What are companies doing with regards to 'Personal Growth'

Managers have support from their learning platform RG University as well as support from their own line managers (whether that be Heads of Department of members of the Leadership Team). They also run an ‘Insights for Managers' course where managers can share experiences and develop their abilities to adapt and communicate better with their teams. They have an overall culture of ongoing and flexible manager feedback through regular 121s. They don't believe in annual performance reviews because for Reward Gateway, they're outdated and don't suit the pace of their organisation. They monitor performance through 121s and have a Performance Recovery Programme that they use to highlight issues that have dropped below what's needed.

The Senior Management Team have recently been restructured so that they have each business function represented at board level. The members are spread across the globe and ensure that they are available and approachable on their internal comms (email, Google Hangouts). There are two members of the Leadership Team whose focus is on HR (overall Hr and Benefits/Reward) demonstrating their dedication to their People as a function. The values were created by their people but bought into at Leadership Team level from the start. Glenn, the company CEO, is present at Reward's quarterly global updates and also travels in person to all offices. He is approachable and puts a specific focus on key values. He is open and takes part in a filmed segment of the business updates where he is asked questions submitted by staff and (without prior preparation) answers honestly and commits time to resolving any issues raised.

This year RBG's have started using vlogs to communicate certain key initiatives within the business; however they're not your standard video blog because of the team demographic, so the company had to work on making them really engaging through new artwork, latest soundtracks and having strong clear messages throughout. A recent example was sent out for RBG's General Managers to communicate with their teams during team meetings. The vlog was watched 400 times, so the company know each site watched the vlog on average 6 times, demonstrating a strong level of engagement and interaction at site level to help cascade information throughout the business.

RBG are very proud of their blended learning approach. Their employees, staff and management alike receive training through a number of channels, including workshops, on the job training, e-learning, role specific workbooks, conferences, bespoke development plans, apprenticeship schemes and more formal modular training programmes. Many of the teams have little or no work experience when they join RBG, so with this in mind the company have developed the ACE (Amazing Customer Experience) training programme, which helps them with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful. It offers interactive e-learning modules that cover a range of topics, from Health and Safety and Cocktail Spec tests to Hospitality training. One of the most exciting developments over the last 12 months has been the launch of role specific modular training programmes. Every management role in the company is now eligible to attend a 4-6 months modular training programme that supports the development of their management skills. The learning objectives of these programmes are not bar related and help Managers develop personal skills in coaching, time management, communication methods, effective feedback tools and even delegation.

At Rajapack UK they like a good challenge. So to create a bit of fun in the office, they set themselves the challenge of doing their own Tour de France, later nicknamed 'Tour De Raja'. The company hired an exercise bike and over four days each department cycled from Bedford to Rajapack's head office Branch in Paris. To put that into context, that's a distance of 337 miles in under 20 hours! This was all to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity that provides such amazing support to people affected by cancer. The event was a huge success, raising £1,180.42, but proved more of a success in the sheer participation levels within the business, as 35 members of staff participated and took turns in the riding.

Rajapack offer a Perkbox benefits membership scheme to all employees, which offers health and wellbeing benefits along with reduced gym memberships, something Rajapack funds to ensure it is not to the detriment of the individual. The company have also introduced fresh fruit boxes for the benefit of all members of staff and there is the equivalent of one piece of fruit per day per person, ranging from apples and bananas to grapes and so on.

As part of PTM Group's Healthcare package all staff are offered the use of a Virtual GP with their health care provider which means that they schedule appointments in work time, without having to leave the office. The Health Cover also offers access to a free counselling service which can be especially beneficial to people needing support through difficult times. Their subscription to Perkbox means that gifts turn up to work regularly for staff and packages can include stress balls, vouchers, money off restaurants and cinema tickets. It is important for PTM Group staff to know that they appreciate that they have a life outside work and they want to help them enjoy it!

Each Manager conducts an Annual Self-Assessment with their team which gives them the change to plan for the future with their team but also to reflect upon areas where improvements could be made. PTM Group is committed to being the leader within the sector and this annual review is a key factor in continual growth within the company and for the management to set long term goals for their departments. As leader, Jamie Paterson, has an open door policy and he will make time to see staff and address any concerns, queries or ideas they may have. Jamie regularly visits all PTM Group sites, makes a point of meeting all new staff face to face as well as engaging with staff regularly to obtain feedback about the progression of the company. All staff have access to Jamie's mobile number so they can contact him directly, for any reason. PTM Group keeps CPD logs for all staff, which are reviewed regularly. As a training provider, most training is done in-house.

