Warwickshire Employer of Choice Award 2006

Winners of the Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards 2006

Employers across Warwickshire have been recognised for their commitment to staff following a glittering awards evening at the annual Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards 2006, supported by EQUAL ‘Adjust the Balance’ Development Partnership.

Now in its fifth year, the event, held at previous award winners the Hilton Hotel in Warwick on Monday 04 November, celebrates the achievement of organisations who excel in looking after their staff with exceptional work-life balance policies and practices.

This includes offering benefits to staff such as flexible working, remote working, incentives to return to work after maternity leave and much more.

The awards reward all sizes of business in Warwickshire as part of the County Council’s initiative to raise the profile of Work-Life Balance policies - from small companies that employ less than 10 people, up to corporate companies employing many thousands of employees.

Previous winners of the awards have found themselves to be in an excellent position where they are regarded as a top employer as well as benefiting from having a happy and dedicated workforce.

Guests eating at the Employer of Choice awards

Over 150 guests attended the awards ceremony, and after pre-dinner drinks were treated to a delicious meal from the Hilton Hotel in Warwick.

Bruce Draper, keynote speaker at the awards

After dinner keynote speaker and previous award winner Bruce Draper spoke on Becoming an Employer of Choice. He further explained some of his excellent ideas on tax busting benefits to staff, and had everyone enthralled with how to reward staff efforts and productivity.

Master of ceremonies John Deegan, Director of PTES, then named each of the winners with Councillor Chris Davis, Chair of Warwickshire County Council, presenting the awards.

A total of fifteen awards were presented to companies within the county. These included winners, highly commended and commended, as well as special achievement awards for outstanding work in Work-life Balance. All winners received a framed certificate and magnificent cut-crystal block engraved with the name of the business and awards category in which they had won.

Group photo of the Employer of Choice Awards winners 2006

The Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards are organised by Warwickshire County Council and help in raising the profile of Work-life Balance as a first-class benefit to businesses and organisations within the county. Congratulations to all those who entered the awards or supported the event this year.

Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards 2006

Please note that you can now also download the Profiles booklet for the winners and finalists of the Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards 2006.

Winner Small Employer Award 2006

Winner of the Small Employer Award 2006, BD Commercial Services, Rugby

BD Commercial Services, Rugby, for creating an exceptionally caring working environment where employees customers and the business are all winners
The husband and wife team started this business from the back of a Sierra repairing commercial vehicles in situ, and at one point the husband was working such long hours that his baby daughter didn’t know who he was! Things have moved on - there are now twelve members of staff and the working environment is exceptional for this business sector. Flexible working is the norm, people are consulted before changes are made, a new training scheme has been set up to allow apprentices to join the business and a shift system in the workshop extends opening hours to accommodate the needs of clients.

Winner Medium Employer Award 2006

Winner of the Medium Employer Award 2006 - Education for Health

Education for Health, Warwick, for offering flexibility and choice at any level of the organisation
This business offers flexibility and choice to encourage people, with the right skills, to stay with the organisation, regardless of job role. This is clearly demonstrated at director level and, on the company visit, gave the judging panel the single best example of work-life balance in a senior role. An employee at director level who decided to put family first and only works a few hours per week, on annualised hours, while still feeling part of the organisation and being involved in directors meetings and decision making. This is a win win situation for the organisation which has retained a skilled, committed, member of staff and the employee who feels privileged to have a challenging job and still look after her children. Clearly this demonstrates that with creative thinking it is possible to offer flexibility and choice at any level!
See www.educationforhealth.org.uk for further details.

Winner Large Employer Award 2006

Winner of the Large Employer Award 2006, ConocoPhillips Ltd, Warwick

ConocoPhillips Ltd, Warwick, for its exceptional working environment where trust and flexibility work together to create a dynamic organisation
This business offers a comprehensive range of flexible working opportunities, amazing maternity benefits, a flexible benefits package, an employee assistance programme, plenty of training opportunities and career progression. The working environment is totally open plan and the General Manager believes that trust and flexibility work together to create a dynamic organisation. People are trusted to achieve targets working location independent to fit with personal commitments. Policies are continually reviewed, to keep the organisation bubbling, and responding to people’s needs helps to create a passionate culture.
See www.conocophillips.co.uk for further details.

