THE ONLY SLAVES at Foolproof are managers, auctioned to do team members' bidding to raise £3,000 for Save the Children last year. This London-based “experience design” consultancy, which helps its clients create better digital services for their customers with the help of user research, gets a top-10 score for Leadership (90%). Senior managers don't just live the values of the firm (91%), they consult the workforce on what they should be. Last year, managing director Leslie Fountain asked the 57 employees to help define the agency's new mission and principles at the annual beach trip to the Norfolk coast, known as a “holy flow day”. A group of employees put on a Punch and Judy show to explore a problem in the business, making caricatures of the issue and their leaders. Joking aside, the firm is run on strong principles (93%). These include being “design thinkers”, driving change in the business world and society at large, and being brave and collaborative. Past projects include helping Direct Line make better iPhone applications for its insurance customers and people feel excited about where the company is going (93%). Last year everyone celebrated the 10th birthday of Foolproof with a night at Caistor Hall hotel in Norwich, and toasted the company's announcement of a new Singapore office. Colleagues care for each other (94%, fourth). The whole company upped sticks to Ibiza for three days last year to reward everyone's efforts and to relax together on the beach. Staff say their managers are not afraid of conflict if there are issues to sort out (85%, in 10th place) and team members feel comfortable telling their bosses if work is going badly (91%, seventh). They don't use intimidation to get what they want at work (90%). Staying up-to-date with technology and research is important in this business, so weekly sessions to share knowledge are enshrined in company custom. Employees feel proud to work for Foolproof (95%, sixth) and say it makes a difference to the world (83%).
