Best Companies Factors: Wellbeing

Understanding Recruitment

At Director’s Question Time, employees can submit questions anonymously, via an online platform about the present and future plans for the business, on topics such as growth, development, career paths, and benefits.

Understanding Recruitment has been trying to attract more women, particularly more experienced female employees by looking at benefits offered, such as maternity — and paternity — pay, flexible working, and part-time positions. It has also joined Women in Recruitment, an initiative that helps with attracting, developing and retaining female talent.

Each team has a budget for a "wellness day" so they can enjoy an activity and a meal out together. Unlimited holiday is offered to staff who have been with the company for two years, and after five and 10 years they can take a sabbatical.

60a42fee82899d978c972840

Recruitment

View Company

Torchbox

The company launched its first Torchbox academy for entry-level roles. It aims to appeal to candidates from diverse backgrounds and encourage people to apply regardless of their backgrounds by using a CV-less approach. Information about this approach was posted in a wide variety of places to target a larger pool of candidates.

Torchbox increased its annual leave allowance this year and introduced flexible bank holidays to allow people more control over their work-life balance. It has also introduced a holiday buy-and-sell scheme to give people with different lifestyles the time away from work that they need.

Lattice, a performance-management system, provides a framework and the tools to guide managers in how to work in a positive and consistent way with their teams. A learning library comes with each tool, providing tips and resources. The new head of human resources is tasked with reviewing the management structure and ensuring clarity within roles.

60a42a1f256bd61d04827ec8

Marketing & Media Agencies

View Company

The Fostering Network

Every staff member has a personal development plan that identifies a clear pathway to address skills, experience, knowledge or professional growth. It may include a range of learning activities, such as online training, mentoring, coaching, classroom training, shadowing, setting aside reading time, conferences and secondments.

An "e-goodie bag" filled with wellbeing activities for staff and their families, is given to everyone. It is designed for staff to take control of their mental and physical health. Included in it is expert advice and practical tips, using resources such as the NHS Choice Moodzone and Every Mind Matters websites.

Informal video conference meetings take place and "silent" video meetings allow teams to log on at the same time and work individually, but interact informally with other team members as if they were in the office.

60a418018660a79f486d5619

Charity's

View Company

Socitm Advisory

Days to build physical and mental wellbeing through outdoor activities are hosted at the Socitm Woodland. A Strava club encourages people to be active and there is a book club to encourage more cerebral activity. Lunch and learn sessions cover a variety of topics, including menopause support and managing during the cost-of-living crisis.

The virtual kitchen has proved popular since it was launched. It gives all staff a place to drop in, hang out and build team morale. Daily huddles and weekly retrospectives have been introduced throughout the business to ensure good communication and information sharing.

Last year, a leadership development programme was launched. It is designed to support the management team and develop them into future leaders of the business. The programme is written and delivered by leaders and blends online learning with workshops. Internal and external mentorship will support participants.

60a41c4f644574dd25c3c50d

Consultancy

View Company

Right Legal Group

Employees now have access to a wellbeing platform giving 24/7 access to a GP, as well as support for physical and mental health issues, grief, financial struggles and other life challenges. An internal wellbeing hub also signposts to articles, podcasts and other resources – often those successfully tried and tested by their colleagues.

More than 100 staff are part of the company-wide group chat, sharing inspiring and motivating words and offering thanks. There have been many virtual get-togethers – some for fun and others for essential Group updates and staff questions. These are in addition to the company-wide meetings all employees are invited to twice a year.

Employees are asked to nominate somebody who has made an outstanding contribution. They may be awarded individually or have the chance to win a £400 voucher if their name gets picked out of a hat. And there’s a £100 bonus for any employee who recommends a hire that passes their three-month probation.

60a41c4f644574dd25c3c50d

Consultancy

View Company

Redbrik

Employees have the opportunity to talk to a trained mental health first aider and access helpful articles, quotes and tips on their intranet’s wellbeing channel. Staff are encouraged to take time away from screens for lunch and walking meetings. And social events such as the sports day and movie night help staff let off steam.

