The Best of the Best: Britannia Building
Society
Number of IT professionals: 240
Number of staff supported: 4,200
As this year's Best of the Best, Britannia Building Society wins
its accolade by an across the board attention to a wide range of
factors contributory to being an outstanding IT employer. All these
factors are embedded in Britannia's core set of five company values
- putting customers first, being easy to do business with, being
excellent at communication, taking personal responsibility and
being faster, cheaper and better than competitors.
IT staff recruitment and retention is based therefore not just
on technical skills, but also on whether individuals can
demonstrate a commitment to these corporate values. Internal staff
get first bite at job opportunities in the expanding IT department,
and Britannia has tailored career development schemes targeted at
female staff (Springboard), male staff (Navigate), individually
based sponsored external training (Horizon) and high-potential
staff (Excellerate).
Open communication is considered crucial, with a broad range of
activities designed to elicit views, feedback and self-knowledge.
Creativity days, facilitated by the IT staff themselves, take place
off-site, in a relaxed, free-thinking environment, to devise
alternative ways to accomplish day to day activities.
Monthly focus groups provide an opportunity for IT staff and
management to talk through proposed changes and brainstorm ideas.
Business-facing events such as open days invite business users to
"have a look" at IT, and give feedback about IT's performance and
service.
That Britannia is an outstanding place to work in IT is
confirmed by the results of the department's biennial survey of its
own staff, which consistently indicates that IT staff are happy to
work there, and would recommend Britannia as an employer.
Judges comments
The judges liked Britannia's approach to benchmarking itself
with other IT departments and its candour in detailing the results
of its in-house survey. They were impressed that 88% of Britannia's
IT staff feel that their job gives a sense of personal
accomplishment.
They also found positive the mechanisms in place to promote
staff within the workplace, and the flexibility in working hours,
such as, for example, allowing staff to compress five days' working
into four days.
Britannia Building Society stood out. What particularly
impressed the judges in addition to Britannia's general excellent
working environment, professional development and strong work-life
balance, was the company's formal structure for demystifying the
work of the IT organisation to the rest of the business.
Best of the Best sponsored by MadisonBlack
Overall winner Britannia Building Society is also the category
winner for Banking & Finance, category sponsored by PSD
Retail, Wholesale & Distribution: Past
Times
Number of IT professionals: 15
Number of staff supported: 1,500
The self-avowed challenge for Past Times is to do a lot of IT
for little money. As a small company with big pressures, high
demands and very tight money constraints, IT has to be - and is -
highly motivated and delivery focused.
The department achieves this by empowering IT staff to grow and
gain experience without fear of failure. Past Times gives its IT
staff a wide variety of challenging, fast-paced work, in an
atmosphere that the organisation deliberately makes as enjoyable as
possible. This makes IT staff feel they are having "fun" rather
than being "at work".
A key factor enabling the IT team to deliver quickly and
effectively is keeping IT exceptionally close to the business and
its needs. This is reflected in the launch of Past Times'
initiative to "not only work for the users, but with the
users."
To this end, cross-functional teams have been set up, and IT
staff can be seconded to work in other departments. IT staff work
physically closer to users, sitting with their respective internal
customers, and IT staff also keep abreast of developments within
the retail sector by going to retail seminars and conferences.
Regular user surveys and comparative benchmarking are used to
ensure that IT is kept closely aligned with the business.
IT has also launched a new newsletter for its business users, to
ensure they are fully aware of the progress and activities of the
IT department, an initiative that has been copied by other
departments within Past Times as well.
Within IT, a strong esprit de corps is fostered through
emphasising a good work-life balance, with a supportive management
philosophy.
This philosophy allows IT staff to take advantage of practices
such as home working if children are sick, flexible working to
accommodate family arrangements, time for driving lessons, and
allows for participation in the IT team fitness programme run by
the IT director.
Judges' comments
This was a small but effective team, strongest in work-life
balance and in having a positive work environment, which also
focuses on results.
Past Times demonstrated a strong emphasis on integrating with
their business colleagues at all levels.
