Companies often find the prestigious awarding of an employment trophy to be fantastic news for their business. At the very least, it shows they’re doing something right. Moreover, because employees will often provide a testimonial to confirm the award, perhaps over the course of a year even, it’s hard not for hiring managers, administrators and human resource professionals to feel a resulting sense of pride.

Any business competent enough to win such a prize will commonly state their gratitude for their team players, and also emphasize how they couldn’t have achieved it without the stellar team they cherish the opportunity to manage. This gives away the game - achieving an award like this is all about attitude, but also about how that attitude applies to real and tangible results.

In this post, we’ll discuss exactly what it is that splits the difference between companies that win employment awards and don’t, by checking past criteria. It’s not a perfect science, but many of the companies who win have found some of the following virtues as part of their brand narrative:

Fair Compensation & Benefits

There's a clear connection between companies that pay well and those that receive employment awards, because fair wages are a solid sign that a business values its people, and it’s not solely tied to what they produce. Salary is important obviously, but good benefits packages that include additions like pension contributions, health insurance, and generous holiday allowances show that you're thinking about your employees' lives outside of work hours too.

In addition, bonuses and profit sharing schemes are worth considering if your margins allow for it, because they give employees a stake in the company's success and make them feel like they're part of something bigger. Transparent pay scales help as well, so people know they're being treated fairly compared to their colleagues and aren't left wondering if they're being shortchanged or that talk about salaries is considered bad form, when it really shouldn’t be.

Emotional Wellbeing Support

It’s odd, but some companies struggle to recognize their employees are whole people with lives and struggles outside of work, which is why teh good ones put systems in place to support them through difficult times. Offering access to counseling services, mental health days, or employee assistance programs is great, and shows you understand that people can't perform at their best if they're struggling personally.

Some organizations partner with services like Marketplace Ministries to provide chaplaincy care and emotional support, which can be invaluable for employees going through grief, family issues, or just needing someone to talk to. That’s the culture it’s worth creating.

Growth Opportunities

There's a lot to be gained from investing in your employees' development, because everyone want to feel like they're moving forward and learning new things, not just doing the same job year after year with no progression or chance of advancement. If they don’t feel that way, they’re liable to move, and turnover rate absolutely affects an award of this nature.

As such, offering training courses, mentorship programs, and paths for promotion is a pretty good sign that you see your employees as having potential and a future with the company. As such, it’s worth having conversations with team members about where they want to go in their careers and helping them get there, because that kind of support is going to help.

Flexible Working Arrangements

There's a growing expectation that work should fit around life to some degree, not the other way around, especially after Covid made us realise remote work was actually quite applicable in a majority of cases. Companies that understand and kept up with this now seem to to score highly in employment awards. An example could involve offering remote work options, flexible hours so people can handle school runs or appointments, or more compressed work weeks where people do longer days but get an extra day off. Trust is at the centre of this.

It could also provide a lifeline for some. Someone caring for elderly parents might need different flexibility than someone studying part time or someone with young children. The companies doing this well are the ones that have open conversations about what's possible and try to balance what’s fair for the team and what each staff member requires, leaning closer to the latter where they can make it work.

Recognition Culture

Ultimately, you have to commit to the effort of making sure people feel seen and appreciated for the work they do, because everyone wants to know their efforts matter even if the work doesn’t directly impact their own pocket outside of the salary.

Ths can be as minor as a manager knowing when to highlight good work and point out great team collaboration, or when to give a bonus for overdelivering on a brief.

Open Communication Channels

Companies that win employment awards almost always have multiple ways for employees to share feedback, such as through anonymous surveys, wider meetings, one on ones with managers, or suggestion boxes that have some utility.

Transparency from the top matters too, as when employees understand what's happening with the business, why certain decisions are being made, and what the future looks like, they feel more invested and less like they're just cogs.

Honesty is the name of the game here, and it involves sharing both good news and challenges, and being honest when things aren't going well. The companies that get this right are the ones where people feel like they're part of a team working towards something together and there’s no odd “us and them” mentality.

To Conclude

Any business that wants to win an award desperately is probably not one that deserves to win it. Structuring your business to be as friendly and open to all your employees is a fantastic step, a worthwhile investment, and ultimately, the real reward comes from staff who stick around and believe in what you do.

With the above advice, you’ll be on your way to achieving that.