One of Iceni’s mantras is that planning is all about people. Whilst that makes a good strapline on a Linked-In post or an advertisement in a trade magazine – it’s profoundly more than that.
Financial Benefits
EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUST (EOT)
Iceni Projects is now an EmployeeOwned Business, with all shares held on trust for the benefit of all qualifying employees. This protects our independence, culture and longterm future - and it means we all benefit from the success we help to create.
GREATER INFLUENCE, SAME GREAT ICENI
We remain Iceni - same name, same leaders, same teams - but now employees have a stronger voice in how we operate and grow. Day-to-day work and roles aren’t changing, and current management remains in place.
NO COST, NO RISK
You don’t need to buy in - the shares are held on your behalf at no cost, and your employment terms stay exactly the same.
TAX-FREE BONUS POTENTIAL
As an employee-owned company, we can introduce a new EOT bonus - what we call the Boudicca Bonus - allowing an element of annual bonus to be paid tax-free up to £3,600, depending on business performance. This sits alongside our existing bonus scheme.
REWARDS GROW AS WE GROW
Once the initial transition is fully paid for in the coming years, we’ll have even more ability to invest in growth, development and enhanced rewards for everyone.
COMPETITIVE SALARIES
We regularly monitor our pay, typically in consultation with external recruitment consultants and advisors. This is both strategic and organic; we undertake reviews twice a year, but also consider the salary expectations of candidates that are introduced to us on a more ad hoc basis. It is important that we look after the people that are already committed to working with Iceni, as well as attracting the best new talent.
BONUSES
We operate a discretionary bonus scheme, based on team and individual performance. Your bonus will be determined by your work won, work done and behaviours. Bonus boosts will be available for better than planned team performance and exceptional behaviour referring work to other teams.
PENSIONS
We have always supported the importance of personal pensions, and continue to believe that people should plan for their future. We will pay a 9% contribution to all employees, regardless of the contribution the individual decides to make. We would always support this being match funded by the individual, but there may
be circumstances where they are unable to make that financial commitment. Of course the more frugal folk amongst the tribe may decide to contribute above 9% themselves, which is of course fine.
A QUESTION OF GEOGRAPHY
Iceni is a company with a keen understanding of geography. We help to shape the towns, cities, and countryside that we work and live in. As we open regional offices, and technology enables much greater efficiency in remote working, we want people to feel able to work around the country. Wherever possible, we will support those people that wish to relocate to a different Iceni office. We will also encourage our graduates to spend three months within their first year of their employment working at other regional offices, to better understand the geography, culture and values of different offices, and different cities.
OTHER FINANCIAL BENEFITS
• Death in service;
• Income protection;
• £2,500 for the introduction of new staff (upon successful completion of probationary period);
• Free access to financial advisors;
• Annual £500 health and wellbeing allowance.
important that people feel sufficiently remunerated... well as providing for themselves their family longer term.
Work / life Balance
Utilisation expectations - based on seniority
Flexible and hybrid working (including part-time, compressed hours)
Sometimes you need part-time
Time in lieu for extra hours worked
Time off and support for life changing events
WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
The Covid pandemic of 2020/21 accelerated new ways of working, and as a company we coped very well with our people being largely confined to home working – that said we know that we are at our best when we are together and able to spark and collaborate with each other and with our clients. Going forwards we will capture the best of both worlds – we trust our people to work in a way that best suits them and the work that they are tasked with. Naturally some of our roles are more office-based, whilst others can be as effective on a more remote basis. Individuals will be able to discuss working arrangements with their line managers, and find an arrangement which best works for all.
WORKING HOURS
Each employee is given a target number of hours that they are expected to productively work, which will fluctuate depending on professional or support role, seniority and other company commitments. That is important, because it dictates what we expect from our people. In return, we promise to provide people with a competitive salary, and extensive package of benefits. For professional employees, in particular, that means billing
a certain number of hours per month (determined by role and seniority).
