Welcome


Excellence in HR – rising to the challenges


the entries at length and there is always a lively discussion on judging day. To ensure we are fair and rigorous in the process, the judges then mark each category confidentially, so even they do not know the outcome until the gala night. This year was no exception and the many


organisations and individuals honoured on the following pages have demonstrated exceptional innovation and execution of people strategies, together with robust business cases and strong metrics. HR magazine’s readers voted for the HR


Director of the Year and the result was the closest ever. For the first time, we jointly awarded two organisations the coveted HR Team of the Year: Private Sector title, one a fully commercial company and the other a not-for-profit organisation. Both highly impressed the judges. We linked up again with the workplace


that is making a striking difference in our industry. This is the 16th year of the prestigious HR


H hrmagazine.co.uk


Excellence Awards and I am delighted to say we received a record number of entries in 2011, demonstrating the great advances HR has made in proving its value to the business. It is hard to win an HR Excellence Award.


Our judging panel comprises esteemed HR directors and chief executives who are known for their critical judgement, as they seek to recognise only those entries that demonstrate true excellence in the field of HR. They debate


R has negotiated its way through tough times in recent years and we are proud to celebrate through these awards the excellence of people, ideas and execution


engagement specialist Best Companies to find the Most People-Focused leaders in both the private and public sectors – recognising that good and sustainable people strategy starts at the top. Plus, this year,HR’s editorial team chose a Rising Star – the person we feel has made huge strides within their company and whom we believe is destined for greater things. Watch this space. Finally, we reveal the HR Excellence Gold


award for the organisation and strategy voted the best of the best. After a tough two years, with the economy


still shaky, these awards prove how good people strategy and practice help firms to survive and indeed prosper during difficult times and put them in the best possible place to take advantage of the upturn. Congratulations to the winners and all the


organisations, HRDs and HR departments that are mentioned in this brochure. They have all proved their excellence.


Siân Harrington, publisher and editor, HR magazine


Contents 04 The Judges


06 The Judging Process 09 HR Excellence Gold Award 11 HR Director of the Year


12 Joint Best HR Teams: Private Sector


14 Best HR Team: Public/Voluntary Sector


15 Rising Star


17 Most People-Focused CEO: Private Sector


19 Most People-Focused CEO: Public/Voluntary Sector


21 Outstanding Employee Engagement Strategy


23 Best Talent Management Strategy


24 Best Learning and Development Strategy


25 Most Successful Change Management Programme


27 Health and Wellbeing Award


28 Most Innovative Use of Technology


29 Most Effective Use of Internal Communications


31 Most Effective Benefi ts Strategy


33 Most Effective Recruitment and Retention


34 Best Workplace Diversity Strategy


35 Best Use of CSR in HR


37 Best HR Strategy from Overseas


38 All the Winners July 2011 HR Excellence Awards 3


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