Best Companies | Lionel Hitchen Company Profile

A generous profit-sharing scheme was introduced in December at Lionel Hitchen, the Hampshire-based company that makes flavour ingredients for the food and drinks industry. It rewards employees based on company performance. There is no cap so, as the company increases its profits, staff receive bigger bonuses.

The business was founded in Reigate in the mid 1960s by Lionel Hitchen. His ambition was to produce high-quality products, that were sourced and supplied with integrity.

The company's aim is to remain a financially strong, family-owned business with a UK manufacturing base. It has a commitment to continuous improvement and world-class manufacturing, while ensuring that all staff are valued. Recognition awards are given, and at an annual Hitchen Way winners names are put on a wheel, which is spun and the winner receives £200 in their January pay packet.

Lionel Hitchen has a company-wide continual-improvement programme, "world-class manufacturing". It also offers generous pension contributions and a health cash plan, along with small gestures such as providing fresh fruit, Easter eggs and turkeys at Christmas.

As a result of staff feedback, changes have been introduced. Corporate volunteering has been launched to make it easier for people to give their time to the community, and volunteering days have taken place at Andover Trees United, a community woodland group, and Enham Trust, a disability charity. Career workshops have been organised to give staff a greater understanding of how to take control of their own learning and development and enhanced maternity and paternity pay has been introduced.

My Team

89% of staff agreed

My team is fun to work with

Each department runs a monthly "world-class manufacturing" meeting that other staff can attend with the aim of improving cross-departmental relationships and understanding, and to share ideas. There is usually a fun team-building activity, too.

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My Company

91% of staff agreed

I believe I can make a valuable contribution to the success of this organisation

A training programme was rolled out to leaders, who reviewed the company's values and came up with a memorable way of summarising them, called the Hitchen Way. The programme also resulted in the formulation of three transformational business goals, which have brought considerable improvements to business processes and have involved large cross-functional teams.

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Giving Something Back

97% of staff agreed

My organisation encourages charitable activities

The company set up a Green Team to work on reducing its carbon footprint and staff engaged enthusiastically in coming up with more than 100 ideas and projects for energy saving, which will include the purchase of a new electric van in 2022.

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My Team

89% of staff agreed

My team is fun to work with

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My Team

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My Company

91% of staff agreed

I believe I can make a valuable contribution to the success of this organisation

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My Company

Best Practice

My Team

89% of staff agreed

My team is fun to work with

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