DON'T all apply to join Welcom Software of Harrogate at once.

The software solutions company has just given its more than 50 staff an extra four days holiday per year forever.

The addition means that new recruits now get 25 days holiday while more established employees get 32 days.

The firm has also imposed a "closing policy", which means that 99 per cent of its workforce must leave the office by 6pm every day.

Welcom Software, which won The Press Large Business Of The Year category in November and clinched the Progress Through People title in the 2005 Press Awards, is now shortlisted to win the Computer Weekly Best Places To Work In IT Award for the second year running.

The new measures celebrate a doubling of profits last year on a £4 million turnover.

Nigel Corp, chief operating officer, said: "We've written a technology road-map that sets milestones to reach and identifies areas for business growth. This is a key part of Welcom and has resulted in us recruiting several specialists and rewarding our team with substantial incentives.

"We've moved to a dynamic, young and innovative culture that has started to attract new high-profile clients, such as Land Of Leather, while continuing to give excellent service to existing clients including food service giants, SCS and the United Co-operative Society."

Programme manager Gareth Burkhill-Howarth said: "One of the key challenges for Welcom has been to move away from a command and control culture, towards a place where staff can confidently contribute and genuinely buy-in to change."

Welcom puts training at the centre of its success, with a training budget averaging £900 per employee over the year.

An internal survey showed that 80 per cent of its staff are satisfied with their job and 75 per cent feel the work they do makes a difference.

The firm actively promotes a physically healthy workforce and is working with Investors In People, as well as the Department of Health and Sport England, on a range of work-life balance initiatives.

Forty per cent of the workforce has signed up for the Everest Challenge, in which staff will climb the equivalent of Mount Everest's 8,846 metres by walking up the stairs to their office. Those on the tenth floor will climb 60 metres each trip.

Mr Corp said: "Our Harrogate office has a literally panoramic view of the region; but our vision is much bigger."

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