Warwickshire News Mine

Employers from Coventry and Warwickshire gathered in excited expectation at the Hilton Hotel, Coventry, last night to celebrate the achievement of this year’s winners of the Coventry and Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards.

The awards were introduced in Warwickshire in 2002 to recognise those employers who have got the work-life balance right for their employees and, last year, an Employer of Choice partnership was formed with Coventry City Council, which continues in 2009. 

The aim is to encourage the introduction of flexible work practices to enable more people to access suitable employment, and to allow employers to retain people with the skills they need.

Merle Bayliss, Employer of Choice Adviser from Warwickshire County Council, who organised the awards said: "It’s great to know that in spite of the current economic climate employers are still looking after their staff and keeping them happy.
“It’s so important, when coping with added financial pressure to offer, in particular,  flexible working which can help reduce costs and which is a vital tool for business survival and longer term success. 

“We’ve had some high calibre entries to the awards this year. The winners are some of the best employers to work for in Coventry and Warwickshire as they offer exceptional flexible working opportunities and benefits including support for the wellbeing of their staff.”

Winners this year are:-
Small/Medium Employer Award Tommies Childcare Ltd, Coventry
Large Employer Award Holiday Inn, Coventry
Large Employer Award Instarmac Group plc, Warwickshire
Corporate Employer Award National Grid plc, Warwick
Small/Medium Health & Wellbeing Award Willenhall Community Forum, Coventry
Large/Corporate Health & Wellbeing Award Coventry Building Society
Special Achievement Award Health & Wellbeing Warwickshire CAVA

Warwickshire CAVA and Coventry Building Society were also recognised with a Highly Commended.

Awards were presented by Councillor Peter Fowler, Warwickshire County Council and Councillor Gary Ridley, Coventry City Council.

Guest speaker was Maria Bourke, MD of Let’s Get Healthy Ltd. Maria decided to start Lets Get Healthy after seeing first hand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle for both businesses and local communities. She felt lucky enough that financially she could benefit from the best fitness and nutrition advice in the UK, and feels passionate that it should be accessible to all and that financial circumstances should not restrict people from a healthy lifestyle.

For further details on the awards, including winning policies and practices that the top businesses in Warwickshire use, see http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/eoc or contact Merle Bayliss, Employer of Choice Advisor on 01926 412738.

Link to WCC