BEST PLACES TO WORK

Sum up your agency’s approach to staff welfare and wellbeing in less than 10 words.

"We all work when we want and where we want."

Please describe your current office location and facilities.

RMS fully owns its own award-winning offices in the heart of the Altrincham business district.

The office is a new build Grade A property and won “Best Office Development UK” in the Daily Mail UK Commercial Property Awards 2009.

The stunning RMS branding runs across the interior design and the PR, design and web team work in an a superb open plan environment.

Free drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are available all day as well as fresh organic fruit and healthy snacks ordered directly from the local Redhouse Farm.

Please give details of your staff training programme.

Each person has a mentor and new starters are allocated a buddy to learn the ropes.

Instead of standard ‘personal development plan’ - each team member owns a “Career Pack” which contains a career progression timeline, training needs, personal assessments, management feedback and achievements.

This pack is ‘owned’ by staff and shared with management throughout the course of the year. The intention is to prepare staff with a holistic view of their career – not just PR skills - and teach them skills that can be applied in any setting in the world such as accounting, personal impact, networking, computing and management skills.

Each member of staff has a training budget of £2,500 to develop their PR, business or personal impact skills.

RMS has a preferred supplier list of training and development companies as well as recognised industry bodies including: CIPR, IDM, North West Development Agency, Urquart Partnership and Winning Pitch.

Every single staff member has undergone a Belbin assessment. Hiring criteria is not based on this testing – but it is a useful tool for management to ensure a well balanced workplace.

Please give details of your staff appraisal programme.

In May each year, staff performance is fully reviewed by the executive and non-executive director in conjunction with account managers. Reward packages are flexible with benefits including BUPA, mobile phones and pension as well as bonus schemes.

Please give details of your flexible working policy. Include details of maternity and paternity packages

Families and children are encouraged to visit the office, which is directly next door to an award-winning nursery (Juice Nursery). RMS makes a contribution towards the cost of nursery fees.

Flexibility and work-life balance is the mantra at RMS PR.

No agency in the North West provides a better family-friendly environment and our maternity and paternity policies exceed the statutory requirements.

Describe any industry or networking events held at your offices.

RMS founded Altrincham Business Club, a major networking organisation in Cheshire that pulls together businesses from different sectors of the business community.

RMS PR also works on two pro-bono PR accounts and all staff are encouraged to take part in charity initiatives.

How do you reward staff at Christmas?

All staff receive: a Christmas stocking with personal gifts; a cash bonus; a day off for Christmas shopping; a Christmas party voted for by the staff with unlimited booze; a Christmas card competition prize; and a chance to make their own Christmas cards using our in-house studio.

What staff say.

“The environment which exists at RMS is nothing like any other company I have worked at. A strong yet fair work ethic filters down from director level, instilling loyalty among employees. This is reflected in the high levels of employee retention, made even more impressive in an industry notorious for high levels of staff turnover.

The open door policy adopted by our managing director and management is comforting and you are actively encouraged to discuss anything from professional to personal issues. Many companies boast about being approachable but the reality of implementing this can be difficult. At RMS this is achieved effortlessly which is all down to the personalities of the people who work here, you are made to feel your wellbeing and career development is important to them.

It’s hard to put a finger on what RMS does which makes it such a fantastic place to work but it must count for something that I love coming into the office everyday, I enjoy working with all my colleagues and believe it or not, it’s great fun!”

Nicola Watson, Account Executive, RMS