Expanding engagement with staff was a key area of focus in 2023-24.
In The City (ITC), a dedicated forum, gave staff representatives from across the Club the opportunity to help shape UK-wide employee related matters.
Members of the Leadership Team joined them on a bi-monthly basis to share business updates with the aim of working together to ensure a positive working environment for all.
The ITC forum’s work led to a greater focus on family-friendly policies, including the subsequent introduction of a maternity and menopause support blueprint.
This season also saw the introduction of a monthly staff Coffee Corner, which provided colleagues across the business with the opportunity to socialise and engage. Each session was attended by a member of the Leadership Team and refreshments were provided by a local supplier.
Themed Coffee Corners were also held for International Women’s Day, City in the Community (CITC) and Pride.
City also hosted events to mark Time to Talk Day in February and held an Andy’s Man Club session during Mental Health Awareness Week to coincide with the launch of the weekly men’s peer support group.
Volunteer days gave staff the opportunity to take two paid days away from the workplace to volunteer for a charitable cause of their choice. Staff also had the opportunity to use their volunteer days during the Club’s Christmas Campaign and on the Club’s Sustainability Day in the Spring.
Results for Manchester City staff and benchmarks for general industry and high-performing companies:
Source: Manchester City
November saw the launch of City’s third employee engagement survey – Your City Your Say, which had an impressive 91% response rate – surpassing previous years.
Pride and advocacy continue to be key themes of employee sentiment. There is a strong sense of connection with the company and the Manchester City brand and there was an increase in loyalty and desire to stay in the organisation.
This season, staff gave a strong indication that they are encouraged to be as innovative as possible whilst working at the Club and are supported to develop new and better ways of working.
In line with the commitment to maximise local jobs and training opportunities, City supported 61 local unemployed residents through the delivery of three pilot adult learning programmes.
Access to Construction, Access to Event Stewarding and Access to Hospitality provided relevant training and qualifications, culminating in a guaranteed job interview.
In June, the Club hosted a careers fair at the Etihad Stadium, which showcased job opportunities from Manchester City matchday teams, CITC and 15 local organisations across several sectors, including events, security, hospitality, transport and construction.
Local training providers were on hand to offer advice on accessing employability support, and organisations including Jobcentre Plus, National Careers Service and the Prince’s Trust were also available to speak to residents.
The fair was incredibly well attended, with 600 people walking through the doors.
There was 100% positive feedback from exhibitors, and early responses showed that more than 300 individuals had signed up for job opportunities.
A further 190 individuals are actively being followed up for training and support opportunities via The Manchester College, The Growth Company and National Careers Service.
