We can't believe we are already in February! We have had a great start to the year with one of our EMB Social events, it gave our employees a chance to catch up with each other and ask our EMB members any niggling questions. Imagination's EMB Social was also a great opportunity to praise those who recently completed their CMI Leadership & Management programmes - We look forward to many more of these in 2024. A great afternoon was had by all, and it was nice to feel that buzz in the office.
At the beginning of August we held a day for our Summer Interns in our head office in Kings Langley. The day consisted of meet and greets, office tours, lunch with the CEO, poster sessions and not forgetting some cool swag! Oh, and pizza making to end the day! A great day was had by all, and most importantly our interns got to learn about what we do here at Imagination. We look forward to hopefully welcoming them back in the near future, so start an exciting career with us.
Imagination has been celebrating Pride month in more ways than one. Last week we ran a Pride Bake Sale to honour the amazing work Stonewall do for the LGBTQ+ community. Stonewall have fought for freedom, equity and potential since day one - something we at Imagination strongly believe in. With homemade cake donations from our employees and generous donations we are pleased to donate £514 to Stonewall!
Imagination offers all employees leadership and management qualifications At Imagination we believe in the power of L&D, and the importance of strong leadership. This is why we’ve become a Chartered Management Institute Centre and are investing in our future leaders. Tom Gorman, Senior L&D Manager, says: “We had a great session on our first Level 5 CMI leadership & management programme, with fantastic engagement from all attendees. I’m really looking forward to the follow-up session in June. We have a Level 7 programme starting and another Level 5 programme.” We are delivering CMI programmes throughout 2023 and beyond. These programmes are aimed at anyone wanting to develop their soft and personal leadership skills. They come with the added bonus of an optional chartered qualification.
Supporting Positive Mental Health The workplace has changed for people and organisations. In the last few years, we've seen a global pandemic, economic downturns, cost of living pressures, the adaptation to hybrid working and more. It has taken a toll on people, and now – more than ever – they need mental health support in the workplace. At Imagination we want to support all our people in having positive mental health and normalising conversations on the topic. We believe that Mental Health First Aiders play a crucial role in helping boost employee wellbeing as we adjust to a profoundly changed workplace environment. We're very pleased to announce that our first two cohorts of employees from across Imagination have completed their training with Mental Health First Aid England. They are proactively and reactively championing conversations across the company on mental health, and supporting colleagues where appropriate. This activity is in addition to our Global Employee Assistance Programme, where employees and their families can access a range of free service.
Imagination Awards At Imagination, we like to recognise hard work and success of our people through our Above & Beyond Awards – we know they are an exceptional bunch! • Appreciation Awards - colleagues nominate each other for a £50 Amazon voucher. • Spot Awards - line managers nominate team member for bonuses of £100 - £2,000. • CEO & Chairman Awards – colleagues nominate each other, with our CEO/Chairman selecting the winner(s) and a bonus of up to £5,000. We’ve just launched our Imagination Awards, which will take place annually, and celebrate stand-out performance from the year. Categories include Employee of the Year, Engineer of the Year, Graduate of the Year and more. A financial bonus is also given with each award. Nick Merry, CHRO, says; “We like to celebrate our people and the amazing work they do. Our recent Imagination Awards highlighted how talented our people are and how they are always pushing to deliver the best products, support each other and create a culture we can all be proud of.” Our awards are open to all employees in all locations.
Neurodiversity Just like life outside, the workplace is a hugely diverse environment. We’re all unique with our own life experiences and personal preferences. They shape how we like to work and get things done. Our differences are the reason great things happen in the workplace. And, as we celebrate the strengths that diversity can bring, we must also be proactive in our support. During the month March, and in association with Neurodiversity Celebration Week (13th – 19th March), we’ve been focused on neurodiversity; raising awareness on different conditions, encouraging conversation and championing learning. We’ve also had guest speakers in to talk about how Imagination can support colleagues, what it’s like to have a neurodiverse condition, and promoting positive conversations and a greater understanding. Our ongoing support to colleagues includes: • DSE assessments in relevant locations • Ongoing training and awareness activities of neurodiversity • Support through Global Employment Assistance Program (GEAP) • HR Business Partner and Line Manager support
Celebrating Holi With offices around the world, it’s really important at Imagination that we celebrate all the cultures that make us one. This week was Holi, traditionally known as Holika but also referred to as the ‘Festival of Love’ as people celebrate the day together. Our teams in our Pune and Hyderabad came together to celebrate the festival and have a bit of fun at the same time!
International Women’s Day 2023 International Women’s Day is about women all around the world. It is a day to take a step back and celebrate the accomplishments of women in society and our industry, and look forward to what still needs to happen to forge women’s equality. To celebrate IWD2023, Imagination’s VP of Product Marketing Catriona Watt gave a virtual talk on her 30-year career in tech; moving from technical to non-technical roles, working in start-ups to established companies, balancing work and home life, managing career ups and downs and the learnings on the way. Our Women in Tech group also got together to discuss the meaning of equity, the challenges that women have faced and how they are being overcome.
Corporate Social Responsibility At Imagination, we want to make a difference whether it’s raising money for a charity or supporting local initiatives. Our approach to CSR is made up of 3 elements: • Making a difference together – company driven fundraising efforts up to £10,000. • Doing good on our own – fund matching colleagues’ efforts up to £250. • Supporting our local communities – identifying events and initiatives that we can support with funding, our skills and/or time. Our CSR group is employee-led, ensuring we focus on the causes that matter most to our people. During 2022, we supported several charities and good causes donating over £70,000. Check out of 2022 CSR Report, highlighting everything that we’ve got up to!
Check out your Company Bowl for anonymous work chats.
