What are companies doing with regards to 'Wellbeing'

AAB believes in celebrating success and a special breakfast is laid on for those who have gained qualifications. Staff are also given a shopping voucher on their birthday. When Covid meant the cancellation of the annual Christmas party in 2020, the leadership team delivered gifts to every team member's home.

A two-day training programme is available for those looking to develop their role and their management skills. This year more than 50 staff have signed up to attend. The courses cover a range of skills, including building effective relationships, delegation and managing in the changing environment of remote working.

"We highly value the attitude, skills, enthusiasm and commitment of our teams and endeavor to show our appreciation and engage our employees in many ways," says Sav Kaisi, a company director. These team-building events, long-service awards, newsletters and extensive professional training and development opportunities.

The group sponsors camps in India where children have corrective eye surgery. It also supplies local hospitals — King George and Queen's, in Essex — with care packs and toys for staff and patients. It gives toys and resources to local children's wards and makes regular donations to local food banks.

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.

Staff take part in activities such as group bike rides and lunch time walks, art classes, knitting and craft sessions, yoga and tap-dancing classes, pepper-growing and pumpkin-carving competitions, and pool, darts and table tennis tournaments.

Chief executive Neville Lorimer walks through the office so that he can see people on their hybrid working days and, so that no one feels left out he stops to have informal chats with them. He is aware of what is happening in each department and is on hand to advise and guide the team.

Last year, ConMed created Embark, a management development programme, which contains learning and competency elements. It covers all aspects of management development, including training on recruitment, onboarding, performance conversations, individual development plans, maximising talent, team building, employee relations and welfare, and recognising and dealing with bullying and harassment.

Staff are split into squads, and new ways for teams to work and innovate together are constantly explored. New product features are shared at clinics, when ideas can be presented and suggestions made. Informal social activities across the squads improve team collaboration and build relationships within them and the company as a whole.

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.

At the annual Christmas party, every member of staff receives an award to celebrate something they have done that year. Other yearly events are an away weekend for staff and their partners and a summer party based around a fun activity, such as an all-firm darts tournament.

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.

Networx continues to actively support each employee to try and schedule some time every week for Continued Professional Development (CDP). This has proved extremely beneficial for the Developers who through the time allocated to them have identified new technologies and growth opportunities.. Further more leaders have been encouraging the enrolment of new courses for employees.

Doing their bit for the community, the organisation has participated in many charitable events and fundraisers in 2021, such as Hatty Xmas - A fundraising event run by Break Charity where all employees were encouraged to wear a silly or festive hat and donate and a virtual Macmillan coffee morning.

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.

In 2021 Hickory's introduced its 'Spring Break' WhatsApp Groups, so that communication and updates could be sent directly to each venue. The groups also gave the team a platform to voice any questions, comments or ideas they had directly to their line managers and the People Team.

An online "honesty box" gives staff the chance, remotely and anonymously, to raise concerns or make suggestions for the business to follow up on. Responses and actions are shared across the company.

The company's cycle-to-work scheme is used by 20% of employees and a bike shelter has been installed to support this initiative.

To minimise the toll the pandemic was taking on staff, they were given an extra three days' leave at Christmas. Q5 has also increasingly allowed staff to take unpaid leave and sabbaticals, plus the chance to buy an extra week off.

During lockdown Hannah’s bootcamp took place via Zoom as a way of connecting people around a physical activity. The consultancy also staged an “Olympics” between the consultant and senior consultant communities and many team members took part.