A new contact centre fields all incoming calls to the business, taking pressure off individual offices. It helps staff work smarter and keep focused on their priorities. It also offers a way into the company for people with no industry experience.

Apprenticeships and student placements help nurture new talent. Referrals from employees are also welcome. The company encourages applications even when there are no current vacancies, keeping in touch with candidates in its talent pool every month. There are also plans for quarterly recruitment evenings.

60a42f8b52c9cc2e49806fac

Property

View Company

Rated People

The company has built a culture in which it is acceptable to talk about mental health. It recognises the importance of early intervention and managers are trained to spot when someone is becoming more frustrated, irritable or withdrawn, or is working long hours, and will offer help.

Rated People encourages teams to get together and share experiences. After it launched a shadowing day, teams met and listened in on each other's calls. The result was an increased awareness of what each department deals with and the creation of new systems and processes. Drinks and presentations at the end helped to promote bonding.

Learning and development platform 'Learnerbly' is available to all staff from day one, as the probation period is when employees may need additional resources to help them complete tasks. The platform also offers personal development tools such as mind coaching and the Calm app. Everyone is allocated a training budget.

60a4179e3738664af4aa4d2c

Business Services

View Company

Porsche Retail Group

An external 'health concierge' – a qualified PT and physiotherapist – regularly visits centres for one-to-one sessions with staff to discuss their wellness goals and how to achieve them. He also runs video Q&As for anyone who would prefer to speak to him anonymously. In addition, the company runs mental health and wellbeing awareness courses.

Employees and their families get engrossed in The Porsche Retail Group Annual Review. The glossy 108-page book with a gold leaf Porsche Logo on the cover is now onto its third edition. It contains a month-by-month review of the year, news highlights from the UK and beyond and Group and individual achievements.

Camaraderie and competition are in full force during 'Fit Feb'. It starts with every employee getting a goody bag of healthy snacks and warm headwear before several charity events get people out and about. It culminates in a charity week with the company donating £1 for every mile walked, cycled, run or swam.

60a4163eb0403894e44f8ab5

Automotive

View Company

Look Ahead Care, Support & Housing

The charity offers 24-hour counselling support via the employee assistance programme and trauma counselling for staff impacted by incidents at work. Mental health first aid training is supplied. Staff have one-to-one sessions or supervision and the organisation is looking to make working practices even more flexible.

Look Ahead offers Rising Star and Women in Leadership awards each year to anyone who demonstrates passion, commitment and ambition, and wants to study for a development qualification not covered by its training programme. The winner is awarded per award up to £5,000 towards the qualification.

In January, Look Ahead started a Serenity Cafe in Kent to support women and children fleeing domestic abuse. The cafe is open to all community members and offers healthy-living workshops, alongside advice on financial wellbeing. In May, it started dance and movement sessions for customers with learning-disabilities in east London.

60a422ec6d8de2854ccb2e96

Health & Social Care

View Company

Lockton Companies

The impact of menopause is well recognised, with people able to record sickness as menopause-related. Employees are encouraged to talk about how it affects them, with menopause cafes and toolkits. And an event for World Menopause Day aimed to highlight risks and debunk myths. Other events have tackled issues like mental health and domestic abuse.

Collaboration is encouraged through 'Coffee Connect', where associates are randomly paired with a colleague to network over a hot drink. Employees could even end up sitting down with the CEO! Meanwhile, the internal social media platform 'Workplace' connects associates through posts and interest-specific groups such as 'Parents and Lockton' and 'Lockton Pets'.

The company's high-potential women are invited to the six-month Women's Breakthrough Programme. It includes workshops, peer-to-peer coaching, and a Senior Leader Sponsor to act as their career progression advocate. In addition, a new graduate programme is set to launch in October 2023, with around half of the intake from the company's summer intern scheme.

60a424518bd4f42d9ba29c8e

Insurance

View Company

Wellbeing Matters

Understanding Recruitment

Torchbox

The Fostering Network

Socitm Advisory

Right Legal Group

Redbrik

Rated People

Porsche Retail Group

Look Ahead Care, Support & Housing

Lockton Companies

Understand your organisational health across all eight factors

Why measure with Best Companies?