Categories
Please see the following descriptions for more information on each category. For further clarification on the judging criteria, click here, or visit the Entry Essentials page for more information on guidelines and entry fees.
Don’t forget to take a look at the new categories for 2024 below.
MENTAL HEALTH, WELLBEING AND HEALTH INITIATIVE AWARDS
The importance of health, particularly mental health, and wellbeing in the workplace is essential to a happy and productive workplace. Employers have a duty of care and looking after their teams and providing encouragement, support and facilities is an integral part of company culture. Judges want to recognise initiatives that tackle workplace problems, support staff, promote wellbeing and reward good work that builds strong relationships and employee engagement.
BEST WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS INITIATIVE (AGENCY)
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Judges are looking for agencies that demonstrate a clear understanding of mental health and deliver initiatives that promote discussion, challenge harmful culture and support individuals.
BEST WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS INITIATIVE (IN-HOUSE)
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Judges are looking for clear mental health initiatives that promote discussion and challenge harmful culture for the benefit of individuals and the business.
BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH & WELLBEING AWARENESS INITIATIVE (AGENCY)
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Health and well-being are integral to a happy and healthy team. Judges want to understand how agencies celebrate the individual and support their wellness needs.
BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH & WELLBEING AWARENESS INITIATIVE (IN-HOUSE)
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Health and well-being are integral to a happy and healthy organisation. Judges want to understand how individuals’ well-being needs are met in-house.
BEST CHARITABLE/CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVE
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This category recognises the work that agencies and in-house teams do to support their local community or charity of choice.
NEXT GENERATION INITIATIVE
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New and young talent is the future of business, and this award celebrates initiatives that engage, support and develop the next generation so that they can become future leaders.
ESG PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
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Entries are welcomed from companies and in-house teams that have invested in their organisations' behaviours in relation to the environment by being socially conscious in their own work and with partners and clients.
BEST FLEXIBLE WORKING POLICY
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Flexible working is not just about hybrid locations. Judges want to see how employers are looking outside of the box to offer flexible working to employees that benefit both parties.
BEST EMPLOYEE REWARD SCHEME – SMALL AGENCY
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This award celebrates and recognises an exceptional reward or bonus scheme in an agency with less than 25 employees. Judges are looking for innovative schemes that all employees can be involved in and benefit from.
BEST EMPLOYEE REWARD SCHEME - MEDIUM AGENCY
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This award celebrates and recognises an exceptional reward or bonus scheme in an agency with less than 26-50 employees. Judges are looking for innovative schemes that all employees can be involved in and benefit from.
BEST EMPLOYEE REWARD SCHEME – LARGE AGENCY
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This award celebrates and recognises an exceptional reward or bonus scheme in an agency with more than 51 employees. Judges are looking for innovative schemes that all employees can be involved in and benefit from.
BEST EMPLOYEE REWARD SCHEME – IN-HOUSE
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Judges are looking for innovative employee reward schemes that the whole company can be involved in and benefit from.
BEST CULTURE TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE
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Judges are looking for an initiative that has transformed the workplace and positively impacted on individuals, productivity and profitability.
NEW TO 2024: BEST DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) INITIATIVE
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Judges are looking to recognise an organisation that celebrates diversity, equality, and inclusion while implementing policies that positively impact individuals and company culture.
REMOTE WORKING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
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This award recognises the initiatives that are: helping employees feel a sense of belonging; ensuring communication is easy and consistent; encouraging knowledge sharing and team spirit and maintaining productivity. We know it’s not easy, but we know you are achieving it.
BEST INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
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This award recognises the effectiveness of an internal communication campaign that lies in its ability to deliver, track and measure communication activities over time. Showing that important company messages are delivered to the right people at the right time, every time.
DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING AWARDS
Exceptional training and development programmes have a huge positive impact on the bottom line. Judges want to hear about structured, implemented and monitored training and development initiatives, as well as best coaching, mentoring and personal development initiatives in the training awards that form an integral part of the company culture, and that positively impact both the retention and addition of new talent.
