Sports & Spinal Clinics has seven sites in London and offers healthcare services including physiotherapy, clinical Pilates, personal training, ergonomic assistance and sports massage — all in aid of helping people move better and preventing future problems, as well as dealing with symptoms.

The company has been growing, with 25 people joining in the past year, taking the team to 52 people. It is also in transition from an owner- managed business and is currently part partnership, part limited company.

Despite these developments, staff have an overwhelming sense of wellbeing. The company has a relaxed atmosphere and people aren’t under too much pressure to concentrate, with an 83% positive score for this question. They don’t spend too much time working (71%) and know who is supposed to do what within the firm (78%), which probably helps.

The training offered is of great benefit to people personally (80%) and although staff are typically employed as physiotherapists, about a quarter of their time is spent in further training.

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Sports & Spinal Clinics funds courses and offers study days, while there are weekly and monthly team meetings and quarterly company meetings. Managers undertake workshops and the business offers staff feedback on how people are doing. Employees say as the organisation grows, there are opportunities for them to learn and grow too (76%).

Rupert Crowfoot, chief executive, meets everyone at inductions and is an inspiring figure (79%). He has devised values including a “smiley face”, “smart house” and “£ sign”, promoting happiness, a nice environment, staff development, profitability and excellent service.

“We need to have happy and motivated employees, whether they are on reception or physiotherapists, because then hopefully people coming to see us will have a great experience,” Crowfoot says. “We also want to

create a nice environment. Many physiotherapists have poky treatment rooms, but we don’t like basements, because we don’t grow mushrooms!

“People in this career tend to be altruistic, but we also don’t need to be ashamed of financial success, because with it we can invest in clinics and in our people.”

Annual holiday rises from 20 to 25 days a year with rank and service, and the company helps a quarter of staff to work flexibly or from home, providing laptops for them to do so.

Everyone has performance-related pay and a contributory pension, putting in 4% of salary to the firm’s 3% investment. There is a lively social scene with people going out and having fun in their teams (89%).

Most patients come to the clinic through personal referrals and the firm is trying hard to keep its “family” feel as it grows. Employees feel great about their job security (84%) and believe that their organisation makes a positive difference to the world we live in (73%), both top 30 results.

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