Winner Corporate Employer Award 2006

Winner of the Corporate Employer Award 2006, The Myriad Childrenswear Group, Nuneaton

The Myriad Childrenswear Group, Nuneaton, for creating a vibrant forward thinking organisation where exceptional work-life balance policies reflect the key values of the business
A vibrant forward thinking organisation where Work-Life Balance underpins the ethos of the business and the Chief Executive encourages people to take advantage of policies. Flexible working opportunities are available to people at all levels and it is refreshing to know that senior managers take advantage of part time working and job share. In addition the organisation offers a range of benefits including an extremely innovative maternity policy and a comprehensive training and development programme. Communication is excellent and new ideas are put forward at informal discussion and doughnut sessions as well as the staff council. People feel supported by the organisation and are hard working and motivated. The judges were blown away by the infectious enthusiasm of the people interviewed.
See corporate.adams.co.uk for furthe details.

Winners of the Special Achievement Awards 2006

Small Employer Category

Winner of the Special Achievement Awards 2006, Nuneaton and Bedworth CAB

Nuneaton & Bedworth Citizens Advice Bureau, for offering a range of flexible work options, personal support and training opportunities, which allow people to return to paid or voluntary work
This organisation in the voluntary sector has developed a good range of flexible work options and work-life balance policies with a small team and limited funds. Many paid workers start as volunteers and are given the opportunity through training and development to move into new career paths either in or outside the organisation. People feel motivated and grow in confidence in this supportive atmosphere. The judges were particularly impressed with the way the manager was re-structuring the organisation to further support its people and to improve its professionalism.
See www.cabnuneaton.org.uk for further details.

Medium Employer Category

Winner of the Special Achievement Awards 2006, Tollbar Volvo, Warwick

Tollbar Volvo, Warwick, for continuing to offer exceptional care and support to staff in a highly competitive commercial sales environment
The second Special Achievement Award goes to an organisation which operates in a highly competitive commercial sales environment where it would be easy to forget its people. This is not the case! The new MD moved to the current location to improve his own work-life balance, is an excellent role model, and has brought a new dimension to the work-life balance policies already on offer. With his hands on approach the MD has improved the working environment, responding to ideas and suggestions and ensuring staff are rewarded for hard work. The highly motivated team offer a good service to customers and the flexible working arrangements on offer and the opportunity for training and personal development encourage people to stay with the organisation. One member of staff said – ‘I felt part of the family from day one’ The judges felt that this organisation’s policies complement the company motto ‘Best Company to Work For'.
See www.tollbarwarwick.co.uk for futher details.

Large Employer Category

Winner of the Special Achievement Awards 2006, Blitz Games Ltd, Leamington Spa

Blitz Games Ltd, Leamington Spa, and to Philip and Andrew Oliver for being great bosses and for creating an exceptional working environment
This organisation that has created a unique working environment in an industry where competition for skilled staff is fierce. The company is incredibly flexible, offers a comprehensive benefits package and regular champagne celebrations on completion of projects. It has recently launched its own training academy to encourage all staff to undergo structured personalised training. To contribute to the local community the company has worked extensively with Education Business Partnership over the last six years. People are extremely happy and motivated and the positive enthusiasm for the organisation is infectious. This final Award goes to two brothers who started developing computer games in 1981. They are co-owners of a company where they have created a fabulous environment and culture for talented people in what is seen as a turbulent industry. The brothers are hands-on, well respected, incredibly enthusiastic and sincere and very much liked by there staff.
See www.blitzgames.com for further details.

Corporate Employer Category

Winners of the Special Achievement Awards, Dairy Crest

Dairy Crest Ltd, Nuneaton, for outstanding commitment to work-life balance in its National Distribution Centre
This is an organisation which through its own admission initially developed work-life balance policies in response to employee demand. The company is now committed to offering all its employees the opportunity to work flexibly, which helps to provide a good service to customers. In the warehouse alone there are 50 different shift patterns. People are encouraged to move around departments, to take up training opportunities and to progress within the organisation. One employee the judges spoke to liked the atmosphere and felt the culture was unique for the market sector.
See www.dairycrest.co.uk for details.

To view winners and finalists from other years of the awards click on the links below

Award winners for the Employer of Choice Awards 2007

Award winners for the Employer of Choice Awards 2006

Award winners for the Employer of Choice Awards 2005

Award winners for the Employer of Choice Awards 2004

Award winners for the Employer of Choice Awards 2003

Award winners for the Employer of Choice Awards 2002

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