COMMUTING PATTERNS
We all know getting into the office can sometimes be a bind. The trains are busy, they’re expensive during peak times, and they don’t always fit with modern lifestyles, including family commitments. We talk a lot about delighting clients and carrying the respect of colleagues. That means people taking responsibility for their working patterns and working hours, not being dictated by a set of policies that work for the average – and we certainly don’t aspire to be that. We are happy to agree to flexible working hours with each and every individual. There are certain roles and functions that need to be more office based, but we will always try and find solutions that work for both the company and the individual.
COMMUTING TIME
If you are lucky enough to get a seat on your journey to work, you may find you get some of your best work done then. Our approach to commuting time is quite simple; if you can count it either as billable time, or productive non-billable (CPD activities etc.), it absolutely counts as part of your working hours, and there’s no need
to feel obligated to work a standard day in the office on top of your journey to work.
PART-TIME WORKING
Not everybody wants a full-time job, either at the outset of their career, or at a time within it. That may be because they have family commitments, outside interests, or simply don’t want to work a standard working week. We are always happy to consider part-time working. The individual knows better than the employer how to manage competing commitments, and we trust our people to get the balance right for them, their clients and colleagues, and the company.
LATE WORKING AND ANTI-SOCIAL HOURS
Our work can sometimes stray into our personal lives, and we can find ourselves grappling with pleasing our clients whilst upholding commitments to friends and family. The absolute priority is to ensure that when deadlines require late working, the hours are properly recorded and billed. In turn, we support people taking time off in lieu, be that starting later the following day, finishing early on a Friday, or taking additional leave (in addition to contractual entitlement).
Eat, sleep, love, live, plan, repeat
Wellbeing
Annual Health and Wellbeing allowance
Extra care during life changing events
Annual health check
Health cash plan (access to preventative care treatments)
Access to counselling services
The Tribe
HEALTH AND WELLBEING ALLOWANCE
We provide every individual with a personal allowance of £500, which can be put towards gym membership (including yoga, pilates etc.) or towards therapy, counselling, or other appropriate areas of support. We like to think that we are an approachable bunch, but there may be times when you would rather talk to somebody outside of the company, who is an expert in their field. Please do that on us.
LIFE CHANGING EVENTS SUPPORT
Life doesn’t always throw up nice surprises. When life changing events do occur, we want you to know that we are there to support you. So in addition to entitlements regarding time off work, we will also provide you with external support, which can sometimes help to put things into perspective. If you would like to make use of this, please let us know.
HEALTH CHECKS
Once a year we undertake a companywide health check. In addition to this giving you confidential information on your general health, it also provides you with an opportunity to talk to us should there be aspects of your job that we can improve on to keep you in the best possible
shape. This may simply be tailoring working conditions to better suit you, physiologically.
HEALTH CASH PLAN
Worried about paying for dental, optical or physio treatment? Iceni pays for you for the cost of routine care and preventative treatments. Appointments such as dental check-ups, eye tests, glasses, physiotherapy, reflexology, acupuncture, osteopathy, diagnosis consultation and unlimited MRI and PET scans. Your cover automatically extends to your children, providing they are under 18 years old.
LONG SERVICE AWARDS
We greatly believe that people should be judged on their ability, rather than longevity. However, there are also times to be very appreciative of loyalty. To work 10 years with one company is a major commitment, and a significant part of a career. It’s not our style to apply a one-size fits all award, but we do promise to come up with a bespoke way of saying thank you for your commitment when the single digit is replaced by a double on your career file.
MATERNITY / PATERNITY / ADOPTION
Our Family Friendly initiatives are here to help you strike a balance between work and family life.
• Flexible working for returning to work mothers and fathers who want to spend a bit more time with their children.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Shared parental leave.
• Return to work bonus for new mothers and fathers.
OTHER WELLBEING BENEFITS
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free fruit
• “Give a day. Get a Day”.
High performance teams require a dedication not just to the team but the individuals making it up.
Holidays
25 days holiday
Option to purchase 5 additional days holiday
+1 day extra after 5 years employment
Time off in lieu
Career break for those who want to catch their breath
We are fully supportive of people working smarter to improve their work-life balance.
