homes for NHS workers, helping a hand sanitiser manufacturer scale up production quickly and helping a new NHS laundry open faster.
Managing directors encouraged staff to take lunch breaks and gave everyone an afternoon off to relax and do something fun instead of working. Each member of the leadership team also headed up a team in the 24 days of advent challenge completing 24 minutes of physical activity every day.
The bonus scheme is based on company performance and individual performance against personal objectives. As 2020 was such great year, everyone achieved more than 100% of their bonus with the managing directors giving everyone another 10% to recognise the great efforts and achievements during such an extraordinary year.
As well as carrying on with the normal work-based coaching and development during the pandemic, the firm boosted staff skills in Excel, project management and innovation and launched a management training programme. Freixenet Copestick also provides a weekly recruitment update to showcase opportunities across the company.
The council offers internships, work experience placements and apprenticeships, which can lead to a full-time job. It recently initiated a scheme with the University of Kent to develop a talent pipeline for the planning department and successfully recruited newcomers into graduate planning roles.
The organisational development team has delivered a full learning and development programme over the course of the pandemic, opting to embrace online methods and rolling out Zoom and Skype training. Managers asked for feedback and found that many people preferred the virtual learning experience.
Staff can get discounts at hundreds of retailers and hospitality venues through a Reward Gateway account. Winners of the authority's popular quarterly recognition scheme, who are nominated by colleagues for their commitment to key values such as Customer First, also receive £25 vouchers.
Staff get three working days a year to spend on learning and development and last year this was expanded to include volunteering. Farewill also runs remote Friday 5s where people sign up to talk for five minutes about something they have learned that week.
Farewill has sent staff care packages with goodies including desk plants and exotic teas to make working from home a little more fun. A number of non-work social channels have also been introduced on topics from photography and video-games to food and meditation along with film and book clubs.
Farewill has introduced virtual coffee roulettes using an app so team members can have regular coffee meetings with people across the organisation and the Hallway chat app notifies staff to take breaks during the day to encourage water cooler conversations.
The organisation showed its work family it cared during the pandemic with paid days off to recognise the contribution they had made, thank you days focussed on fun and wellbeing plus treat bags accompanied by a note of appreciation from Chief Executive, Marcia Sinfield.
FHA has always invested significantly in training and development even in challenging periods and last year it introduced a Leading Change Programme, open to all while 30 staff took up the opportunity to increase their skills and qualifications through apprenticeship programmes.
Teams have had coffee mornings, quizzes and opportunities to just talk about how they are feeling with support from Time to Change Champions and they have been encouraged to take a walk during their breaks to appreciate nature with WhatsApp groups featuring different activities and beautiful views from across Wales.
Training has been ongoing throughout the pandemic and has included virtual continuing professional development sessions, seminars, Lessons Learnt and best practice workshops. EDGE has focussed on sharing short lessons delivered by different disciplines, sectors and individual team members and all employees have been actively encouraged to identify topics for training.
A 120 day free subscription to Peloton was offered during the national lockdown, giving staff access to online classes from yoga to boot camp. Social activities from WhatsApp office group chat/jokes, to virtual quizzes, running and cycling, virtual after work drinks and breakfast clubs have helped boost health and wellbeing.
In addition to fundraising, staff are involved in a range of community and volunteering activities. During the pandemic, one member of staff volunteered for night shifts as part of the team constructing The NHS Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham and another served as a sergeant in The Special Constabulary.
The management team has weekly meetings to discuss all operational aspects of the business including the impact of Covid. In April, the company appointed an education and training lead who works across the whole organisation assessing and addressing development needs.
The business likes to send physical things through the post to remind people that it appreciates them. This includes small birthday presents, quarterly deliveries of a director-chosen gift – a bottle of wine, chocolate, beauty products, dependant on individual preferences. Several sets of hand-packed care boxes also went out.
