Operating under the banner "We all contribute, we all benefit", the Buckinghamshire-based company, which employs 1,280 people, attributes its success to the fact that employees really do direct policy.
Ofsted has awarded eight of the nurseries 'Outstanding status' this year alone and Childbase was ranked 23rd in the prestigious Sunday Times Best Companies to Work for lists. In addition to the planned opening of a second new nursery this year, employees are maintaining high levels of occupancy in existing nurseries, and the highest standards of care for the 4,500 children currently enrolled.
Helen Bass, Childbase HR director, said: "Success is never about the few it is about each and every employee giving of themselves wholeheartedly and feeling their contribution is valued.
"Once again Childbase employees have demonstrated an unfailing commitment to excellence in their workplace and to the children in their care." The bonus pot increased by £150,000 this year to 650,000 and is available to all employees engaged for the full financial year. Half the payout is linked to the company's performance and the other half was awarded on the basis of attendance records.
The format was agreed by the Mercury employee consultation group who wanted to highlight the importance of full attendance at work and the resulting benefits to both co-workers and the children in their care. As a result, they decided that for each day's absence an employee would lose 10% of their bonus up to a maximum of 50%.
The lost entitlement was then re-distributed amongst those eligible for a bonus. Childbase is the only employee-owned private nursery company in the United Kingdom after establishing the 'Childbase All Employee Share Plan' 11 years ago when shares were valued at just 40 pence each. Today they are valued at £1.14. In May, the first of two dealing days in the year, employees will have the opportunity to 'Buy one Share, get one free' in a continuing bid to put the company's future in the hands of those who make it successful. In addition to the bonus and share schemes, there are a number of awards that recognise outstanding achievers like the nursery cook who received a cheque for £10,000 for his exemplary work attendance record.
There is also a cash prize for 'The Employee of the Month' and throughout the company, staff are given opportunities to broaden their horizons with overseas travel. A Childbase team has just returned from a fact-finding trip to Shanghai where the company's uniforms are made, and last year a number of 'Once in a Lifetime Experiences' included a group visit to a township in Africa to witness, first hand, how their fund-raising efforts help disadvantaged children. Later this year, employees will have the opportunity to pitch for a share of £5,000 in the second Child base 'Dragon's Den' initiative - modelled on the television programme - which aims to invest in employees personal and professional development. Successful applicants last year received payouts to fund, for example, hypnotherapy to stop smoking, piano lessons and a human resources and payroll officer was supported in her passion for bee-keeping.
