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With over 300 entries received from organisations all across the UK, competition to be named a Finalist proved to be especially tough. And today, New Possible is delighted to reveal the British HR Awards 2024 Winners!
Powered by employee insight platform, New Possible, the British HR Awards sets out to discover and celebrate the organisations that are truly passionate about delivering a world-class people experience. Organisations taking part this year range from start-up innovators to public sector heroes, tech superstars, global titans and everything in between. Irrespective of organisation size, industry or resources, all Winners and Finalists shared how their initiatives are transforming the people experience and delivering tangible value for their organisations.
A huge thanks to the British HR Awards 2024 all-star judging panel for reviewing the entries and sharing their expertise:
- Louise Benford, Chief People Officer, The AA
- Sharon Benson, HR Director, LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare
- Kath Ennis, Chief People Officer, WPP Specialist Communications
- Mary Foulkes OBE FCIPD, Director of Equity, Inclusion and Culture, Shelter
- Maria Hawley, Director of People, Fisher German
- Dr Tracey Leghorn, Chief Business Services Officer, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK
- Vilma Nikolaidou, Director of People and Culture, British Film Institute (BFI)
- Melanie Punch, COO - People and Organisation, Investec
- Janet Roberts, Chief People & Culture Officer, Cycas Hospitality
- Perry Timms, Chief Energy Officer, People and Transformational HR
- Helen Tindle, HR Director, Iceland Foods
- Lucy Tobin, People Director (Europe), Frontier Economics
- Nate Harwood, Founder, New Possible
And so, without any further ado, the full list of Winners and those awarded Highly Commended are:
Overall Awards
Best Overall People Experience: YuLife (Highly Commended: Blood Cancer UK)
>> The Best Overall People Experience category was determined by employee feedback captured using New Possible’s NP360 survey. <<
Employee Wellness Initiative of the Year: Shorefield Holidays (Highly Commended: JG HR Solutions)
Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year (sponsored by LevelUP Talent Solutions): Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (Highly Commended: BrewDog)
L&D Initiative of the Year: E.ON UK (Highly Commended: GXO Logistics)
Culture Initiative of the Year: BBC (Highly Commended: The HALO Trust | Highly Commended: VIOOH)
Innovation of the Year: Jaguar Land Rover (Highly Commended: Egress)
SME of the Year: British Society for Rheumatology (Highly Commended: ABSTRACT)
Large Organisation of the Year (sponsored by Virgin Incentives): TSB Bank
People Awards
Leader of the Year: Debbie Mavis, Group HR Director at Avanti Communications (Highly Commended: Kate Clay, HR Director at eStar Truck & Van)
Rising Star of the Year: Prianka Jaidka, HR Business Partner at LSL Property Services (Highly Commended: Ella Deery, Talent Development Partner at Havas UK | Highly Commended: Kathryn Allen, HR Manager at DGM Growers)
Coach of the Year: Helen Smith, Director of People & Development at Boo Coaching & Consulting (Highly Commended: Jodie Hill, Founder and Managing Partner at Thrive Law)
People Team of the Year (<100 people): Cox Marine (Highly Commended: Huler)
People Team of the Year (>100 people): Steer Automotive Group (Highly Commended: Cooper Parry)
Supplier Awards
Consultancy of the Year (<25 people): Realise HR (Highly Commended: Happier at Work)
Consultancy of the Year (>25 people): Clover HR (Highly Commended: The TCM Group)
Recruitment Partner of the Year: Gi Group Holding
Technology Partner of the Year: Rippl (Highly Commended: Actus Software)
Sector Specific Awards
Financial Services Company of the Year: The Melton Building Society (Highly Commended: The Cumberland Building Society)
Technology Company of the Year: CatSci
Retail Company of the Year: Yorkshire Garden Centres (Highly Commended: Holland & Barrett)
Hospitality & Leisure Company of the Year: Shorefield Holidays (Highly Commended: 5 Hertford Street and Oswald's | Highly Commended: Mowgli Street Food)
Not for Profit of the Year: Royal Academy of Engineering
Public Sector Organisation of the Year: Gower College Swansea
Manufacturing & Engineering Company of the Year: DS Smith (Highly Commended: Cox Marine)
Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible and British HR Awards judge said: “The British HR Awards celebrate the talented, dedicated, and passionate teams and individuals who are fuelling thriving workplaces across the UK and beyond. I’d like to extend my congratulations to all the Winners and Finalists.”
E.ON UK were energised after being awarded ‘L&D Initiative of the Year’. Eager to democratise talent development and enhance diversity, E.ON UK transitioned from exclusive talent pools to inclusive development networks that helped put employees in the driving seat of their own development. The initiative had far-reaching impact, including a 44% uplift in female representation and a 54% reduction in sickness. Overall, Judges commended a 'clear before and after effect' and were impressed by how E.ON UK effectively leveraged L&D to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) secured their place at the top of the podium, taking home ‘Innovation of the Year’. With their HR Contact Centre facing over 2,000 weekly queries ranging from routine questions to time-critical wellbeing situations, the JLR team were keen to reduce response times and improve service levels. By integrating AI, JLR created a HR Virtual Assistant capable of promptly addressing 51 topics and facilitating swift human escalation when necessary. The result was a 26% reduction in queries requiring human intervention and a 15% rise in service satisfaction. In summary, Judges lauded the 'clear statistical outcomes,' 'thorough implementation,' and 'effective use of AI'.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board secured a clean bill of health, taking home ‘Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year’. Their 'Project Search' initiative, a distinctive pre-employment program for young people with learning disabilities, was commended by Judges for its meaningful impact. The program significantly enhanced participants' independence, confidence, and self-esteem, while providing the organisation with a new, diverse talent pool.
Debbie Mavis, Group HR Director at Avanti Communications, was awarded 'HR Leader of the Year' for her extensive initiatives across recognition, L&D and wellbeing. Adopting a hands-on approach, Debbie also mentors ex-military employees in the next stage of their careers and has spearheaded several high-profile education projects, helping to provide 180,000 children in Africa with access to quality education. Overall, the Judges commended a ‘reach that goes far beyond her workplace’.
Winners were revealed at a special celebration event in London, hosted by comedian Fiona Allen. The event also featured a panel discussion titled ‘A Glimpse into the Future of Work’, moderated by Perry Timms. Panellists included Kath Ennis, Vilma Nikolaidou and Lucy Tobin.
The British HR Awards is powered by New Possible, the employee insight partner that's committed to your success. New Possible helps leaders build healthier organisations by providing meaningful insight that can drive real change. Find out more about our mission or book a demo.
