COLLEAGUE ENGAGEMENT IN MORE DETAIL During FY21 we held seven National Colleague Voice (NCV) The Dunelm Board has always sought honest, direct feedback meetings. Each was attended by Nick Wilkinson, supported from our colleagues to help inform and improve the business. by the People Team and Marion Sears who is our designated We have formal and informal colleague engagement and Non-Executive Director (NED) for People matters. Other NEDs feedback channels, which reflect our ‘listening’ culture and often attended, together with Executive Board members give our colleagues many opportunities to let us know what who led discussions around specialist topics. In April 2021, they think. We encourage colleagues to engage personally William Reeve attended to lead engagement on remuneration with the business wherever feasible; an independent, during which we discussed ourapproach to Fair Reward at all confidential whistleblowing helpline is always available, colleague levels, explained CEO and CFO compensation and but we aim for this to be used as a last resort. The vast asked for feedback. A description of this engagement and majority of our colleagues deal with our customers and local feedback received is included in the Remuneration Report communities every day and provide valuable insight into our on page 168. business, and we value their opinions. We balanced listening and informing and had honest, open During the pandemic, our CEO Nick Wilkinson, our People and useful conversations on many important topics, using and Stores Director Amanda Cox, and the senior management our standard format for each meeting, with three main team elevated Group-wide colleague communications by parts: an update from Nick, a ‘What’s on your mind?’ item increasing frequency and holding authentic, real-time and where members feed back comments and concerns, and urgent communication with the workforce about operations. one ‘Big Topic’ where we communicate and seek feedback Our ‘Home Comforts’ internal portal worked very well for this on important matters. These topics and NED attendees are purpose and overtime the communications style was refined set out in the table below. After each meeting feedback to separate and differentiate between subject matters. was summarised and presented at the next Board meeting Regular operational updates by Nick were complemented by for noting or discussion. We have elevated the importance genuinetwo-way communication blog/chat-style discussions of colleague feedback in Board decision-making and our to provide support across the ‘Dunelm family’. These included NCV reps know that their engagement is worthwhile and fun activities and competitions alongside serious topics such can make a difference. We also continued to work with NCV as mental health, Pride and personal finance. representatives to refocus regional and area representative structures across the business to improve our two-way Over the last three years we have reorganised the way we information flow. Alongside training, this has made the body collect colleague feedback to ensure we hear from all parts of more effective. New membership has also improved our the workforce and business operations in a representative way, representation of diferent colf league groups, with a good alongside discharging our governance duties. range of age, ethnicity, location, length of service and level of seniority. NATIONAL COLLEAGUE VOICE (NCV) MEETING TOPICS, BOARD ATTENDEES AND OUTCOMES Month ‘Big Topic’ discussed NED attendee What we did as a result October 2020 Diversity and Andy Harrison Rolled out Diversity and Inclusion training to: inclusion Marion Sears – Ensure leaders in the business understand the issues and the implications for managing their teams; and – Ensure colleagues are comfortable to approach and speak about the matter, as it affects them, with their leaders. November Sustainability Ian Bull Improved how we communicate our sustainability plans to colleagues. 2020 Marion Sears Developed and rolled out sustainability training. January 2021 Wellbeing Marion Sears Maintained awareness and dialogue to ensure colleagues feel able to raise issues. Improved communication of the support offered by Retail Trust. Continued to provide support via the Colleague Hardship Fund. February Dunelm’s purpose Marion Sears Comments fed into the process for the development of our refreshed ‘purpose’. 2021 March 2021 Shared values Peter Ruis Feedback built into the communication plan for our shared values. Marion Sears April 2021 Fair Reward, including William Reeve Feedback was considered by the Remuneration Committee when setting pay for Board Pay Marion Sears the Executive Directors and the Executive Board. Comments on FY20 all-colleague ‘thank you’ bonus factored into the decision to pay a similar bonus in FY21 and how it was communicated. June 2021 Engagement survey Andy Harrison The suggestion that the investment priorities be communicated more widely was results Marion Sears adopted by the CIO. Investment priorities Concerns about engagement scores in some business areas prompted specific in the five-year plan management action. DUNELM GROUP PLC ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2021 111 GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT FINANCIAL STATEMENTSOTHER INFORMATION