Development was ongoing for all staff during the pandemic and was, in fact, strengthened to levels higher than previous years. This included training with the company's tooling partners; LinkedIn Learning; in-house courses; lunch-and-learn sessions; and staff obtaining formal qualifications such as Six Sigma and Prince 2 certification.
The leadership team's calm, positive and transparent handling of the challenges created by the pandemic instilled camaraderie among staff and inspired peer to peer support. Staff were encouraged to maintain contact with the leadership team and each other and to get involved in social events including weekly coffee catch-ups.
DRS hosts regular events including team lunches and sent employees thank you hampers in recognition of their hard work. Regular thanks and recognition is given in weekly 1-2-1s, quarterly reviews and annual appraisals. Perks include free massages, a discount app and corporate gym memberships.
DRS funds additional qualification and training which has recently included German lessons to help an employee with negotiations in Germany and a diploma in resourcing and talent planning for another member of the team. Soft skill courses also contribute to personal and professional development.
The single most important method to gauge a manager's performance or success is through their team and peers. The company says if it had to choose one measurement of leadership it would be team engagement, and how the team thrives with its manager.
Lockdown gave the business the opportunity to stop and reflect on the training offered and the result was a complete overhaul of the online training system, moving to a new system with increased content compatibility and accessibility for all. The drpg Academy was also relaunched as the home for all development needs.
People at the company felt everyone was in unprecedented times together and so the focus was on open conversations, transparency and regular updates. Every week saw a TV-style programme give news on what was happening, how drpg was doing, what needed doing, and with people able to ask questions and comment
Kavi and Shamil undertook monthly catch-ups with all the Babu (management) teams and the new Dishoom Delivery Kitchen workforce. Their priority was to keep employees reassured and informed. More than that, Shamil held a weekly virtual yoga class for anyone on staff to take part in.
Dishoom introduced Flow, a new training app, to provide training for café teams following the extended period away from work. Additionally the company created comprehensive corona safety standards, everyone has taken part in Covid safety training, and people will be made aware of all the required measures going forward.
After communications went online the company wanted to give its people something tangible to hold so the Dishoom Samachar – its own newspaper – was launched. It was delivered to every team members' home. There was also a Zoom kids' party for Chote Dishoom Wallas (the team's children), with a personalised invite sent to their homes.
Staff can nominate colleagues who have been particularly helpful with a project or gone out of their way to provide a service for a Thank you Award with the recipient receiving a £25 voucher that can be redeemed against a wide range of retailers and leisure activities.
The Knowing Diabetes programme ensures staff continue to learn more about diabetes with a range of external speakers giving a talk every two months. New learning opportunities have included half-hour Five Things I Learnt About sessions and staff-led French and German speaking circles which ran over the summer.
The charity created virtual spaces for staff to talk about how they were doing, learn about wellbeing and keep in touch. It also held a Wellbeing Week and a virtual “at the coffee machine sessions” for people to “drop in” and talk about whatever they wanted.
Curtins promotes collaboration, encouraging virtual teams and engagement in central initiatives driven by staff working groups or forums, using social and digital platforms to create dynamic learning practices and knowledge transfer. Reverse mentoring is a pioneering initiative where junior staff partner with senior management.
The Strive Towards Excellence Programme (STEP Ahead) provides personal and behavioural development opportunities through collaborative learning in line with evolving managerial pathways. The programme is founded on the values, stories and people-focused culture of Curtins and how this is demonstrated through leadership.
A survey helped managers to understand where the teams were struggling during lockdown and how they felt they could get support. It also helped the business to develop a picture of what people were doing to promote good mental health, so that it could be shared and celebrated.
Many of the managers have risen through the ranks to achieve senior positions, meaning their knowledge and understanding of their departments is unrivalled. That makes them well-equipped to implement the most effective incentives, performance strategies and wellbeing activities for their teams.
This year, Croner has been awarded Platinum Trusted Service status by Feefo, an independent market research organisation, which recognises businesses that go above and beyond to provide a consistently excellent service and dedicate themselves to exceeding customer expectations for at least three years in a row.
