About OPM

Line managers use one to ones and team meetings to share information and to discuss information that has been provided through Members’ Days, email updates, etc. This is an important way of feeding information up the chain, and is encouraged.

Social events can be the first thing to go during tough times. OPM were determined to buck this trend. As part of OPM’s restructure, well-established teams merged with others. One team decided to hold an ‘end of an era’ party. This included a ‘This Is Your Life’ performance, with the (outgoing) head of the team taking the Michael Aspel role, and more than ten past team members – now working elsewhere – returning to offer their reflections on working at OPM. This ‘alumni network’ was joined by several colleagues from other teams. It culminated with the ceremonial signing by everyone present, of a humorous (but rather moving) poem written by one member of the team.. Another successful social event was the companywide ‘annual retreat’ in May. To allow everyone a bit of a release from the tensions of the time, the afternoon was given over to tribal drumming, a chance to practise circus skills, and choral singing.

OPM give their staff time for community benefit, and freedom to use that time as they see fit. Staff members get six days a year for volunteering. This has led to a range of innovative and impactful volunteering - community groups in Camden, staff work with a centre in Somerstown. Support includes running a community café and classes for people with English as a second language. For the past eight years staff have worked with the Calthorpe Project a community garden and centre, keeping the site in fit repair. They've also been raising money and campaigning for the Project to continue - an unfortunate victim of council funding cuts, despite the local authority being one of OPM’s biggest clients. In terms of support to the ‘wider world’, OPM staff run monthly fundraising projects, including bake-offs, bring and buy sales and charity auctions. Staff have raised thousands of pounds for the Pakistan floods appeal, Sudan crisis and Japanese earthquake recovery.