BUYING GUIDE DOG puppies for the blind, attending creative writing classes and enjoying breakfast get-togethers with the boss — staff at Business & Enterprise North East, known as BE-NE, are entitled to feel good about themselves. They can even feel good about the way they look, courtesy of a Weightwatchers at Work programme which involved 42 employees helping each other over nine months to lose a total of more than 60 stones. But best of all, people at BE-NE (which provides support, enterprise and economic development solutions to help businesses start, succeed and grow), know that they are helping the clients they work alongside while transforming the economy of northeast England. The typical job is a business adviser, earning £35,000 on average. Just 22 people out of a workforce of more than 400 earn more than £45,000. Staff believe, however, that they receive fair pay for their roles (66%, ranking 17th), and compared with people in similar positions in other organisations (65%, 18th). They are happy with their pay and benefits (71%, 13th) and no one feels exhausted, either, when they get home (55%, 15th). BE-NE people believe their manager takes an active interest in their wellbeing (77%) and would respond if they showed signs of being under too much pressure (73%). The organisation also scores well in terms of work not interfering with responsibilities at home (72%) and staff are happy with the balance between work and home life (73%). People find time for good causes, raising more than three times their £5,000 target for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Employees believe colleagues go out of their way to help not just good causes but each other (80%) and they feel supported by their manager (77%) and believe he or she cares about them as an individual (77%). be-ne.co.uk
