It’s once again time to nominate the country’s best companies for the prestigious The Herald Top Employer Awards.
After an absence of two years, The Herald Top Employer Awards in association with s1jobs are back and once again the search is on to find the best companies to work for in Scotland.
If your company offers exceptional in-service training; actively encourages its staff to improve their skills and experience; finds creative ways of assisting employees to develop a satisfactory work-life balance and is relentless in the pursuit of diversity and inclusion initiatives, then The Herald wants to hear from you.
This year there are 12 categories, each aimed at rewarding those forward thinking and dynamic businesses that show how much they value their employees through well-thought-out policies and initiatives which have transformed their workplaces into rich and rewarding environments.
There is ample evidence that businesses that put employees at the heart of what they do have greater staff retention rates, experience less absences due to sickness and stress and are rewarded by an enhanced bottom line. Not only that, but they contribute to a business culture in which people can flourish.
The awards themselves will take place at The Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow on 30 October and employers have until Wednesday, 11 September to submit their entries.
For businesses of all kinds and sizes, a win here is not simply about recognition for their efforts, it also provides them with a clear advantage when attracting the sort of high-calibre employees who can take their pick of where to work.
The categories this year include Best Apprenticeship/Graduate Programme, sponsored by Arnold Clark and here the judges will be looking for evidence of schemes that provide support through dedicated mentors, high quality training and opportunities for career advancement.
In the Best Flexible Working Initiative category, sponsored by Flexibility Works, the emphasis will be on companies that have fully embraced the concept of hybrid and remote operations, whilst the Inspiring Employee Culture award, sponsored by SafeDeposits Scotland, the focus will be on identifying those organisations that have developed a strong team dynamic, with everyone pulling in the same direction.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Top Employer of the Year award, sponsored by Trump Turnberry, will recognise outstanding achievements on the part of one company to combine all of the above elements in order to create a truly inspiring workplace.
Sponsors backing the awards have been keen to underline how much an enlightened approach to staff training and culture has benefited their own organisations.
Lynne McBurney, Arnold Clark’s Group People Director said: “The Herald Top Employer Awards is always a great opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s employment industry and recognise those who are excelling in their field. I look forward to seeing how companies are adapting and innovating when it comes to employee culture, technology, inclusion and, of course, apprenticeship and graduate programmes.
“Apprenticeships allow employers to build a workforce for the future. At Arnold Clark, we believe they’re the lifeblood of our organisation – they provide us with young talent and new ideas to help drive our business forward, while allowing young people to kick-start their career and earn while they learn. We therefore look forward to celebrating the achievements of those who continue to create strong and nurturing environments for apprentices and graduates at this crucial stage of their career.”
Mike Smith, Head of SafeDeposits Scotland, said: “It’s our privilege to be supporting The Herald Top Employer Awards for the first time, and in particular sponsoring the Inspiring Employee Culture Award. We firmly believe from our own experience at SafeDeposits Scotland that an effective employee culture is reflected not only within the workplace, but in the positive experiences of our customers and partners.”
Trump Turnberry Resort’s Scott Anderson, Hotel Manager, said: “We are honoured to sponsor the Herald Top Employer Awards. As a leader in the luxury hospitality industry, we firmly believe that an organisation’s greatest asset lies within its people. By supporting these awards, we aim to shine a well-deserved spotlight on the remarkable employers who prioritise their employees’ well-being, create inclusive environments, and pave the way for continuous learning and development.”
And Nikki Slowey, co-founder and director of Flexibility Works, said: “Demand for flexible working is at an all time high with 85% of Scottish workers already working flexibly, or wanting to. Many employers are embracing it too, and with good reason. There are stacks of evidence on the benefits of flexible working for people and for businesses. Our ‘day job’ involves helping employers see what more they could do, and understand why greater flex is worthwhile. So it’s a joy to sponsor this award for forward-thinking employers that already have a great flexible working culture and can see how flex enables their organisation and their people to thrive.”
The Herald Top Employer Awards 2024 are free to enter and details can be found at https://newsquestscotlandevents.com/events/top-employer-awards/. For further information on the Awards and sponsorship opportunities please contact Alana Massie, Events Manager, on 07702807008 or by email at alana.massie@newsquest.co.uk
The available categories are:
- Best Flexible Working Initiative – sponsored by Flexibility Works
- Best Diversity and Inclusion dynamic in the Workplace
- Best Apprenticeship/Graduate Programme – sponsored by Arnold Clark
- Best Training & Skills Development Initiative
- Best Employee Recognition Programme
- Employee Career Development Award
- Best Internal Communications
- Inspiring Employee Culture Award – sponsored by SafeDeposits Scotland
- Top Employer of the Year – Small Business (250 employees or less)
- Top Employer of the Year – Medium Business (250 – 1000 employees)
- Top Employer of the Year – Large Business (more than 1000+ employees)
- Scottish Top Employer of the Year – sponsored by Trump Turnberry