Arc Hospitality’s range of employee networks and listening channels ensure its benefits reflect real needs, experiences and feedback.
The temporary staff recruitment agency employs 30 permanent members of staff and around 9,000 causal workers.
Its employee networks allow it to design, test, refine and communicate benefits to drive improved engagement and wellbeing. Its benefits strategy is intentionally employee-led, and multiple networks and channels feed into this.
These include its bi-annual Arc Engage surveys, which provide insight into what employees value, where needs are shifting and where wellbeing or reward gaps may exist, and its focus groups which add depth and nuance to the data. For example, feedback highlighted employees’ desire for a season ticket loan, which was subsequently introduced in October 2024.
The agency also has a network called Director 121s, which gives employees a protected forum to raise ideas outside of group settings. For example, one employee proposed a small wellness fund to support mental or physical wellbeing, which has now been introduced, explains Sarah Harrison, head of people at Arc Hospitality.
“Employees can now claim up to £50 each year to invest in anything that supports their personal wellbeing, whether that’s a massage to unwind, a yoga or fitness class to re-energise, or a creative session to mentally recharge,” she says. ”This reinforces that Arc values and supports employees as whole people. Our employees give so much to Arc every day and we feel this benefit is a small but meaningful way of giving something back.”
Arc also has a weekly interactive forum called 10@10, which gathers instant feedback, tests new ideas and sense checks proposed benefit changes, while additionally acting as a showcase platform for educating employees about existing benefits. The organisation introduced a celebration policy and Prezzee digital vouchers following feedback about fairness and flexibility.
Meanwhile, its peer-led diversity breakfast club and impact champions create safe spaces for employees to share experiences, understand wellbeing needs and shape inclusive and accessible benefits.
It additionally has networks specifically for its casual workers, such as a bi-annual satisfaction survey network that provides feedback on communication, fairness, onboarding, pay clarity, and welfare issues, as well as directly informing operational processes and its people strategy. Other opportunities for feedback include the welcome survey for new starters, and training, development and operational touchpoints.
“Their feedback directly shapes our people strategy and policies, as we know they value clear communication and fair processes, and appreciate being recognised and respected,” Harrison says.
Arc measures the impact of the networks through engagement survey results and tracking take up of new initiatives. It provides “You said, we did” updates for transparency and to build confidence that employees’ voices shape and continuously refine its benefits strategy to be inclusive, meaningful and driven by their needs.
Many of the networks and forums were introduced or strengthened in response to employee feedback and an ambition to embed best practice in people engagement and inclusion.
“We regularly review how effectively we listen and are always looking to introduce or evolve forums that give employees a meaningful voice. By using a mix of structured channels and more informal forums, we’re able to respond quickly, remain inclusive, and continuously improve how we support staff,” Harrisons adds.
