Employee engagement keeps Big Ideas Group and IT Lab a top company to work for in 2015
We're very pleased to announce that for the sixth consecutive year, our parent company, Big Ideas’ Group, is one of the top 100 Best Small Companies to Work For!
Operating under the mantra of being “hell-bent on bringing decent customer service to technology,” IT Lab and BIG work hard to provide a cool and motivating workplace for all employees.
Complimentary breakfast is just one way we do it – but BIG’s approach to creating a positive work environment extends far beyond free food. Encouraging personal growth, an approachable management structure and strong team engagement are crucial aspects as well.
“We are absolutely thrilled we have made it to the Sunday Times top 100 list for the 6th consecutive year. It is a real honour and a privilege to work with this lovely team and it is wonderful for everyone to have their hard work recognised with this prestigious accolade", says Rosa Howard, Chief Happiness Officer. “Obviously we must not rest on our laurels and there is always room for improvement, but it’s great to get the feedback from the team.”
At IT Lab, regular meetings are held between staff and management to ensure that there is an open dialogue where feedback is welcomed and encouraged. Quarterly meetings act as an arena to share departmental updates and to reinforce the company’s strategy.
Personal development is a high priority at the Lab as well. Each and every employee work with their line manager to create a training road map with set objectives. When training or certification is required, BIG reimburses the cost.
For BIG employees, personal growth is a mixture of work and play. All staff are able to partake in weekly yoga and Pilates classes, monthly massage sessions and each quarter, staff can sign up for an evening class ranging from pottery and badminton to mindfulness classes and language lessons – fully subsidised by the company.
The company also regularly runs bake sales and other fundraisers for local charities and offers staff the opportunity to use the ’50 days charity bucket’, a budget of 50 days across the group for charity activities which can include anything from an hour a week to help at the local school, to a day off for a charity fundraiser or a week helping at an orphanage abroad.
Perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments is that we maintain our best companies’ status even as our company nearly doubled in size. This is truly a testament to the continuous effort to provide a range of important benefits like gym membership, childcare and health insurance to the simple act of senior managers participating in the weekly tag rugby games or sticking around for snacks on a Friday.
In our HQ, the Lab also has the benefit of working side-by-side with our sister companies Found, SameWave and LittleBird, supporting each other’s endeavours and pushing each of us further into the future.