McDonald’s has had a checkered reputation as far as employee engagement goes. But in the three years in his role as senior vice president, chief people officer (northern division), David Fairhurst has moved McDonald’s onto the Financial Times Top 50 Great Places to Work. Not bad for a McJob

Sony Europe realised the rising demands their workforce faced were unsustainable. Increasingly, employees found themselves torn between too many competing priorities: overwhelmed by email and exhausted by escalating demands of both work and home life. Roy White, Sony Europe’s vice president of HR, describes how their Worksmart initiative energised both their employees and the organisation’s productivity

Bravissimo, specialists in D cup and above lingerie, implemented their first engagement survey following a period of exceptional growth. They were delighted to be awarded 19th position in The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 2007, but the work has only just begun. Laura Meneaud, HR director of Bravissimo, describes how, the business has taken steps to develop engagement further

The cutting and pasting of companies in a merger can result in employees making rash decisions – rejecting their jobs through fear and uncertainty, concurrently destroying brand equities. Organisations need to communicate commitment to their employees effectively if they are to create a productive stakeholder community, as Melanie Stern discovers