A Next Leaders programme supports employee development by teaching the specific skills needed for managerial roles. It provides tailored mentoring to educate and prepare individuals for a particular position. Line managers and departmental managers are coached on different areas such as client satisfaction, team building and teamwork.
The mission is to be a housing association motivated by Christian and social concern to create places where people want to live, invests in good quality housing and provides affordable support and servicesthat are accessible to those in housing need.
Christian Housing believes in developing its staff internally through individual training or job shadowing. Staff are given the opportunity to “act up” as managers to cover maternity leave or sickness absence. E-learning sessions on GDPR, whistleblowing, business continuity planning and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are available.
Every month, employees are invited to an ‘All Hands' Zoom meeting with senior managers providing business updates and providing an open forum for questions. Weekly virtual coffee meetings are held for colleagues to chat informally and a staff member runs weekly mindfulness video calls.
Training increased in volume over the past year as an important tool to keep employees engaged in their roles. The company helps to put people through exams and several staff members passed their qualifications in recent months.
Half of Caspian's directors and managers are women, as well as 43% of the staff overall. The company has been nominated for the Women in Insurance awards and in 2020 was the first brokerage to sign the Lloyds of London Inclusivity Pledge.
Caspian introduced paperless documents, using remote training to bring in the e-signature system quickly. Not only did the streamlined process make the company's service greener but improved its service, tripling its Trustpilot review in 2020 compared with 2019.
Managers at Cardlytics care about the job satisfaction of their team members and get behind wellness initiatives – even laughter yoga to boost morale. A mental health workshop provided managers with the skills to spot the signs of employees who may be struggling.
Every member of staff has an individual training budget of £1,000. As well as internal training courses, Cardlytics offers self-development workshops for employees to explore interests. A mentorship programme allows people to share experience, knowledge and skills as well as perspectives and cultures.
Employees are allowed one day a year to volunteer for a good cause. Staff members support local planting projects and community schemes. Although fundraising plans were disrupted by the pandemic, Cardlytics staff contributed to charities supporting those with disabilities or ill health including £1,200 for NHS Charities Together.
The CEO has led a development group to review Diversity, Inclusion and Equality policies, which is open to all within the organisation and an example of how the senior management team (SMT) promotes core values. The SMT holds weekly one-to-ones with Sabbatical Officers to help tackle any challenges.
With student support a career choice, managers attend compulsory training courses such as IOSH Managing Safely and First Aid at Work. They are also encouraged to attend courses that would be beneficial to their role and support their professional and personal development.
With a premium put on keeping staff healthy and happy, all-staff Q&As and virtual Tea & Talk sessions have been introduced. A staff newsletter provides information on mental health and wellbeing support and issues are signposted and communicated on a regular basis.
Since its launch three years ago more than 1,300 employees have been through the company's Aspire development programme, which won ‘People Development Programme of the Year' at the Learning Awards in February. Over 950 of those participants have been promoted into the role they wanted.
Employees can nominate staff for a monetary award for “brilliant work” through the employee recognition scheme, ‘Just to Say'. The most exceptional examples are recognised at the annual Consumer Live event, which last year involved 18 livestreams, 68 awards, and was broadcast on BT Sport and hosted by Tess Daly and Rylan Clark-Neal.
The recently launched plastic reduction programme called ‘Get Drastic on Plastic' has set a goal that by 2025, all plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. BT Consumer encourages customers to return their products so they can be recycled or refurbished.
The Senior Leadership Team pitched in to deliver PPE to offices and carers when required to alleviate pressure on branch teams. All branch bosses had daily calls from a member of the SLT at the start of the pandemic offering step-by-step support and guidance and these now take place weekly.
The Bright Care Training Academy has continued to run throughout the pandemic to develop employees, who all have a personal development plan. An in-house performance coach is available to help and support the mental and physical wellbeing of all employees.