BEST EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (AGENCY)
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It's human nature to want to learn and progress. Judges want to hear about development programmes that have helped ensure employees reach their potential.
BEST EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (IN-HOUSE)
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It's human nature to want to learn and progress. Judges want to hear about development programmes that have helped ensure employees reach their potential.
BEST APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME (IN-HOUSE)
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Apprentices are able to develop a broader and more specialist range of skills and knowledge in a career they are committed to. Judges want to see programmes that encourage and nurture beginners whilst developing their skills and opportunities.
NEW TO 2024: BEST ONBOARDING/INDUCTION PROGRAMME
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The Best Onboarding/Induction Programme award recognises organisations that excel in introducing new employees to their workforce with an exceptional onboarding experience. This award honours those who have crafted an onboarding process that goes above and beyond, ensuring that new hires feel welcomed, informed, and equipped for success from day one. Entrants must demonstrate an unwavering commitment to cultivating a seamless and engaging onboarding program, setting a benchmark for employee integration and engagement that fosters long-term retention and performance.
SOFTWARE & TOOLS AWARDS
How do we effectively monitor and report on the impact of company culture on the business, and the efficiency of initiatives, flexible working, and HR influences? Judges want to hear about the tools which are effective in helping transform company culture.
BEST HR SOFTWARE OR TOOL
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This award is for a HR software/tool that measures engagement, employee satisfaction and health and wellbeing and influences future initiatives and programmes.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT AWARDS
The working environment is an integral part of company culture, it is a space that encompasses the values and beliefs of your organisation. Safe, warm, fun, and inclusive – we want to know how your environment came into being, how it has evolved and how it supports the productivity and ethos of your business. If you and your team are working remotely how have you re-created and re-positioned your environment? Judges want to see details and photographs of the UK’s best workplaces.
BEST WORKING ENVIRONMENT (LOCATION)
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Judges want to understand how your work and recreational spaces contribute to a comfortable, creative and collaborative environment that also allows for individual personalisation.
BEST WORKING ENVIRONMENT (REMOTE)
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The Best Working Environment (Remote) award honours organisations that have established an exceptional remote work environment, prioritising employee well-being, collaboration, and productivity. Judges want to recognise those who excel in creating a flexible and supportive remote work culture that empowers their teams to thrive and succeed in a distributed work setting.
NEW TO 2024: BEST WORKING ENVIRONMENT (HYBRID)
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The Best Working Environment (Hybrid) award celebrates organisations that have successfully crafted a dynamic and inclusive workplace, seamlessly blending remote and in-person work. This accolade recognises those who excel in creating a flexible, collaborative, and supportive environment, accommodating diverse work styles and ensuring employee well-being, productivity, and engagement in the hybrid work landscape.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
These categories recognise the individuals who have consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication to cultivating a workplace culture that's not just a reflection of company goals and values, but a living, breathing embodiment of them.
BUSINESS CULTURE AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR
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This award celebrates an individual who has and continues to shape company culture in your business. They could be working at any level, but without them, your company culture would not be the success it is.
ESG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
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This award recognises an individual that supports, enables and grows ESG programs in any sector.
CSR PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
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This award recognises an individual who acts as the company’s ‘conscience’, championing and developing the ethical, environmentally-friendly, and community-minded side of a business. The individual creates links between the business and the community, raising positive awareness of the organisation's commitment to sustainable social responsibility.
HR PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
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This award recognises an HR individual who goes the extra mile to support, enable and promote the well-being of employees in your business.
LEADERSHIP AWARD
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Company culture is achieved through exceptional leadership. Judges are looking for a leader who has demonstrated how to create a winning culture that inspires exceptional results and attracts, motivates and retains talent.