The IT staff at Past Times are exposed to a variety of work at
different levels providing a fun and stimulating environment.
Sponsored by: ReThink Recruitment
Media, Hospitality, Entertainment & Leisure:
Yell
Number of IT professionals: 220
Number of staff supported: 3,820
With one of the most recognisable brand names in the country -
Yellow Pages is an official "superbrand" - Yell is also one of only
24 companies that the Investors in People Standard awards with
champion status.
Within IT, Yell's strong people culture is demonstrated across
the board. Its Capability Development programme, developed from the
BCS model, creates a formalised and consistent approach to the
measurement and development of the individual capability of all IT
staff.
Each staff member receives a tailored development plan, which
includes both technical training and training in skills such as
presentation and consulting; as well as mentoring and coaching;
plus further education, such as MBA sponsorship.
There is also a wide variety of motivational recognition
schemes, including a corporate-wide Yell Gold Award, as well as IT
specialist "Yaftas" and "Yoscars" awards. This is coupled with ad
hoc recognition in the form of champagne, flowers and bonuses, as
well as group celebrations to mark collective achievements such as
project completion.
Staff motivation is also cultivated by an enthusiastic work-life
balance. Flexible working is available to all, and over 10% of IT
staff at Yell work part time. Home working is also supported, as is
special leave - one member of staff is going around the world - and
sabbaticals.
Yell also provides a pleasant, spacious working environment -
senior managers have given up their office space to meeting rooms,
breakout areas and a coffee area with free drinks and TV news
broadcasts.
Judges' comments
Yell has a strong emphasis on training, with a healthy training
budget, and has three local recognition awards schemes within IT,
in which staff are nominated by their peers for their
achievements.
Yell recognises the role that the partners of IT staff play, and
rewards them when staff have to work inconvenient hours.
The company's special leave policy, called "Just Yell" leave,
makes either paid or unpaid leave available to staff to allow them
to deal with a wide range of personal situations when they may
unexpectedly need time away from work.
Other Public Sector & Non-profit Sector: Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds
Number of IT
professionals: 66
Number of staff supported: 1,500
One of the key benefits of working for a charitable or voluntary
organisation is the psychologically reassuring knowledge that the
employer is a contributor to the good of the world. Those working
for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds have the kudos of
providing a key environmental service and encouraging essential
public interest in wildlife.
This commitment to the work of the RSPB is reflected in the
opportunity that IT staff are given to take a sabbatical every
seven years and follow through a conservation-related project.
Conservation activities also form a key part of staff social
activities.
Moreover, the RSBP's IT department is located in the middle of a
nature reserve, which is conducive to a relaxed working
environment. Employees have the opportunity for lunchtime walks in
the nature reserve following an organic lunch at the subsidised
restaurant.
Environmental friendliness is further encouraged and supported
by the provision of shower and locker facilities for cyclists, car
pools and a free bus service from the reserve.
As well as the benefits that come from working for a wildlife
organisation, however, IT staff also enjoy more typical benefits
such as flexible working, continuous professional development, a
mix of both technical and management training - such as leave to
study for MBAs - and a strong ethos of team working and individual
encouragement.
Judges' comments
The judges praised the RSPB for its enviable working conditions
and admirable gender balance. They were impressed with the
four-week sabbatical offered every seven years, the range of
transport options to enable staff to travel to work, and the range
of non-IT training, for example in time management and equal
opportunities.
The judges also liked the healthy location of the RSPB's
offices, in the middle of a nature reserve.
Sponsored by: Barclays
IT Services, Including Outsource Providers:
Imerja
Number of IT professionals: 9
Number of staff supported: 14
A key distinguishing factor of Imerja, based on its foundation
of strong ethical principles and key core values, is its
determination to allow staff to take the initiative in their
working lives. Staff only refer to managers and colleagues when
instruction or advice is needed, thereby avoiding constricting and
unproductive micromanagement.
According to Imerja, for staff to take responsibility in this
way helps cultivate a sense of ownership and commitment to the
company and its customers, delivering the best work possible, while
allowing staff to thrive within their own choice of lifestyle.