Each employee has access to two paid learning days. PHD realise that finding the time to learn can sometimes be challenging, so employees can use two dedicated days to study at home allowing them more freedom over when and how to fit learning around work. They also offer a learning bursary which gives employees money and the opportunity to learn something non-work related, whether this be street dancing, Arabic lessons, beer brewing or a basic DIY course.

In line with PHD's culture and ethos of the ‘Human Touch', working collaboratively and face to face interaction between teams is strongly encouraged. Every department holds weekly status meetings so everyone is made aware of important updates. These meetings are vital in ensuring news is communicated quickly and is an opportunity for team members to interact away from their desks. Line managers hold regular catch ups with their people to boost communication. The large majority of their people are very sociable and are often at lunch or drinks together. PHD encourage this as it aids good working relationships across the various departments. They also hold weekly 15-minute update meetings that rotate around the building. These meetings are intended to give everyone brief updates that are relevant to the way they work for clients, provide useful insights and showcase interesting research. After restructuring the teams late last year, PHD had to rethink their internal workstreams leading to revamped briefing and planning processes within PHD. Key speakers explained the new way of work during a dedicated offsite session. Everyone received a pack with printed collateral to re-enforce the learning. As part of their planning process they hold Action Planning sessions, these encourage people to work collaboratively and to be creative by working together as a group. People are selected from different teams to gain a range of insights and experience and it is an opportunity for them to network with people from outside of their normal day to day team.

Perkbox University, the in-house training program, encompasses management training courses. They ask senior managers to present to managers along the lines of how to motivate staff, how to generate the best results, conflict resolution, empathy, workload management, reward and recognition etc. These happen every couple of months. Every manager is mentored by a senior manager. They always try to promote from within and so new managers will be well versed in Perkbox's management training, having been on the receiving end themselves. A good example is the sales team, those demonstrating aptitude for increased responsibilities are eased into a management role by making them senior managers, who are still doing front line selling but have mentoring responsibilities. Senior Managers will shadow team leaders to prepare them for the more analytical aspects of the role and are afforded the opportunity to learn on the job. Regularly there are weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews. The weekly and monthly reviews are held between the manager and their line manager and are used to discuss how the managers team have responded to the established KPI's and address any incumbent issues. Quarterly reviews are held with the HR Manager present and minutes are taken for the managers to refer to at any time subsequently.

Perkbox University, the in-house training program, encompasses management training courses. They ask senior managers to present to managers along the lines of how to motivate staff, how to generate the best results, conflict resolution, empathy, workload management, reward and recognition etc. These happen every couple of months. Every manager is mentored by a senior manager. They always try to promote from within and so new managers will be well versed in Perkbox's management training, having been on the receiving end themselves. A good example is the sales team, those demonstrating aptitude for increased responsibilities are eased into a management role by making them senior managers, who are still doing front line selling but have mentoring responsibilities. Senior Managers will shadow team leaders to prepare them for the more analytical aspects of the role and are afforded the opportunity to learn on the job. Regularly there are weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews. The weekly and monthly reviews are held between the manager and their line manager and are used to discuss how the managers team have responded to the established KPI's and address any incumbent issues. Quarterly reviews are held with the HR Manager present and minutes are taken for the managers to refer to at any time subsequently.

Senior management present very clear monthly business updates closely aligned to the values of the company. They take a hands on approach to the business and clearly demonstrate company values in their working practices and in their approach to day to day tasks. Managers are honest, open and straightforward in all their dealings with staff and clients and focus on delivering a first class service, they set the gold standard. Managers make sure they attend the sports and social events in order to have down time and fun with their colleagues. Spending time with each other away from the workplace is key to establishing a strong working relationship. Paul Clark, Penta's CEO and founder of the company, has an open door policy and is very approachable. He had always had a very clear vision for the company that he set up 18 years ago. Two of his keys strategies have been to surround himself with high calibre individuals who have complimentary and different skill sets as well as putting his staff, clients and candidates at the very heart of the business. Paul was always determined that any one employed by him would actively enjoy coming to work as well as offering a first class service to all customers. He sets clear performance expectations, goals and objectives for others, treats mistakes as learning opportunities, demonstrates an ability to make decisions and take responsibility for them, encourages feedback from everyone in the business, seeks to fine more efficient ways of operating and actively encourages ideas form others.