Bright Care believes strong teams are formed by people who play together as well as work together so it actively encourages employees to plan social events together knowing that other teams within the organisation will cover this time out for them.
The in-house development programme, MINDS, gives employees from all pay grades the opportunity to progress through the business into senior roles. There is no recognised qualification but two previous candidates have gone on to become general managers within the company.
In 2020 launched its "Souls" programme focussing on the mental health and wellbeing of team members. Employees have also been encouraged to take part in activities such as Couch to 5k and online exercise challenges with one person cycling the equivalent distance from Land's End to John O'Groats.
There is a 25% discount on holidays at any of the company's parks for staff, family and friends. Employees also get 25% off food and 15% off drinks in park venues which can be used in and out of working hours.
BCHG launched its Learning Academy in 2020 and despite the pandemic has managed to deliver its training programmes albeit mostly virtually. The organisation has also continued to support staff who are undertaking profession qualifications and apprenticeship programmes, and to enrol employees on courses relevant to their role.
In addition to weekly emails encouraging staff to remain positive during adversity and reminding them they have access to help and support if they need it, BCHG provided resilience training and ran virtual events including a laughtercise session, yoga and Monday night socials to combat loneliness.
In 2019 BCHG launched its agile working policy, and encouraged colleagues to work more flexibly investing heavily in IT and equipment and in doing has reduced its carbon footprint by reducing travel and office overheads such as heat, light and printing, saving money too.
Formal management development is supported through both internal and external programmes, leading to professional qualifications. During the pandemic, Bibby introduced specific training on how to manage colleagues remotely. An Aspiring Manager programme offers colleagues an opportunity to learn basic managerial skills, performance management and supporting wellbeing.
Female members of the sales team hosted a successful session to promote diversity and inclusion, focusing on the challenges faced in some areas of the business. Similar sessions are planned for departments perceived to be male-dominated, such as IT and finance, to encourage more women to apply.
Bibby believes attracting, retaining and developing its people is the key to continuing success. A coaching programme, led by the executive committee, is dedicated to continuous improvement of all employees, developing teams that are highly-focused to achieve results.
Leaders became reliant on video calls during the pandemic, but made sure to not just chat or write emails to employees, but to engage in weekly socials, consistent team meetings and quick calls to discuss an issue or concern. The company believes in the lead-by-example approach.
Bark offers secondments to all its departments. The aim is to make sure there is a smooth transition from one role to another and that everyone is happy with the transition. A variety of internal or external training is available to encourage staff to increase their skills.
Weekly one-to-ones take place with all employees and there are also weekly team-building events, along with six-week and quarterly town hall meetings, which have been moved online. There are also online socials.
Every year we take on young people from local schools and colleges and either fund their qualifications directly or place them on an apprenticeship levy-funded scheme. At any time, approximately 10% of the workforce is being assisted through a qualification by Baily Garner.
Staff are regularly encouraged by management to switch off from work, go for walks and engage in virtual social events whenever possible. Employees are also encouraged to make calls to colleagues they have not spoken to for a while and to continue to listen to and support colleagues.
Everyone is allocated two paid days a year to volunteer or get involved in a community project and staff have been encouraged use these days for remote activities where possible during lockdown. The firm also donated the £15,000 it would have spent on the annual client Christmas party to charity.
The UK leadership team lead programmes covering age, gender, LGBT+, disability and faith to provide role models for behaviour both internally and externally. They share best practice with peer organisations through media engagement and conferences to encourage others to follow suit.
Internally-designed management and leadership courses are offered at all levels. Arcadis is an approved centre for the Chartered Management Institute and supports staff through MBA programmes. All staff have access to online training and managers are invited to one-to-one training sessions.
Arcadis supports mental and physical health as a priority, organising a 12-week physical exercise course with a personal trainer during lockdown and extending private medical insurance to include a Family Health helpline. The Babylon online GP service has been introduced so that doctors can be accessed without visiting a surgery.
