Employees
Our employees are our most important asset. We must therefore always strive to make XPS an employer of choice, a place where all our colleagues feel included and where all can thrive in their careers.
That’s why, after consulting our employees, we adopted My XPS, My Choice, a flexible working approach that allows colleagues to have more say on how and where they choose to work; why we attach such great importance to inclusion and diversity initiatives; and why we regularly engage with our employees whether via an anonymous internal feedback channel, our Employee Engagement Group or our annual employee survey.
Our Employee Networks
Our seven Employee Networks play an important role in our culture. Our diversity networks – XPS Women’s Network, XPS LGBTQ+ Network, XPS Menopause Network, XPS Disability Network and XPS Multicultural Network – provide a safe space for employees to have real, honest conversations on work-life experience and highlighting both areas for improvement.
They create supportive environments and help bring people together, with their inclusive programme of events, campaigns and workshops, such as celebrating International Women’s and Men’s Days, Pride Month and Black History Month, our Be Yourself at Work campaign and our workshops on LGBTQ+ Allyship, the importance of self-promotion for women’s careers, menopause awareness and confidence when speaking up.
Our people's voice
98%
of our people think XPS is a great place to work
94%
said they felt like they “belong” at XPS
97%
agree that people from any background can join and thrive at XPS
Communication works both ways
Communication works both ways – just as employees must have their voices heard, they also need to be kept informed on corporate developments. Our internal intranet, weekly Co-CEO Friday messages, webinars, email communications and Co-CEO roadshows are all designed to keep colleagues up to date with what’s going on at XPS, including how the Company is performing.
Supporting our people
Our strong performance record is down to our people. To drive the business forward, we not only have to incentivise colleagues, which we do through our bonus schemes and employee share plans, we must also give them the support they need to learn, develop and grow.
Please refer to our Careers pages to find out more about our professional and technical learning and development programmes as well as our graduate and apprentice training schemes.
A culture of belonging
We are committed to a culture of “belonging”, where differences are valued and respected, where all colleagues can be their true selves at work and where we can all contribute towards, and be recognised for, creating the best possible XPS. Our inclusion and diversity strategy, which drives our culture of belonging, focuses on four key areas.
Our culture
Creating an environment of belonging through awareness raising, setting clear expectations, active learning and celebrating difference.
Fair processes
Ensuring decisions are based on merit, and that all colleagues are recognised for their contribution, through fair and unbiased processes and open communication.
Attraction and retention
Sharing our inclusive practices and culture to attract and retain the best talent.
Diversity and inclusion within society
Driving an inclusive culture across society using our influence and participation in industry networks and events, and supporting and developing inclusive and diverse leadership at XPS.
Women in Finance Charter
As part of our commitment to gender equality at XPS, we are proud to be signatories of the Women in Finance Charter. This charter, initiated by HM Treasury, unites signatory firms in the mission to create a more balanced and impartial financial industry.
By signing the Charter, XPS has pledged to promote gender diversity by:
- Appointing a senior executive team member responsible and accountable for gender diversity and inclusion.
- Setting internal targets for gender diversity in our senior management.
- Publishing annual progress reports on our website against these targets.
- Linking senior executive team pay to the achievement of these gender diversity targets.
Our commitments are delivered through our Gender Equality Plan (GEP), which is part of our broader Inclusion & Diversity strategy. This plan focuses on four key areas:
- Institutional Governance
- Sharing Knowledge to Drive Change
- Work-Life Balance
- Professional Development
The plan includes a gender-specific target. As of 31 March 2023, 31% of our senior management were female. We are committed to increasing this representation to 37% by 2028. As of 31 March 2024, we have achieved 35% female representation in senior management and are on track to meet our 2028 target.
In line with the Charter’s commitments, our Co-CEOs, Ben Bramhall and Paul Cuff, are the senior sponsors within XPS responsible and accountable for gender inclusion and diversity.
External programmes and accreditations
Other organisations we support and work with include:
Employee wellbeing
As part of our culture of belonging, we offer a wide range of wellbeing and mental health support, including private medical insurance, critical illness and life cover, occupational health, access to counselling and an Employee Assistance Programme. We also have our Mental Health Allies Network, which is comprised of trained volunteers from across the business who promote positive mental health, listen to colleagues who are experiencing mental health issues and provide guidance on accessing appropriate support.
We will continue to listen to our employees to foster our culture of belonging and to promote wellbeing. We know that if we want to set an example for other businesses to follow, we must look after our people and provide a working environment that works for them.
Case study: XPS values in practice
Our annual XPS Values in Practice Programme launched in 2020 and celebrates people and teams who truly embody XPS values.
Case study: Mental Health Allies
We are committed to a culture of "Belonging" at XPS, and that means valuing and respecting our differences, and being there for each other. Our Mental Health Allies help us to do that, a growing group of XPS colleagues who have volunteered to be there to listen to and support others.