Holman is a family-run business committed to creating a supportive environment where everybody plays a role. It’s been this way since we started almost 100 years ago. Our Partners in Excellence programme provides the framework to ensure that we recognise, reward and celebrate the achievements of all Holman staff.

We speak to Valerie Bromley, our Employee Engagement Co-Ordinator to learn more about the Partners in Excellence programme and why it has formed the bedrock of our company culture for over 30 years.

Can you briefly describe what the Partners in Excellence programme is?

Holman’s Partners in Excellence programme helps us to celebrate our vibrant company culture. It emphasises our core values of service excellence, empathy, inclusivity, collaboration, and trust.

Everyone in a company should be heard and also have the ability to help shape a culture for the better. That is why, 30 years ago, we developed our Partners in Excellence programme that provides our employees with a voice and fosters a culture of engagement and teamwork.

Company meetings are a huge part of the PIE programme. Can you explain what happens?

Our monthly PIE meetings enable the entire UK team – currently totalling over 170 people – to connect. The meetings are a fun and informal way for us to celebrate service awards, shout-outs for success stories that month, and welcome new starters.

At each meeting, our UK Managing Director Nick Caller shares any business developments and news. In addition, we’re often joined by a guest speaker to describe a new business process or procedure. Occasionally, we welcome reps from dealerships to demonstrate new products and give staff the chance to test-drive new vehicles. All this, and there’s a free lunch!

Alongside monthly meetings, there’s an annual PIE week. If someone has never been before, what can they expect?

Every year in May, we celebrate PIE Week. During the week, there’s a series of fun and interactive events across Holman sites. In addition, employees can pick and choose from a range of talks from guest speakers handpicked to provide insights into some specific area of our business.

Our engagement activities are highly successful, with impressive levels of involvement. They’re light-touch and focused on the things that matter to our employees, with a balance of information and insight. They aim to keep us together as a family, ensuring we all pull together in the same strategic direction. It’s a forum for staff to influence change, increase motivation and access opportunities for peer learning.

A large part of PIE is about recognising excellence. Can you tell us a bit about the Achievers Platform and why it’s unique?

We always used to give out awards, but we needed a fair and equitable system to truly recognise outstanding performance. It’s why we created our Achievers Platform. The platform is a global initiative that provides a mechanism for us to recognise and reward success – and it puts colleagues in control.

Anyone in the organisation can award points to different employees. These points are logged on a central platform and can be exchanged by the employee for rewards. For example, they can get extra cash to spend, buy products from our online catalogue, or donate them to charity.

The system provides a fair, efficient and sustainable way of rewarding excellent service. Recognition from colleagues is a reward in itself, but incentivising it inspires better performance. Staff can also use the system to say thanks and send birthday wishes. It’s a vital channel for organisational communication and was an essential tool during the pandemic when the workforce was fully remote.

It’s always great to get a pat on the back, but we all want to know about the prizes. Can you provide some details?

Over the year, standout performers have been in line for one of our prestigious company awards. These include the Employee of the Year, Joseph Holman Leadership, and Community Champion awards. In addition, the Partner of the Quarter Award is given to any non-management member of staff that has consistently shown exceptional commitment, provided outstanding service, or gone beyond the call of duty to deliver for customers. Nominations are gathered and shortlisted, with the winner receiving 25,000 points (points mean prizes!) and dinner with the MD.

Partner of the Year is the highest achievement at Holman. Can you tell us what the award is and how the winner is chosen?

You’re right, our Partner of the Year is the highest accolade, and the great thing is that anybody can win the award. All UK, US, Canada and Germany employees are eligible for the Partner of the Year award. There are no barriers to entry; it’s all about individual excellence.

Every one of the 64 global shortlisted candidates receives a cash prize. In addition, the winner gets an all-expenses paid trip to a tropical destination for them and their Partner.

It’s clear that Holman invests a huge amount in staff at a time when others are cutting back. What’s the reason for that?

Holman’s PIE programme is an opportunity for us to recognise staff for what they do for Holman but, more importantly, how they do it. We’re proud to invest heavily in the programme because we’re a people business. Our success is their success, and that’s as true today as it was almost 100 years ago.