All employees have access to the Learning Hive, adm's online learning portal, which offers a variety of development resources including LinkedIn Learning. Academy sessions are workshops run by subject-matter experts within the business. Financial support is available for professional exams, such as accounting and HR.
Culture Club is an initiative run by staff, for staff, to ensure everyone makes time for fun and socialising in and out of the office. It also allows employees to meet team members in different parts of the world. Events include a sports day, a bake-off, workout classes and quizzes.
The agency's Americas office asked colleagues to nominate local charities that were in need of PPE. A range of deserving charities was put forward, making it hard to choose just one, so adm decided to divide 2 million PPE masks between all seven nominations.
Utilita's My Dev scheme gives people control of their own personal development. Staff members who identify an opportunity to learn and develop can complete an online card which they talk through with their manager, who puts the development plan into action.
Utilita collaborated with Solent Mind to deliver a virtual mental wellbeing roadshow in May 2020. Staff attended workshops on how to manage stress and sleep better. The company has also held Pandemic Burnout workshops with tips on surviving a challenging year.
The company has donated £50,000 from its levy to support good causes. Utilita has signed up to The Prinice's Trust Million Makers fundraising competition with an online auction and sponsored TikTok dance challenge called Pay as You Go –Gos. Utilita recycles its IT equipment where possible and sends no waste to landfill.
Triple Point anticipates a mindset change in relation to flexible working but has not formalised this yet. In between lockdowns, people were allowed back to the office on a recommended but discretionary basis, which suited different people's wants and needs, and maintained a hub for employees to connect.
Development needs are assessed on an individual basis, with generous study support packages for those wishing to pursue professional qualifications. Group development sessions and 1:1 coaching are available throughout the year and there is a leadership development programme for an identified high-potential group.
During the pandemic, the company donated 15% of initial fees taken from all investment products to its Helping Hands initiative to supply 17,000 hand creams to frontline NHS workers, ambulance trusts, care homes and schools across the UK. Gifting is set to continue via a percentage raised in this way.
Rapport works with WOW! Awards to uncover personal, individual stories of outstanding service by its employees. Its favourites are published in the Rapport Inspire book – which sits in the British library. All new starters get a copy to introduce them to Rapport's values and exceptional people.
All learning and development moved to a virtual setting within a fortnight of the March 2020 lockdown and Rapport has hosted training every day since. With over 12,500 hours completed content has covered more than just customer service and courses have taken a holistic approach encompassing financial, mental and emotional wellbeing.
As allies to the LGBTQIA+ community Rapport held events to recognise Transgender Awareness in November and during Pride Month it shared messages of acceptance, empowerment and compassion. On National Coming Out Day it partnered with the myGwork business community for a social media campaign #IAmOutAtWork where some Rapport employees proudly shared personalised graphics to mark the day.
The monthly Simply the Best awards honour staff who have demonstrated PeoplePlus's three trademarks – True North, Own It, Improve to be the Best. Winners receive a financial award and an invitation to the annual awards evening at Warwick Castle.
PeoplePlus has launched an internal management development programme, called Improve to be the Best, for every line manager. The four-week programme is focused on employee engagement and the service-profit chain. The company also offers a range of internal apprenticeships leading to recognised management qualifications.
PeoplePlus has a long-running partnership with the Prince's Trust, which includes staff donating the pence from their salaries to the charity via the Pennies From Heaven scheme. Also, employees receive a paid day off for volunteering, which many used last year to offer pandemic-related help to charities and local people.
Ahead of a gradual return to the office, Olive has sent out survival packs containing a branded drinks bottle, face mask, branded hand sanitiser, Vitamin C and Zinc tablets and two packs of jellybeans – inside an Olive-branded canvas bag saying “Thanks for being awesome”.
Furloughed workers have been encouraged to complete product and technical training to enhance their skills and a number of people have achieved qualifications in the past year. Talent mapping across the business helps all employees to see where their role fits in and work towards new goals.
