London-based marketing agency Iris does its best to make sure its employees have properly structured careers rather than just a job.

“Iris is lively, challenging, inspiring and infectious,” says one employee. “You feel you can embrace and explore ambition and you are given the opportunities.”

Employees believe there is a strong sense of family in their teams (an 83% positive score), are excited about where the company is going (86%) and love working for the organisation (82%).

Iris has the second-best My Team factor score nationally, at 84% positive. The company encourages employees to socialise by organising regular group drinks and awaydays. The firm has squads, which work in a similar way to university societies, to ensure that colleagues interact outside their own teams through activities such as sports or just going out for a drink.

The agency has also created an in-house database, which enables employees to share their skills and experiences. Staff update their own profiles, which can then be searched, to build teams of people with a passion, knowledge or skillset around a particular issue. Training is also in place to help team members understand each other’s roles.

Employees say working with their teams gives them a buzz (80%), agree that colleagues go out of their way to help each other (81%) and say that workmates are fun to work with (89%).

More than 30 courses are available through the Iris Academy and the appraisal process enables line managers to develop tailor-made programmes geared toward helping individuals meet career objectives.

Employees say that opportunities to develop and learn within the organisation are not limited (78%), feel their jobs are good for their personal growth (86%) and believe that experience gained in their job is valuable to their futures (87%). All these scores are beaten by just one other company.

A four-month programme introduces new managers to the theory of people management as well as the practical tools they will need to be effective.

Grooming for Greatness is the firm’s leadership development programme, which all Iris senior managers and board directors, whether joining from outside or promoted from within, attend within six months of gaining their position. The company also employs external coaches who provide monthly one-to-one support for senior managers and business leaders in work-related and personal matters.

In the Leadership category, the agency proves these measures are working by finishing in sixth position nationally. Employees agree that managers care about them as individuals (82%), say senior managers truly live the values of the organisation (also 82%) and have confidence in the leadership skills of senior management (83%).

Staff believe that they can make a difference within the organisation and can make a valuable contribution to its success (both 81% positive scores). They also feel that work is an important part of their lives (84%, the second best score) and say that they are proud to work for the company (87%).

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