Elland-based Orchard Group has proved it is an employer of choice following its annual employee engagement survey.
Feedback from this year’s survey showed that 100% of Orchard employees understand their work is important and affects the business goals of the entire organisation while almost 80% value its culture and believe the work they do has a positive impact on people’s lives.
Some 99% also said that are highly committed to the organisation and three-quarters believe their ideas and opinions count.
Last year’s survey identified staff benefits as a major issue to be addressed, but this year’s results show progress is being made with 70% of staff happy with the benefits package compared with 33% in 2014.
Some 88% saying they are happy with the level of paid leave provided.
Since the 2014, survey, Orchard has introduced a staff noticeboard, increased annual leave, brought the pension staging date forward, increased responsibilities for managers, created a family tree-style company organogram and introduced an Employee of the Month award.
Group managing director Gareth Henderson said: “As a business we are growing rapidly and learning new things along the way.
“Our employees keep the cogs turning at Orchard, so it’s important to make sure they are happy and being listened to.
“The annual staff survey gives them the opportunity to express their feelings and enables me and the management team to act on any issues and introduce things that inevitably lead to better productivity and client retention.”
To show its commitment to the professional development of its employees, Orchard has appointed Jackie Astbury as training and development manager to develop a training scheme to operate across the entire company.
So far the scheme has included open courses on topics such as managing your time, running effective meetings and telephone techniques to management training and performance management, video training and lifestyle training, which has included mortgage advice, fitness and wellbeing and making a will.
The Orchard Group specialises in energy, waste and IT solutions across the UK. It was founded by Mr Henderson in 2004 as Orchard Energy, but over the years has evolved to include Orchard Environmental and Orchard Networks, providing a wider offering to its clients.