Everyone has access to a personal trainer to get fit – as well as free weekly Zumba and Pilates classes. For those who need extra support, Olive provides a professional counselling service. The business has offered flexibility to working parents and carers with extra responsibilities.
In September, CEO Brendan Mooney, who joined the company as a software engineer in 1989, was given the Chairman's Award for Excellence by the IOD for his personal impact on the culture and success of his organisation through outstanding professionalism and implementation of best practice in governance and leadership.
Kainos values its people highly. When staff said they wanted more flexibility in future, senior managers reconfigured offices to allow them to work how, when and where they want. Different spaces were created in office for employees to be safe and phased returns from home working were negotiated.
Continuous training at all levels is part of its success. An Effective Manager programme has been delivered virtually to 500 managers in the past year. A new Emerging Leaders programme moves participants beyond management fundamentals to four modules dealing with commerciality, connecting people, high performing teams and influencing.
Leaders talk to staff using Microsoft Teams and encourage cameras to be on for every meeting for more engagement. The whole company gets together in a virtual forum every week for an update from Head of Operations Sarah Tanner and MD Natalie Llewellyn about new starters, initiatives, projects and any other news.
Jellyfish employs people with the view of developing them. New joiners can be entry-level runners, apprentices and graduates and there is extensive on-the-job-training and real-life experience. Some staff study and are supported to do so and mentors are assigned to people, too.
The company implemented the 2.6 challenge during lockdown to raise money for mental health charity Mind. Employees could run, walk or cycle, using 2.6 as a measure. One inventive member of staff even walked up and down their stairs for 26 minutes.
Unique to Clicky is that Agency Director Laura Hothersall used to be a coach and mentor –she is still a mentor for the The Girls Network, which aims to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities. Coaching is thus the backbone for Clicky's management style.
All staff have personal development plans, with technical and behavioural training plans, and a monthly manager training programme that used to feature the usual aspects of management – such as delegation and colleague-to-manager leadership styles – has been updated to include coaching on agile and remote working.
Clicky staff took part in the Women's Voices event, part of International Women's Day in March, that that saw some of the most talented professionals from across the media and the creative industries share their expertise with 30 charities that campaign and advocate for women, girls and those who identify as female.
The first company-wide virtual learning summit was such a hit it that senior leaders kicked off a whole month of learning, bug hunting and phishing for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Employees could learn something new and show off their skills in a challenge – and won swag for participating.
To strengthen team bonds while working remotely, Auth0 has tried out new ways for people to interact to beat isolation. One successful aid used by employees has been Donut, a Slack tool randomly connecting three people for a meeting to get to know each other.
Employees at Auth0 have the option of donating money or volunteer hours to causes close to their heart. Throughout the pandemic, when so many people in the community were struggling, Auth0 gave its software product free to organisations on the front line fighting the effects of the coronavirus.
The company reviews its business mission and goals at quarterly all-staff meetings. Regular interaction with everyone is key for the leaders to reinforce the organisation's values. The organisational development team meets regularly with the chief operating officer and employee suggestions and comments are discussed, to ensure the company meets staff expectations.
ANS works with staff to develop goals and plans that allow career paths to flourish and people are rewarded through salary increments. Internal recruitment and promotions are preferred over recruiting externally to ensure as much organic growth as possible.
In the ANS Lip Sync Battle, directors battled it out to raise nearly £1,000 for charities such as the Manchester Youth Zone. In the summer, a sister youth zone, HideOut Youth Zone, opened. Instead of splitting its annual £25,000 donation between the two, the company doubled the money.
More recently they have encouraged WW employees to bring the inside out, sharing externally what it feels like to work for their brand. They have achieved this through more effective use of social media - sharing their internal events and development opportunities across LinkedIn and holding Facebook Live Q&A recruitment sessions that give candidates an opportunity to meet the team and ask about their opportunities.
They use a variety of tools to help employee development. One of which is their WW Inspire events where they invite guest speakers to share their experiences of development, including the Olympic Champion Alex Gregory and Celebrity Ambassadors Curtis Pritchard and Alison Hammond.