As part of that culture of empowerment and responsibility, staff
are provided with laptops and broadband home setups so they can
work remotely and with flexible hours.
This supportive ethos is reinforced by a very flexible policy on
maternity/paternity and discretionary leave for personal
circumstances. Staff are also valued by way of share option
schemes, bonuses and benefits.
Employee retention has been 100% since foundation, over a period
of very rapid growth. As a company that relies on its IT skills,
training has a high priority, and all technical staff are actively
encouraged to achieve up to date accreditation in their
specialities.
Judges' comments
The judges rated the emphasis Imerja placed on self empowerment
and people development. They noted that it can be difficult to
achieve a strong work-life balance in a smaller organisation,
particularly in IT services where a company is selling its
employees' time.
Imerja demonstrated a strong culture of training, professional
skills development, and good opportunities for flexible and home
working, with broadband provision for employees.
Sponsored by: Spring Technology
Business Services: Eaga
Partnership
Number of IT professionals: 30
Number of staff supported: 1,250
Eaga demonstrates a work hard/play hard ethos that shows up
across the company, including IT. The company is owned by its 1,250
employees, so there is an inherent sense of loyalty and mutual
self-interest that can be tapped into.
Within IT, this is visible in its ethos of service excellence as
it performs its company role of supporting staff across 20 UK
locations, including some 200 home workers.
The IT department delivers and supports all the IT the company
needs, to a very high standard, but not at the expense of the
personal lives of the IT staff. One of the company's key values is
to "maintain a sense of fun", which creates a relaxed working
culture in an open plan working environment where all levels of
management are visible and accessible.
Social activities also help to foster this deliberately relaxed
culture. One-off events, such as when new projects go live, are
celebrated with lunches and evenings out.
High performance is recognised similarly - for example, bottles
of wine are awarded to staff for the highest number of helpdesk
calls closed.
Flexible working is supported, especially to accommodate
parental obligations such as the school run, and staff have the
option of home working where possible. Even on the helpdesk, the
rota system is designed to avoid long shifts for individuals.
Because every member of the IT department has the opportunity to
become a partner in the company, professional development is
strongly encouraged, with twice-yearly meetings with line managers
to draw up and monitor employees' individual personal development
plans.
IT staff are expected to attend seminars and user group
meetings, and keep abreast of technical developments in their
fields, and the company provides access to the latest
technology.
Judges' comments
Eaga demonstrates that it has achieved a good balance between
flexibility and effective customer service. The judges were
impressed that the IT department had won an internal award for
being the best customer focused department.
The judges also liked Eaga's strong continuous professional
development programme and the flexibility it offered staff. They
also appreciated the low number of sick days and low staff
turnover.
Sponsored by: Capita Resourcing
Manufacturing & Engineering:
Kimberly-Clark
Number of IT professionals:
173
Number of staff supported: 5,500
As the IT function for an international company, fielding a
global IT team, Kimberly-Clark needs to ensure that the service it
provides meets multinational business requirements.
Satisfaction with the service received has increased in all of
the four years since IT started to survey its business customers.
Additionally, for the past five years IT has assessed its own
performance against that of IT departments in comparable companies
by conducting external benchmarks, and shown highly cost-effective
service delivery. Within IT, every member of the department is
reviewed by all the managers involved with that individual, making
career opportunities visible, and ensuring no one is neglected.
Work-life balance is highlighted as key to performance, and all
IT staff participate in stress management training. By making this
training mandatory, there can be no "stigma" attached to any need
for help, and it also helps all staff recognise the early warning
symptoms of stress in themselves and colleagues, which can then be
treated.
One very popular stress-buster available to everyone is the
bi-weekly 15-minute therapeutic head and shoulders massage, for
which the company pays - staff donate £1 to charity.
Judges' comments
Kimberly-Clark, demonstrates originality in its initiatives,
such as its mentoring arrangements for each new job hire, specific
work-life balance policy and mandatory stress management
sessions.
The judges were impressed also with the company's strong
emphasis on equal opportunities and career development, and with
the customer satisfaction increase year on year over the past four
years in its survey of internal customers.
Highly commended: Procter & Gamble
Number of IT professionals: 120
Number of staff supported: 1,000 (UK/Ireland); 100,000 globally
through shared services organisation
Last year's Best of the Best, Procter & Gamble continues to
shine as an outstanding IT employer. Building on its hallmark
culture not only of "recruiting for life" -Êwhereby the staff start
their careers at Procter & Gamble and are promoted through the
company - but also of providing IT staff with a constant diet of
challenging, groundbreaking technology to deploy for business
advantage, the company also pays special attention to ensuring IT
staff are fully aligned with the business.
To this end, the last year saw the launch of the company's
"Running IT for Business" programme, which grooms IT professionals
to behave as "general managers" who need to deliver business goals,
such as cash generation and consumer adoption.
Consumers are also the focus of one of Procter & Gamble's
flagship technology implementations, the Virtual Store, which
mimics - at much less cost - in-store research into consumer
behaviour. Data mining is another key technology initiative, to
leverage and exploit rich customer data from retailers.
With the aim of recruiting for life, Procter & Gamble places
strong emphasis on staff development. IT staff are helped to
realise their aspirations, goals and personal career vision, which
is developed into a roadmap marked out by assignments. This year
has also seen the launch of outplacement assignments with key
suppliers or customers, in order to drive even closer collaboration
across the supply chain.
Judges' comments
The standard of entries in this category this year was
particularly high, such that the judges suggested a special
commendation for last year's winner, Procter & Gamble. The
judges said, "They visibly strive to continue to improve - they
didn't sit on their laurels but brought in new initiatives and
efforts and deserve a special commendation."
Construction, Agriculture & Mining: WSP
Group
Number of IT professionals: 40
Number of staff supported: 2,424
WSP's aim is to be seen as an attractive employer for IT. It
aims to achieve this with a combination of competitive remuneration
packages - supplemented with bonuses and employee of the month/year
awards - and IT roles that offer diversity and also meet individual
career aspirations.
But the company delivers a lot more to its IT employees. Staff
careers are managed by a mix of mentoring, 360-degree appraisals,
thrice-yearly performance reviews, external coaches to identify and
develop personal career plans, and a policy of promotion from
within via careful succession planning.
IT staff also have the opportunity to spend 12 days a year
working on research and development projects. Work-life balance is
encouraged, overly heavy workloads are discouraged, and home
working actively promoted where possible.
Ongoing team building culminates in an annual IT conference, an
intensive weekend of interactive workshops and presentations,
interspersed with team activities such as go-karting and hovercraft
racing.
As an international company, WSP also offers its IT staff a wide
range of overseas assignments, with opportunities for three-month
secondments and project work in countries as diverse as Sweden and
South Africa, America and Dubai. This is cemented by a newly
introduced "buddy" scheme to pair individuals with similar skills
in IT departments in other countries.
Judges' comments
This category was also close run, with two strong contenders in
the shortlist. WSP stood out for its staff inclusiveness - for
example, with the opportunity for employees to vote on the
performance of their peers through the annual 360-degree appraisal
process.
The judges liked the frequency (three times a year) of formal
performance reviews, the external coach for each individual, and
the opportunity for three-month overseas secondments.
Sponsored by: Atkins
IT Software & Hardware:
Compuware
Number of IT professionals: 7
Number of staff supported: 430
As the internal IT function for a software company, the IT staff
at Compuware serve a twin purpose of providing first-user
experience of the company's own products, such as application
performance monitoring; as well as implementing IT for its own
users, such as a portal to allow the distributed workforce to
access the company intranet.
This close collaboration with the business side of the company
is further encouraged by IT's proactive support of the business
functions, such as through IT's internal account management roles,
where each member of the IT team is assigned to a business area -
for instance, marketing. This helps to foster a common
understanding of goals and requirements and a strong alignment
between IT and the business.
Internal IT managers are encouraged to spend a day "walking in
the shoes" of business users. IT staff are also enabled to move
across into business roles such as pre-sales and product support,
sometimes in Compuware's Dutch and Australian offices.
Within the IT department, staff are coached to take higher
levels of responsibility as well as given individual project work
on top of routine work. This helps to engender a sense of ownership
and trust, and provides variety.
Sharing ideas, recommending new initiatives and changing roles
and responsibilities is strongly encouraged at Compuware in order
to maximise the contribution IT makes to the company.
Judges' comments
This was a very close run result between two small departments,
both with high quality examples of best practice. The judges liked
Compuware's approach to developing its IT employees' broader
appreciation of the business. It develops their communication
skills as well as technical skills, and through its Internal
Account Management scheme, ensures that IT staff are assigned to a
business area, such as marketing, to enable a common understanding
of goals and requirements.
The judges commended Compuware's quarterly awards scheme, based
on company-wide voting. They particularly appreciated the company's
charity sponsorship scheme, where it matches sums raised by
individuals for charity.
Central & Local Government: Land
Registry
Number of IT professionals: 339
Number of staff supported: 9,000
Land Registry is a fast growing organisation and runs the
world's largest online transactional databases, 35Tbytes mirrored
across multiple sites, used by over 9,000 internal users and
100,000 business users.
New arrivals to the IT department receive a personal mentor and
Land Registry also provides funding and paid study leave for
further education and professional qualifications. Mentoring
continues throughout IT careers, with the Future Leaders scheme
helping to identify and develop a pool of strong internal
candidates for middle and senior management - over a quarter of
senior managers are female, as are a third of all IT staff.
An on-site nursery, term-time working, flexible hours, job
sharing and career breaks help to foster a supportive environment
for female professionals and all staff who value a work-life
balance.
Quality of life is strongly emphasised, with an on-site gym,
counselling and support services. Also, since the IT department is
based in Plymouth, staff have a choice of the sea or Dartmoor for
leisure activities, some of which, such as surfing, also take place
as part of Land Registry's sports, social and charity events for
its IT staff.
Staff are also given incentives, such as performance bonuses,
and an innovations scheme to reward suggestions.
Judges' comments:
Land Registry showed a good overall situation for its staff. The
judges considered that its "concept working groups" were an
interesting way of getting staff involved in other programmes and
activities across the organisation.
They also liked its Future Leaders scheme and were particularly
taken with the technical mentoring scheme, working with a key
supplier to enable effective knowledge transfer of new and existing
technologies. It also showed good evidence of work-life
balance.
Utilities & Communications - Judges' Special Award:
Kingston Communications (Hull)
Number of IT professionals: 198
Number of staff supported: 2,500
Kingston Communications places particular emphasis on the
quality of its IT management, and has invested significantly in
implementing a tailored summit programme - Successful Management of
IT - delivered to all line managers in Group IT, and using
experience of the senior management team and external trainers.
This delivers a consistent management benchmark and helps
develop junior managers, reflected statistically in the high
ratings in staff surveys and the company's Business Balanced
Scorecard. Kingston also runs focus groups to drill down into the
findings of staff surveys and highlight areas for analysis and
action.
Staff development at Kingston is strongly emphasised, with
psychometric profiling, internal hire and promotion where possible;
new employee induction to the company and the locality; and
rotation through departments to broaden understanding of the
company overall.
There has also been recent focus on further improvements to the
appraisal process, again reflected positively in staff surveys. The
company is highly sympathetic towards flexible working, supporting
part time, flexitime, job sharing, study leave, buying or selling
holidays, term-time, shift and compressed working, and Kingston has
an official Location Independent Working policy to make remote
working as effective as possible.
Judges' comments
Kingston emphasises staff retention and has a strong emphasis on
employee development. It ensures through a tailored in-house
programme that junior managers learn from senior managers.
The company runs a graduate programme and also sponsors an MBA
course at the University of Hull with a number of subsidised places
for staff. Staff are allowed up to 20 days study leave when
preparing for approved educational qualifications. Kingston also
has a scheme to encourage staff to become governors of inner city
schools.
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