One of No1 Lounges main focuses of 2016 has been to improve employees' development so their people feel supported, empowered and engaged in their own progression. The company recognise the importance of internal promotion and it's key that they support their people throughout their employment with us. Over 70% of employees with a length of service over four years have achieved promotions, with many starting in Team Member roles and progressing into local and central Management Teams. To ensure new starters feel supported on their journey at No1 Lounges they have recently launched the ‘Flying Start' programme, which charts the personal development of employees in their first three months. This enables them to chart their progression and set clear and achievable objectives. No1 Lounges operational training programme, held on ‘Up In The Air Days', brings their people together to share knowledge and experiences while learning interesting, diverse and relevant skills. The programme is designed for the employee to opt in and sessions are facilitated by the in-house trainer, HODs or the external L&D partner ‘Purple Cubed'.

No1 Lounges reward their operational staff with a ‘Performance Bonus' of up to 15% of gross salary each month. The bonus is awarded in two parts, one of 5% and one of 10%. Performance is linked directly to guests' experiences, which they receive in the lounge each day with a feedback questionnaire. 5% is attributed to each team achieving the target Net Promoter Score within the lounge and 10% is awarded based on how guests score certain aspects of their experience which are relevant to each role. The Performance Bonus scheme is free of any management bias and is not connected to the company's financial performance, which No1 Lounges believe to be unique in the world of hospitality. In addition to the Performance Bonus scheme the company also operate ‘on-the-spot' rewards for extra-special service moments, all in recognition of people going above and beyond in the delivery of the lounge experiences. These include tickets to the cinema and theatre, spa days, extra holiday time and high street vouchers.

It's integral to the successful running of No1 Lounges that every employee has a comprehensive understanding of the broader workings and objectives of the business. That's why ‘Tray Days' and ‘Desk Days' take place regularly and are open to all employees, from Heads of Department to housekeepers. Desk Days allow operational employees to spend time with each department in Head Office (referred to as the London Office to avoid hierarchy) and Tray Days give the London Office valuable exposure to the workings of lounges. The CEO Phil Cameron is extremely hands on. Phil, Joe (Head of Operations and Jamie (Head of People) spend at least two days a week in the operations, supporting the Managers, Supervisors and Team Members. They also have a weekly call with each lounge Manager, which takes place every Monday morning. The running of the operations is complex and Phil believes high pressured situations need to be handled calmly, while keeping the businesses objectives front of mind. He aims to inspire his teams by ensuring he's personable, passionate and present. One distinctive initiative that demonstrates the way the Phil engages colleagues in the organisation is ‘Grill Phil'. These take place every six weeks at each airport and allow him to communicate any business updates and new ideas directly. Staff can then ‘grill' him on any topics and raise any issues, which the company believe is key to engagement. The majority of actions to come out of a Grill Phil are implemented or responded to within a month of the meeting to ensure employees feel listened to, supported and an integral part of No1 Lounges development.