More recently they have encouraged WW employees to bring the inside out, sharing externally what it feels like to work for their brand. They have achieved this through more effective use of social media - sharing their internal events and development opportunities across LinkedIn and holding Facebook Live Q&A recruitment sessions that give candidates an opportunity to meet the team and ask about their opportunities.
As a Premier League football club they have a relatively unique position in that they have staff and players from all around the world. One of example of how they utilise this diversity is to use their Academy players to help recruit coaches. Additionally, this diversity provides representative selection panels to aid their selection and recruitment.
The Club fully funds all apprenticeship qualifications at all levels for anyone who wishes to do one right up to MBA level. They provide modern language (currently Spanish and Italian lessons) for staff– giving the opportunity to learn a new language is advantageous for both personal and professional development.
Mentoring is actively encouraged within the Club at all levels. All staff receive the opportunity to be mentored by someone more senior in the organisation. The best example of this is that the Vice Chairman has employees that she personally mentors. In a recently launched initiative every employee has the opportunity to shadow other key staff members across departments.
Virtual1 have introduced a performance management application with the aim to encourage employees and managers to have ongoing discussions around performance and development rather than waiting for appraisals to have these important conversations.
Virtual1 made a conscious decision in the past year to cut down on the amount of paper they use in the office. They transitioned to using Docusign for electronic signatures for the contracts and invoices that they send out.
Virtual1 have introduced a performance management application with the aim to encourage employees and managers to have ongoing discussions around performance and development rather than waiting for appraisals to have these important conversations.
Manager performance is measured in monthly one to ones. Full year objectives are set in July/ August each year, this is reported back to HR Committee and trustee board.
Employees are rewarded for their continued efforts with a number of benefits, including: staff discounts, loans, and an employee assistance programme.
Manager performance is measured in monthly one to ones. Full year objectives are set in July/ August each year, this is reported back to HR Committee and trustee board.
Apprenticeships in the past have been viewed as for school leavers but with changes in eligibility, more staff are taking up the opportunity in accessing schemes.
Apprenticeships in the past have been viewed as for school leavers but with changes in eligibility, more staff are taking up the opportunity in accessing schemes.
The Union continue to hold staff briefing/bitesize training sessions and are about to run an escape room activity to get people working together in groups on a tight timeline. They hope this will be particularly good to help new members of staff interact with existing staff
Twice weekly, Trolex hold yoga sessions early in the morning. The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.
Twice weekly, Trolex hold yoga sessions early in the morning. The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.
The company-wide bonus scheme sees staff rewarded for their efforts. Potential pay-out is £1000 per employee/per year. They have the option to receive quarterly or a lump sum at the end of the year, against metrics of profit, on-time delivery, and quality.
The Groups highest performers have recently enjoyed an all expenses paid luxury break in Ibiza as a way of saying thank you for their continued efforts.
The Groups highest performers have recently enjoyed an all expenses paid luxury break in Ibiza as a way of saying thank you for their continued efforts.
The leader regularly visits all UK site locations, sits alongside staff and operates an open door policy when in head office.
ThirdWay support employee development by providing optional coaching sessions. They currently have a personal and professional coach, a business executive coach and a sales coach all to help and support individuals who work in different areas of the business.
On site, ThirdWay are working hard to be as sustainable as possible and recycle all rigid plastics through their waste management company.
Employees at ThirdWay are offered free dental insurance, flexible benefits, free life insurance and free travel insurance.
During a new hire's first month, The Royal Air Force Club have created an executive team 'meet and greet' where all new hires meet the leadership team to help them settle in and get to know those they may not otherwise see.
The Royal Air Force Club endeavour to get their team out and about and provide relevant hospitality related experiences, whether it be visiting a local gin distillery for the bar team, a local street food festival or an industry focused social media conference. They feel this is the sort of learning that will make an impact and one the team will remember.
