Following on from the success of the inaugural C2S Regional Business Awards evening in June we were keen to maintain the momentum of bringing like minded people together to share best practice.
The judges commented on reading all of the entries that there was so much amazing things happening in the businesses that entered that it would be a shame if only the judges got to read about it.
At the Awards themselves we shared insights to those organisations had won and the next C2S Magazine is dedicated to the Finalists and Winners and the Awards evening but we wanted to bring people together to discuss ideas; share best practice and build relationships in person. It is through the exchange of ideas that we can collectively make meaningful contributions and create a better future. So we were delighted to host an event that brought entrants; finalists, winners and judges together.
It was a great opportunity to reminded attendees of the lovely evening held at Manor by the Lake for C2S Awards:
Many thanks to Greg Godfrey-Williams Supply Chain Director at Spirax Sarco for hosting the event. As winners of the Employer of The Year Over £15m T/O and finalists in the Best Place To Work Award it seemed appropriate that Greg kick start the session talking about the philosophy and some of the initiatives they have at Spirax. Some great ideas shared!
Watch Greg’s presentation below:
We had 2 group sessions, giving attendees the opportunity to talk to each other about what was going on in their businesses and to share and explore ideas, as well as having the opportunity to get to know each other.
Some key insights included:
- Provide benefits your employees can utilise and that are flexible and can change with their changing life circumstances. As an example Spirax Sarco offer exceptional leave for new parents which can be taken in chunks so that new parents can enjoy (and cope with) being new parents. The same flexibility around leave is given if an employee needs to care for a loved one. Tell people at their appraisals what benefits they have had and what is available. Some organisations issue a Benefits Summary each year.
- Benefits should be able to be tailored to individuals i.e. employees choosing from a menu of benefits to suit their particular life circumstance at that time, and in that menu include benefits that span generations. For example, younger people tend to contribute less to their pensions than older people so giving them the flexibility to do this is important. Giving Wellbeing days; having your birthday off and buying additional leave are becoming pretty standard so it’s important to benchmark yourself not only against the competition but other organisations.
- We discussed the idea of the accidental manager and how you can reward people differently than making them a manager when this may not be an aspiration. Giving people the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences without leaving the organisation – secondments and job share to different teams/departments – whilst this can be difficult to manage it can have a huge positive impact on morale; retention; agility and job satisfaction.
- Covid changed employees priorities around work/life, with many choosing to cut down on their working days so Spirax Sarco worked with them to create a work/life balance that suited their new outlook. This has an impact on retention and keeps corporate knowledge with the business. The concept of ‘unretiring’ – where people opt to continue working, but in a different way or capacity than the way they were working before.
- Worklife balance and having a purpose is important and needs to be led from the top. Attendees discussed the book LIVING ON PURPOSE: Discover your Purpose in 10 Simple Steps and Make the Decisions that will Change your Life and The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country
- Engagement initiatives that empower employees to support and donate time/effort to charitable and community projects have a dramatic impact on employee wellbeing. Wellbeing Days are well received by staff
- Making visual and articulating how you contribute to reducing your carbon footprint is key not only in terms of attracting and retaining talent, but has a huge impact on winning new business.
- People + Planet = Profit – attracting employees, staff retention, living your purpose, community engagement, positive impact, great PR, new business wins etc.
- The concept of the Mary Portas Kindness Economy was discussed and the value of Emotional intelligence. In the Kindness Economy, businesses and organisations are encouraged to prioritise ethical practices, social responsibility, and sustainable development. They strive to create environments that promote kindness, fairness, and inclusivity for both employees and customers. This can include initiatives such as fair trade practices, environmentally friendly policies, and fostering a supportive workplace culture. Read more: https://weareportas.com/portas-reports/
Key themes from all of the groups were Sustainability, Community and People being the ingredients for a successful business.
Colin Beard, Co-Founder and Director at Prosperity Care said: ‘Today’s event was incredibly useful, it was great to spend some time with the other business’s and share best practice. We could have sat, listening, and learning all day. We both came away really enthused and with lots of valuable connections.”
Some pictures from the event:
