Rewarding our people www.lqgroup.org.uk
Rewarding our people 1 Contents 1. Overview 2. Our people awards a. Annual outstanding achiever awards b. Our People Individual awards c. Our People Team awards 3. Ideas and Innovations Scheme 4. Long Service Awards Scheme a. Long service related career breaks b. Long service awards c. Long service related choice based training d. Retirement celebrations 5. Staff Introduction Scheme 6. Attendance Award 7. Professional Qualification Achievement Award 8. Winter and Summer celebrations 9. Income Tax and National Insurance
2 Rewarding our people 1. Overview Guide to employee recognition As an Investor in People L&Q are fully aware of the benefits to be gained by formally recognising the efforts of our people. We have always had a policy of both encouraging and rewarding staff who have gone the extra mile or done something out of the ordinary. This could involve recognising an action which epitomises our values or exemplifies role model behaviour that others within L&Q can learn from and emulate. L&Q also recognises the efforts made by staff throughout their service. We have developed a number of initiatives in order to formalise this recognition. Each page in this booklet explains the different ways in which L&Q recognises and reward its people for enabling us to continually develop and deliver services at the forefront of housing.
Rewarding our people 3 2. Our people awards These have been created in line with best practice and have been designed to recognise and celebrate exceptional achievements that demonstrate the company s values. The type of awards available include: a) Annual Outstanding Achiever Awards The idea is that anyone, even suppliers or customers of L&Q, can nominate any employee who truly reflects the values of the organisation. The responsible Group Director will make a recommendation that the individual be considered for the annual award. Human Resources will check sickness/attendance records and ensure that the post holder has been in post for at least one financial year. Obviously we would expect exemplary attendance from an Outstanding Achiever. In the final stage the Chief Executive will consider all recommendations and award the annual Outstanding Achiever Awards to those staff who have met the criteria. Staff who are successful will receive a certificate from the Chief Executive and the equivalent of 2.5% of annual salary as a one-off lump sum payment. From 2009 a small number of people will be shortlisted from the pool of Outstanding Achievers to receive additional special awards in the following six categories:
4 Rewarding our people 2. Our people awards Individual Award for Delivering Outstanding Customer Service. Team Award for Delivering Outstanding Customer Service. Individual Award for Living Our Values. Individual Award for the Best Innovation or Idea. Individual Award for Outstanding Effort in Achieving a Qualification. Individual Award for Long Service. From nominations put forward the Executive Group agree three short listed nominees and a winner in each category. Individual Award for Delivering Outstanding Customer Service. Individual Award for Living Our Values. Individual Award for the Best Innovation or Idea. Those people in receipt of special awards (except the Long Service Award) will receive an additional payment of 250 over-and-above their basic Outstanding Achiever Award.
Rewarding our people 5 2. Our people awards b) Our People Individual Awards As with the annual awards, nomination for Our People Individual Awards can come from a variety of sources, including suppliers or customers of L&Q. The nominations again must relate to an employee s behaviour that truly reflects the values of the organisation. All those nominated will be considered by the responsible manager or Group Director and the award will be made to those staff who have met the criteria. There is an annual budget from which Our People Individual Awards may be made and these can take the form of the examples below: Chocolate/flowers/champagne. Book/CD/Store Voucher. Where an individual member of staff has put in extra time (weekend working for example) a payment could be made to enable them plus partner to go for a meal, or to the theatre or on a family day out. The Our People Individual Award is no substitute for pay, and does not depend on achievement against a set target. In fact, cash awards can be seen as part of pay, so the underlying recognition of achievement can be lost and therefore, small merit payments through the payroll should be avoided.
6 Rewarding our people 2. Our people awards c) Our People Team Awards The Our People Team Award nomination process works in exactly the same way as the Our People Individual Awards, with the exception that nominations must relate to a team. In cases of team awards, payments or non-cash items will be distributed equally among all members of the team irrespective of grade or job title. For the purpose of the award the team must include all individuals who contributed to the achievement being recognised. Team awards may include for example: Chocolate/flowers/champagne. Team meal at a restaurant. Lunchtime pizzas/take-aways for team. Theatre tickets. Bowling. Dog racing.
Rewarding our people 7 3. Ideas and Innovations Scheme The Ideas and Innovations Scheme is a quick and easy way to bring our people s best ideas on L&Q s future development to the attention of senior managers. Awards, ranging from 10 to 500 for an original suggestion, will be given and at the annual L&Q staff conference the Individual Award for the Best Innovation or Idea will be presented.
8 Rewarding our people 4. Long Service Awards Scheme L&Q recognises the efforts made by staff throughout their service and the commitment they show to L&Q as employees. In order to recognise this commitment L&Q has developed a Long Service Awards scheme aimed at providing benefits to staff throughout their careers with L&Q. a) Long service related career breaks Although periods of extended leave - paid or unpaid - are neither appropriate for, nor sought by, large numbers of employees, they can be beneficial in particular circumstances. L&Q already has policies around maternity, paternity, carers and parental leave. In recognising that people s expectations and attitudes are changing and in order to promote more flexibility in terms of career development within L&Q, it has been agreed to introduce a service-related career break scheme up to a maximum of 12 months unpaid leave for all staff with more than 10 years service. Full details of how to apply are contained within the Career Break Policy available on the Intranet or from the Human Resources Department.
Rewarding our people 9 4. Long Service Awards Scheme b) Long service awards L&Q recognises the commitment of staff who have completed 25 years by awarding a special payment of 500. L&Q appreciates staff who have chosen to develop their careers with the L&Q, not only for their commitment through thick and thin but also for their knowledge, experience and hard work. In addition to the payment of 500, a certificate will be awarded to staff at the annual staff conference. c) Long service related choice based training (non work related) On reaching 5 years service employees within L&Q are entitled to enrol on a course of study of their own choice. This may be non work related. All course fees will be paid by L&Q, up to a maximum of 250. Study may be by evening class, distance learning or web-based but must be undertaken wholly in the employee s own time. d) Retirement celebrations Upon retirement from L&Q a contribution will be made towards retirement celebrations of 250. Please send a cheque requisition to the Human Resources Department for counter signing.
10 Rewarding our people 5. Staff Introduction Scheme L&Q s Staff Introduction Scheme rewards employees who personally recommend a successful candidate for employment within L&Q, with a 50 gift voucher. If an employee knows of anyone with the right attitude, skills and experience to join L&Q, they could claim a 50 gift voucher by following these simple steps: Draw any advertised post to the attention of a suitable external candidate. Provide the Human Resources Department with the details of the applicant and confirm that you have agreed with them to submit their name as part of the Staff Introduction Scheme. Completed applications forms should be returned in the normal manner and will be treated in line with the normal recruitment and selection procedure. If the candidate is successfully appointed to a position within L&Q the employee will receive a gift voucher.
Rewarding our people 11 6. Attendance Award An Attendance Award is made in recognition of staff achieving a 100% attendance throughout the year in the form of one day s additional holiday. To qualify for this award staff must have at least 1 year s service and have had no sickness during the previous financial year. Staff will also be given the choice to sell up to 5 days leave back to L&Q (to be paid in November salary).
12 Rewarding our people 7. Professional Qualification Achievement Award On successfully completing a course of study leading to a recognised professional qualification, an employee will be entitled to receive an award in the form of a bonus payment of 100 for a pass or 200 for a pass with distinction.
Rewarding our people 13 8. Winter and Summer celebrations L&Q regularly contribute towards team/departmental Winter and Summer celebrations. An agreed amount per member of staff will be given to teams/departments to arrange celebrations involving all members. Occasionally L&Q will arrange a company wide celebration at one venue.
14 Rewarding our people 9. Income Tax and National Insurance Several of the awards made to staff under the Employee Recognition Scheme give rise to an Income Tax and National Insurance liability on both the staff member and the employer. L&Q has applied to the Inland Revenue for a PAYE Settlement Agreement to cover the Income Tax and National Insurance liability for the employee on many of the awards. This will mean that L&Q pay the Income Tax and National Insurance on the award for the employee who then receives the full value of the award. However, some of the awards cannot be covered under this scheme and will therefore continue to be included with salaries and be subject to Income Tax and National Insurance in the normal way. These are: Outstanding Achiever Award of 2.5% of annual salary. Long Service Award. Our People Individual Award. Our People Team Award. Attendance Award. Ideas and Innovations Scheme.
Rewarding our people 15 Notes for you
16 Rewarding our people Notes for you
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