HOLIDAY
We provide 25 days’ holiday, which can be taken at any time of the year, and is in addition to bank holidays. We also provide an additional one day after five years at Iceni.
We recognise that many people will wish to take time off over Christmas, but that others prefer to focus on work whilst it’s quiet, and to take time off at different times in the calendar. We are fully supportive of people working smarter to improve their work-life balance.
CAREER BREAKS
Work can be demanding, both physically and mentally. We believe that our people deserve the opportunity to catch their breath in their career, when they, and not us, deem it appropriate. If you have worked with us for a minimum of two years, you can ask us for an unpaid break of up to nine months, which will ensure that your employment rights and company pension contributions are not broken. This may be to enable you to undertake that round the world trip you have always dreamt of, or to learn Italian. It’s your call. Just don’t make us envious with your holiday shots when you return.
Work can be demanding, both physically and mentally. We believe that our people deserve the opportunity to catch their breath in their career, where they, and not us, deem it appropriate.
Socials
Ski trip
Can’t Ski. Won’t Ski trip
Summer parties
Ad hoc parties
A mystery prize for long service
Culture Club
Running Club
SKI TRIP
Following the Christmas holidays and the start of the new year, what better way to beat the post-Christmas blues and shift the turkey and mince pies than a trip to the Alps!
CAN’T SKI. WON’T SKI TRIP
The aptly named ‘Can’t Ski, Won’t Ski’ gives opportunity to those who are rather less enamoured by the prospect of throwing themselves down a mountain.
OTHER SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
• Summer and Winter party
• Team nights out
• Award ceremonies
• Culture Club
• Running Club
Following the Christmas holidays and the start of the new year, what better way to beat the post-Christmas blues and shift the turkey and mince pies than a European ski trip.
Professional Development
Learning support
Financial support for your studies (including apprenticeships and sponsoring higher education)
Learning and development are integral to our success. Our employees can identify training needs/requirements in their twice-yearly reviews, so you can progress in the way that you want.
OTHER TRAINING BENEFITS INCLUDE:
• Financial support for studies
• Paid professional subscriptions
• £1,000 salary increase upon completion of professional qualification
• Secondment programmes
• Graduate Development Programme
Commuting Benefits
Interest free travel loan
Cycle to work scheme
Access to electric vehicle leasing
SEASON TICKET LOAN
Iceni are fully committed to the use of sustainable forms of transport and to reducing environmental pollution. We do know however that to benefit from the cheaper net commuting costs of purchasing an annual season ticket, a significant initial cash outlay is needed. To benefit from this, Iceni can provide you with an interest free loan for the full cost of a season ticket for tribe members travelling to work by bus or train. You will just need to pay us back through salary deductions over 12 monthly instalments, tax free!
CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME
We have not one, but three Cycle to Work schemes on offer (Green Commute Initiative, Evans Cycles and Cyclescheme). The idea behind them is to get commuters out of cars and onto any kind of bike, with the dual purpose of improving both health and wellbeing, as well as reducing the environmental impact of pollution and congestion of cars. We buy the bike outright for you, and you pay us back over 12 monthly instalments from your pay, minus the tax! The bike (and any equipment you buy will all be yours at the end of the scheme).
ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Carrying on in our quest to save the planet, we have just released a new benefit… electric vehicles, through Octopus Energy and salary sacrifice. Once you have passed your probation, sign up to the scheme and you can lease a vehicle from a fantastic range of electric cars at hugely discounted prices. Our salary sacrifice car scheme offers a number of tax and personal benefits savings for the employee who pays for their electric vehicle from their gross salary before tax. A technician can even come to your home and fit the charger there. What’s not to love?
Sustainable transport, less environmental pollution
Birmingham: The Colmore Building, 20 Colmore Circus Queensway, Birmingham B4 6AT
Edinburgh: 7 Alva Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4PH
Glasgow: 177 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 2LB
London: Da Vinci House, 44 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH
Manchester: WeWork, Dalton Place, 29 John Dalton Street, Manchester, M2 6FW