TEAM AWARDS
These awards recognise and celebrate exceptional businesses that nurture and develop through initiatives embedded in their company culture - teams who work and play together to achieve outstanding success. These awards are the ultimate culture accolades – tell us why you are the best organisation in the UK to work for!
CSR TEAM OF THE YEAR
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This award will recognise and reward outstanding employee and team engagement campaigns and case studies within the context of CSR.
ESG TEAM OF THE YEAR
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Entries are welcomed from companies with teams that support and enable ESG programs in any sector.
REMOTE TEAM OF YEAR
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This award recognises teams who are working remotely are still innovative, creative and successful, despite their scattered locations.
NEW TO 2024: B-CORP COMPANY OF THE YEAR
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The B-Corp Company of the Year award celebrates an organisation that stands out in its commitment to balancing purpose and profit. This accolade recognises a company\'s exceptional dedication to social and environmental responsibility, ethical business practices, and sustainable innovation. The recipient of this honour embodies the core values of the B-Corp movement, demonstrating a profound impact on its community, industry, and the world at large.
NEW TO 2024: MOST INNOVATIVE CULTURE
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The Most Innovative Culture award celebrates organisations that foster a workplace culture dedicated to creativity and forward-thinking. It honours those who prioritise innovation and encourage employees to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of traditional thinking. This award recognises companies at the forefront of driving meaningful change and policies, demonstrating a commitment to integrating innovation into their core values.
BEST TEAM CULTURE
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This award recognises teams that have come together to boast a supportive, inclusive and diverse team culture.
BEST HR TEAM OF THE YEAR
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This award recognises the HR teams that support, enable and promote the well-being, inclusion and career success of employees.
NEW TO 2024: BEST INTEGRATION & MERGER INITIATIVE
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The Best Integration & Merger Initiative award honours organisations that have displayed outstanding skill, strategy, and dedication in successfully merging or integrating two entities. This accolade recognises their exceptional efforts in streamlining operations, optimising resources, and fostering a cohesive and innovative environment, resulting in a harmonious and prosperous combined entity that keeps their employees invested in the merger and combined business goals.
BEST COMPANY TO WORK FOR (PUBLIC SECTOR/NOT FOR PROFIT)
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This award recognises companies in the public/not for profit sector. Judges want to see retention figures, online staff testimonials, in-house incentive schemes and perks that are enjoyed by employees.
BEST COMPANY TO WORK FOR (IN-HOUSE)
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This award recognises companies with an in-house team working across each department. Judges want to see retention figures, online staff testimonials, in-house incentive schemes and perks that are enjoyed by employees.
BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR (SMALL – UNDER 25 EMPLOYEES)
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This award recognises small businesses as the best agency to work for. Judges want to see retention figures, online staff testimonials and incentive schemes and perks enjoyed by employees.
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BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR (MEDIUM - BETWEEN 26 - 50 EMPLOYEES)
This award recognises medium businesses as the best agency to work for. Judges want to see retention figures, online staff testimonials and incentive schemes and perks enjoyed by employees.
BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR (LARGE – OVER 51 EMPLOYEES)
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This award recognises large businesses as the best agency to work for. Judges want to see retention figures, online staff testimonials, incentive schemes and perks enjoyed by employees.
Our Event Sponsors & Partners
Testimonials
We’re immensely proud and grateful for this recognition and the kind words from the judges. At the Awards ceremony, it was hugely inspiring to be amongst businesses and individuals who share our vision and commitment to fostering positive transformations in both corporate and workforce culture.
Tech City Teams
Our thanks to Don’t Panic Events for celebrating companies that care and nurture their workforces. SmartBear is proud to be amongst those recognised in the 2023 UK Company Culture Awards in the category of Best Working Environment (Location). After all, it’s all about people.
Smartbear
We’re honoured to have received this award which gives recognition to all of the fantastic development programmes our People team have put in place to help grow and develop each individual across our agency.
N21
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