Our Culture

With our core shared values in mind, we have developed a culture that aims to support the following; 

• A healthy work-life balance 
• Continual professional development 
• Time to do things that are important to our team, outside of the office and to be confident in the knowledge that it’s ok to switch off 
• Connectedness to our colleagues, knowing that our need to have time with others and time alone is respected   
• A space where we feel safe to show our vulnerabilities and be respected  

Our well-being practises include; 

Health and well-being 

We actively encourage our team to soak up the benefits of nature and get outdoors as frequently as they can through outdoor team meetings and ‘Walk and talks’ for one on one and collective discussions.   

In support of our goal to achieve a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language, many of our team are either fluent Welsh speakers or, well on their way to achieving this. An employee led ‘Clwb Cymraeg’ supports colleagues to practise their language skills, conversing and presenting solely through the medium of Welsh. 

Spending

Following its sustainable spending processes means our office is supporting a wide range of local businesses which keeps money circulating in the local economy, supports community well-being and helps to minimise environmental impacts. Working with social enterprises and businesses with a strong social mission has helped our Office increase its impact even further.  

We have a long-standing relationship with bigmoose, a charity and non-profit social enterprise who are supporting people who have experienced homelessness and mental health issues, using their cafe as a meeting venue, buying their products and getting involved with their charity events.  

Transport

Our Team is encouraged to use the most cost effective and low carbon method of travel, accommodation and hospitality.  

We are also signatories of the Wales Healthy Travel charter which contains a series of actions that organisations publicly sign up to, to demonstrate their commitment to supporting walking, cycling, public transport, and ultra-low emission vehicle use. 

The way we work

We firmly promote the notion of achieving balance in our lives which our Anywhere Anytime Working framework helps us achieve by enabling us to have choice and flexibility in how we work.  

We have been early adopters of the shorter working week and have implemented the equivalent of 4-day week working since during the COVID-19 pandemic with no loss of pay. Since then we have embedded a 30-hour standard work week aspiration. This transformative way of working has seen an increase in our team wellness but has also helped us recruit and retain incredible people and talent. 

Domestic Abuse

In March 2019, we became the first employer in Wales to offer paid domestic abuse leave to employees. This policy allows colleagues to take up to five paid days a year for urgent domestic crises or emergencies; this rises to 10 if the employee needs to leave home or access a refuge. The policy has since been adopted by Neath Port Talbot Council and Welsh Government. 

In November 2020, we introduced another policy to help staff members who may be victims of domestic violence or abuse. Under this policy, employees working for our office can apply for a cash grant of up to £500, a salary advance or a loan of up to £5,000 to help pay for anything from relocation costs including rent or a deposit on a home, to essential supplies. The policy was sense-checked with Bawso; an organisation that supports Black and Asian Minority Ethnic communities that are victims of abuse and exploitation. 

We also have more practises that ensure the well-being of our team remain at the core of our operation, such as our; 

• Future Generations Leadership Academy which trains young leaders from a variety of sectors with the necessary skills to lead, champion and implement the WFG Act
• Anti-racist Action Plan
• Transparent fair pay guidelines 
• Commitment to fully paid internships 
• Cwpan Calon – peer to peer weekly recognition

Interested in more information on our working culture?  

• Read our annual reports 
• View all of the Our Culture videos on our YouTube channel