A great chill out area with table football, table tennis, Wii Fit, pool table, music and large screens for multi-channel TV plus a free Penta bar for Friday evenings and for special celebrations and events. Icelolly offer free hypnotherapy for people who are serious about giving up smoking and annual health check including flu vaccine. Regular breaks throughout the day when staff can leave the office for 15 minutes. There is a chill out zone with free hot and cold drinks and access to microwave, an active sports and social club and exciting overseas incentive trips.

PegasusLife was created to do things differently and to do things better. Their mission, to fundamentally change retirement homes in the UK is not an easy task. Leaving profits to one side, to be successful requires an engaged workforce and a company culture that supports their mission. To that end, all new members of staff get a handbook that explains in detail all of their core values and how everyone at PegasusLife has a part to play in its success. Inspirational quotes that embody their values, from eminent people as diverse as Shakespeare and Jonathan Ive, have been designed into the office environment and can be seen on many of the office walls. PegasusLife's Google+ page has a group called Living the Values, which is an active forum for exchanging ideas, where anyone can post articles or other thinking pieces that support company values. The competencies/values are also part of the appraisal process so everyone is assessed against them at least twice a year. Furthermore, every team day and company gathering is used as an opportunity for the CEO and other key personnel to reconfirm their focus on always having the mission at the forefront of all of all employees minds on a day-to-day basis.

PegasusLife's people are rewarded in ways which are specifically tailored to their roles, giving them the most appropriate and fair approach. So through a combination of mechanisms everyone can see how their contribution is rewarded. The most unique aspect and the one the company are proudest of is their Employee Participation Plan. The Company's philosophy is based on ensuring people share in the long term success of the organisation, because it is through them that their success comes. The Plan is open to everyone and enables people to become stakeholders in their future. Company shares have been allocated to the scheme and employees are invited to contribute a set amount per month (up to £50 which buys them a proportion of the ‘pot'). On the completion of a sale or flotation everyone will then share in the ‘Bonus Pot'. The total size of the Bonus Pot is linked to the performance of the business and the value created upon the exit so people can see that their share in the business is directly linked to their contribution, it is a joint effort on everyone's part. In terms of its effectiveness, the team take a long term approach because they have a stake in the future. They act in the best long term interests of the company, not on short term gains which could have a longer term negative effect on the business.

Parkdean Resorts host multiple conferences each year to allow networking between employees across the business in order to encourage integration and a sense of community. The company Intranet page allows employees to communicate consistently and share company news and information. Posters are displayed around the business to advertise and implement the company values.

Parkdean Resorts host multiple conferences each year to allow networking between employees across the business in order to encourage integration and a sense of community. The company Intranet page allows employees to communicate consistently and share company news and information. Posters are displayed around the business to advertise and implement the company values.

By using animals to represent the PANDORA values, the company provide employees with something tangible to help demonstrate them. They have a figurine called Winnpier who is an amalgamation of all three values: the strong legs and tail from the lion, the large heart and long neck from the giraffe and the wings from the bumble bee. Winniper represents PANDORA's values and the behaviours that they require all their employees to demonstrate. The company launched their values called ‘PANDORA Life' in 2011 through large events within each region of PANDORA. Employees were taken out of the office to a beautiful location where the history of the company and the relevance and importance of its values were explained. PANDORA award prizes to employees for demonstrating the PANDORA Life values in their daily work and also at company events and parties. The values also have been incorporated into the company's Personal Development Reviews and employees must think about how they relate to their particular position. Objectives are then set incorporating the values.

By using animals to represent the PANDORA values, the company provide employees with something tangible to help demonstrate them. They have a figurine called Winnpier who is an amalgamation of all three values: the strong legs and tail from the lion, the large heart and long neck from the giraffe and the wings from the bumble bee. Winniper represents PANDORA's values and the behaviours that they require all their employees to demonstrate. The company launched their values called ‘PANDORA Life' in 2011 through large events within each region of PANDORA. Employees were taken out of the office to a beautiful location where the history of the company and the relevance and importance of its values were explained. PANDORA award prizes to employees for demonstrating the PANDORA Life values in their daily work and also at company events and parties. The values also have been incorporated into the company's Personal Development Reviews and employees must think about how they relate to their particular position. Objectives are then set incorporating the values.