AmazonScience/document-haystack

1We also invite our people to join Connect & 2Learn virtual teach-ins on critical strategic focus 3areas, meet people in other departments, find 4out about the brilliant work that’s going on and 5share feedback. One example in 2023 was the 6session on the success of the OK! Beauty Box.7Keeping in touch through surveys 8and Check-ins9We invite our people to share their thoughts 10and feelings about working for Reach through 11our monthly Pulse engagement survey. On 12average, 58% of our people complete the 13survey each month. Line managers can 14access responses, review comments and 15identify trends using the data to reach out 16to people and find new opportunities to keep 17them engaged.18Our people keep in touch with their managers 19through Reach Check-ins; these monthly, 20informal one-to-ones enable managers to 21speak honestly and openly with their teams 22on anything from wellbeing to performance. 23We also ask our people about these Check-Ins 24with their manager in the monthly Pulse survey.25We also monitor retention rates and 26absenteeism as critical indicators of 27engagement and satisfaction. In 2023, 28the voluntary rate of employee turnover 29was 9.65%, reduced from 14.4% in 2022. 30The retention rate (defined as employees 31in Reach’s employment for the full 12 months) 32was 88% compared to 95% in 2022. In 2023, the 33Group’s absenteeism rate (which follows the 34standard definition used by the Advisory, 35Conciliation and Arbitration Service) decreased 36to an average of 1.35%, from 1.7% in 2022.37We made two additional support payments 38to help alleviate the cost of living burden going 39into 2023 for colleagues on salaries of £50,000 40or below. Eligible colleagues received two 41£200 payments, paid in December 2022 42and January 2023. The pay review for 2023 43focused on lower earners and we continue 44our commitment to offer our employees the 45Living Wage Foundation rates as a minimum.46We also continue to offer 47competitive employee benefits, 48including:49• a defined contribution pension scheme 50(matched up to 6% for new joiners);51• Company funded healthcare for all 52employees which includes GP access 53and the opportunity for colleagues to 54claim back money on health and wellbeing 55costs, including prescription, dental and 56optical fees;57• enhanced family leave policies;58• paid volunteer day which gives colleagues 59the opportunity to support causes important 60to them;61• discounts at several retailers, including 62supermarkets;63• loan schemes, including rail season 64tickets, cars and technology purchases;65• financial support for those who are worse 66off as a result of working from home; and67• money towards the cost of equipment for 68home workers.69Talent: evolution and future70Despite its challenges, 2023 provided a 71backdrop for a number of opportunities for 72role creation, expansion and growth at Reach. 73In 2023 there were 186 internal promotions and 744.3% of those were promotions into senior roles.75The year also provided an opportunity to 76create 238 new roles which reflected the 77changing landscape in which our business 78operates and the direction we intend to take.79In addition, our local newsrooms continued to 80provide training to newly graduated journalists, 81and in 2023 we supported 79 trainees passing 82their Certificate of Journalism course while 83employed by Reach titles.84The external recruitment process was also 85fine tuned in 2023, and we moved away from 86spending with big recruitment agencies and 87focused on developing our own internal talent 88acquisition team. This shift enabled us to more 89efficiently leverage talent acquisition technology 90and scale our talent acquisition function to 91keep pace with changing business needs. 92Responsible business continued93Developing our team94In addition, all employees have the opportunity 95to participate in a group bonus scheme annually.96Enhanced family leave97Family life isn’t always straightforward and 98we want to recognise that to support our 99colleagues. Our Carers’ Leave Policy offers up 100to five days of paid leave per year to support 101people with caring responsibilities. Our 102neonatal leave offers up to 12 weeks’ additional 103paid leave for either parent, if their baby needs 104neonatal care. Partners have been added to 105many existing policies, including IVF paid leave 106and pregnancy loss leave, to increase support 107beyond mothers who have given birth. We 108offer two-week bereavement leave and all 109employees coming back to work after losing 110somebody can choose to phase their return.111Our apprenticeship programme112The future of news publishing requires a mix of 113brilliant journalists, digital experts and astute 114commercial minds and our apprenticeship 115programmes are helping to find and train them. 116This year, 49 apprentices participated in our 117programmes covering data, communications 118and journalism roles. Roughly half of these 119people were new starters looking for 120opportunities in the industry while the other 121half were existing employees looking to 122develop further within their roles.12345124Reach plc Annual Report 2023Strategic Report Governance Financial Statements Other InformationStrategic Report Governance Financial Statements