What are companies doing with regards to 'My Team'

Placing a focus on employee wellbeing, Rocksteady support employees who might be struggling with different mental health resources, such as an EAP service, mental health counselling and independent counselling sessions through its privately hired counselling agency. Teams are offered free yoga four times a week and discounted gym memberships promoting physical wellbeing.

The studio remains dedicated to giving something back to the community, and as such sponsored and donated to many charitable organisations throughout 2021. This charitable work includes a new partnership with GamesAid, a UK-based video games charity, where the company participated in a Go Karting event and donated to the charities Games Comedy Night.

Since the last survey, the council has sought to provide permanent jobs and rely less on temporary workers via agencies. This has increased the head count by almost 50% in the past 12 months. Staff away-days have also been introduced and the council is seeking to improve communication and engagement.

The Consumer Council invests heavily in learning and development for staff to promote personal and professional growth, as part of its retention strategy. It means an average of £1,500 is spent on each person, per year.

Annual and quarterly goals have been set across the company and within departments. A monthly all-hands Zoom call updates staff on company performance. It includes an opportunity to ask the senior leadership team questions. Digital platforms have been consolidated across the business to simplify processes.

The company's philosophy is to review salaries continually and reward staff, based on their efforts and commitment to the business. It means that while there is an annual pay review to assess everyone across the business, salaries are reviewed against performance and staff are rewarded more frequently.

A helping-hands scheme encourages staff to participate in at least one community activity per year to support the tenants and the areas the association covers. One was a litter pick on the Rhydyfelin housing estate, Pontypridd.

Stress-management training, a 12-week mindfulness programme, four all-staff briefings by a wellbeing consultant and three sessions for managers to help them support their staff are part of the measures on offer to look after employees.

During Black History Month, staff are encouraged to share their family stories on the intranet. Workshops raise awareness of issues faced by LGBTQ+ customers and staff. The office has recently been refurbished and a new multi-faith room, offering a quiet space for prayer and reflection has been added.

The leadership team has increased the use of the intranet to ensure staff members remain up to date, including opportunities to provide feedback on corporate objectives. Staff conferences include discussion sessions on the organisation's values, led by the directors.

The Y Leadership management programme covers organisational development, human resources, finance and budget management, health and safety, and looking at environmental impact and marketing. There are in-house courses about working in a psychologically informed environment.

A memorial garden has been set up at YMCA Together's Dutch Farm, in Liverpool, for those who have died in homelessness or homeless services. It has been welcomed by friends and family of those who have lost their lives, often at an age well below the average life span.

Staff were allowed to carry over holidays during the pandemic to enable them to save their time off until restrictions were withdrawn. They were also encouraged to take regular breaks to prevent burnout.

Funding support to gain professional qualifications is offered to managers — the company is helping its finance manager to gain professional accountancy accreditations. New line managers are coached in people-management skills.

Staff take part in the cycle-to-work day and the firm funded every person entering the End to End challenge, for which they had to walk or run the distance between Land's End and John O'Groats in a year.

All big company decisions require the approval of every member of the firm. For example, no new member of staff is taken on without everyone approving it. This allows less commercially experienced staff to be part of the commercial decision-making process.

Staff can move around the business. This has led to someone who started in customer service as a graduate going on to lead the launch of the customer service in Texas, a smart-meter specialist consulting as an ecologist for tree-planting schemes and a billing specialist heading its green marketing strategy.

If team members want to raise an issue they can approach any one of the senior management team directly, including the chief executive. An important aspect of the company's culture is that it is open, transparent and accessible, so that anyone can speak up if they have problems or ideas they would like to discuss.

Hickory's continue to talk openly about mental health and mental wellbeing on The HUB, providing resources and support to any team members who need it. It also has an Employee Assistance Helpline available to all team members, and any team member facing financial hardship can apply for financial support through its Adversity Fund.

Hickory's uses reclaimed and recycled materials when building new restaurants, including heater batteries on the roof. Its napkins, blue roll and straws are made from recyclable materials and, in the kitchens, energy-saving technology captures waste heat and converts it into free hot water.