During a new hire's first month, The Royal Air Force Club have created an executive team 'meet and greet' where all new hires meet the leadership team to help them settle in and get to know those they may not otherwise see.
All employees receive extensive on the job training: they have buddies in the wider team, day to day support, an assigned mentor from week 2 and they also hold events to integrate them into their way of working.
Their head office is a learning centre in itself where all clients, suppliers and employees alike are encouraged to develop, use and help each other out.
Sabbaticals are offered to those who have completed 5 year's service and holidays are unlimited for their consultants.
The Furniture Practice foster an open and honest environment and encourage staff to learn from each other. This is reflected in fortnightly company meetings where all members of staff are encouraged to contribute and present. They acknowledge achievements, discuss lessons learned and share notable projects and events, this is then followed by socialising at their in-house bar.
Every person who is recruited into the business meets with at least one of the directors to ensure that there is an emotional fit as well as a business fit. Senior management will include junior members of staff in the recruitment process as their perspective is important.
Every person who is recruited into the business meets with at least one of the directors to ensure that there is an emotional fit as well as a business fit. Senior management will include junior members of staff in the recruitment process as their perspective is important.
Throughout the year, Techmodal arrange regular visits to other organisation's for their staff. Recently this included an event with the Royal Logistics Corps and a visit to one of Amazon's fulfilment centres.
Flexible working initiatives are available for employees at Techmodal, which include: compressed hours; home, remote or teleworking; career breaks and sabbaticals.
Techmodal reward employees for their continued efforts with initiatives including: staff discounts; free life insurance; profit related pay; and performance related pay.
Stickyeyes are passionate about supporting staff using a person centred approach, and finding suitable learning and career opportunities for all. All employees have monthly 1-2-1's where they can discuss their career and development plans with their line manager.
Department heads are offered mentoring and 1-2-1's from the Executive Team. They also use tools such as insights to support their Senior Team in working more closely together and understanding themselves further as managers.
Stickyeyes offer monthly massages to all staff and have introduced flexible working and holiday trading to give the team more control over their working hours and patterns.
Team Leaders and the Quality team listen to sales calls made by employees, which take place every day, to measure them against a specific set of criteria to ensure their performance is consistent and therefore continually improving.
StepChange offer specific training for progressing in other areas within the business, for example becoming a Team Leader. The 6 week course is available to anyone within the organisation. Every single one of their Team Leaders have progressed internally, making this course even more appealing.
StepChange offer specific training for progressing in other areas within the business, for example becoming a Team Leader. The 6 week course is available to anyone within the organisation. Every single one of their Team Leaders have progressed internally, making this course even more appealing.
Stay Original Co run an Employee of the Month scheme. Managers from each site can nominate an employee for great service and going above and beyond what is expected. The successful individual is awarded £100.
Stay Original Co run an Employee of the Month scheme. Managers from each site can nominate an employee for great service and going above and beyond what is expected. The successful individual is awarded £100.
Stay Original Co have introduced a Stress Policy with training for all managers to ensure that if they do come across any individual showing signs of stress then they are equipped to help them.
In July 2019, SSQ held a companywide reward trip to Marbella, Spain. The trip was a celebration for reaching their financial target, and was unique because it allowed everyone across the business (including their overseas offices in Europe, Asia and the Middle East) to attend.
SSQ believe that every business should take responsibility for the development of its employees, both work and non-work related.
In July 2019, SSQ held a companywide reward trip to Marbella, Spain. The trip was a celebration for reaching their financial target, and was unique because it allowed everyone across the business (including their overseas offices in Europe, Asia and the Middle East) to attend.
You’ve explored the Factors - now discover how your organisation can gain deeper insight into what truly drives engagement and workplace culture.
Our approach measures organisational health across eight core areas: My Team, Leadership, My Manager, Personal Growth, My Company, Wellbeing, Fair Deal, and Giving Something Back. Together, they give you a complete view of how your people think, feel, and experience work.
Complete the form and take the first step toward a stronger, more engaged organisation.
