Within just one year, CreateFuture (formerly xDesign) jumped up more than 30 places to rank as the No. 1 UKâs Best Workplace for Wellbeing⢠(Large size category).
Below, we share some of the key aspects of their workplace experience that helped boost their survey scores to achieve this incredible result.
CreateFuture (formerly xDesign) is a software consultancy supporting some of the worldâs fastest-growing and most recognisable brands to create bespoke, award-winning, digital products for web and mobile.
The company, based in Edinburgh, comprises nearly 450 employees who also provide tailored expertise on development solutions for their customers.
Some of their most impressive employee survey scores include:
When CreateFuturefirst began working with Great Place To Work in 2021, their leaders sought to develop a better understanding of the employee journey, and obtain more data and in-depth insights into their workplace culture.
âWe wanted to know the areas that are thriving, and which ones might need some further attention as we grow,â explains Ciji Duncan, Chief People Officer at CreateFuture.
âAt the time, we werenât doing anything in the same way across the company, and this felt like a perfect starting place to bring consistency to our people proposition.â
In February 2022, CreateFuture ranked number 34 out of 93 companies recognised as a UKâs Best Workplace for Wellbeing in the Medium size category.
Yet even with this outstanding result, their leaders had understood that while it's one thing to earn a ranking, it's another to keep it; seeing this as an opportunity to improve their employee experience even further throughout the rest of the year.
As Euan Andrews, CreateFuture's Founder and CEO, told us:
âWhat weâve created at CreateFuture is a technology company that puts people at the very centre of everything it does. To evolve and refine our approach to supporting our teams, we need lots of feedback and insight on various aspects of our people proposition. After all, supporting your people isnât a âone offâ, itâs a continuous process. Working with Great Place To Work has provided us with the perfect vehicle for gaining the required level of insight and for playing back our success to the business and outside world.â
Using their Great Place To Work survey data (which included anonymous comments written by employees in their responses), CreateFuture was able to implement key changes to their employee experience strategy, namely:
One key priority was developing the companyâs sense of community and improving social activities for all their people working in-office or remotely.
This includes pre-onboarding, which can often be overlooked by companies evaluating their employee journey.
âWe know the candidate's onboarding journey begins as soon as they sign their contract of employment,â says Ciji. âWe have identified that creating a connection with new joiners before they start is crucial to executing a seamless CreateFuture journey.â
New joiners at CreateFuture are introduced to their teammates, manager, People Partner, and an âOnboarding Buddyâ via email.
They are also invited to attend both in-person and virtual induction sessions, including coffee chats that allow people to have a no-agenda conversation with colleagues who sit outside their everyday teams, so they can engage with people on a more personal level.
Furthermore, new starters are also offered a call with the companyâs Onboarding Partner to ask any questions anytime during the pre- and onboarding stages.
âAll of these touchpoints ensure that new joiners stay engaged with their new role, and feel supported through access to relevant information ahead of joining,â says Daisy Winskell, Onboarding Partner at CreateFuture.
Previously, one employee was responsible for the planning and execution of monthly Fun Club activities. Today, this belongs to a voluntary committee of colleagues who ensure these events are accessible to all â e.g. a meditation/breathing session for those able to attend in-person events, and a virtual murder mystery held for remote teams.
Alongside camaraderie and fun at work, CreateFuture's leaders also focused on improving communication throughout the business.
âWeâve strengthened and evolved our internal communications so that everyone feels like theyâre fully engaged and on the journey with us as the business develops at pace,â says Ciji.
âIn particular, weâve used the data and insight [from Great Place To Work] to better communicate our commitment to wellbeing. This is something that has always been a priority at CreateFuture, but providing better comms around the support available has made it more accessible for everyone.â
CreateFuture opted for a different approach to the traditional annual/bi-annual performance reviews to allow for more regular communication around employeesâ growth, which in turn has helped managers to build stronger relationships with their direct reports.
And since better manager-employee relationships lead to higher levels of trust and employee engagement, itâs a win-win worth pursuing.
â[Our] performance reviews are a two-way, open conversation in which employees (and People Partners) are fully involved," says Ruby Foster, People Partner at CreateFuture. "This approach allows us to maintain our continuous feedback culture, and ensures reviews are meaningful and timely for an employee's growth."
Reviews therefore take place at key milestones that occur in conjunction with the development conversations teams have regularly throughout the year.
âThe People Development and People Operations team both play a huge role in ensuring not only managers are equipped to have tailored performance conversations, but also that employees feel empowered in the process,â says Ciji.
And while the same promotion process is applicable to all employees, to ensure fairness, the company recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing.
All staff have access to a people success platform that provides transparency around the different roles, competencies, and success measures associated with each role.
Employees can endorse a colleague for a promotion, or can put themselves forward for a promotion â a method suited to a variety of personalities, as some people may not feel comfortable with putting themselves forward even when it is deserved.
On top of this, all people managers receive mental health training from week one, and undertake a manager induction that establishes the importance of managing individuals in a way that makes them thrive.
In addition to empowering middle managers to support their peopleâs wellbeing, CreateFuture's People Operations Team also run regular wellbeing catch-ups with all employees to see how theyâre doing.
"Employees are also given the opportunity to answer pulse surveys regularly on wellbeing-related topics," says Karrell Simms, Senior People Partner at CreateFuture.
"Employee responses are anonymous and our People Partners respond to every comment sent in. This feedback collated, as well as the check-ins we do with our colleagues, form a core part of the company's wellbeing strategy."
âWe were, and still are, absolutely elated with our No.1 ranking on the 2023 UKâs Best Workplaces for Wellbeing list,â says Ciji.
âLast year it was an achievement just to place â so as hard as we worked to ensure everyone at CreateFuture was valued, heard, trusted and able to reach their full potential, we absolutely were not expecting to get to No.1!â
More Lessons from the Best
Download data-driven insights and best practices from the champions of great workplace culture.