Best Place to Work

Organisations have to fight hard to recruit and then retain people, and this award aims to highlight those that really put people at the heart of their overall strategy.

The winner of this award will be the business that can demonstrate innovative thinking, enlightened approaches and new initiatives that make their organisation a great place to work.

Please include specific examples in your submission – not just generalisations.

You should also include metrics that demonstrate what you have invested in making your organisation the best place to work and illustrate the return on that investment.

Judges will look for:

• practical demonstration of the professional development of staff at all levels (including management)
• encouragement of better working techniques and/or ways of working that lead to better performance and productivity
• what is your approach to recruiting graduates and non-graduates or apprentices? Do you actively try to attract people from outside the industry?
• evidence that employees are offered real career prospects – what are the routes to promotion within the organisation? How many promotions have been made (and at what level) in the last 24 months?
• information on the organisation’s record in retaining senior staff. How do you achieve this?
• evidence that the organisation is seeking to widen the skills and knowledge base of its employees beyond the research world and into the wider commercial arena
• details of your approach to diversity
• personal and professional development for the good of the individual as well as the business
• a business that rewards staff for a job well done
• a sense of pride and belonging among the team. How would you describe the culture of the agency? How do members of staff fly the flag for the agency outside the confines of the office?

How to apply

A valid entry will comprise:

• one copy of the submission document
• one copy of the entry form
• one piece of supporting material (see below)
• a high resolution copy of your company logo (in jpg format)

Entries should be sent to researchawards@mrs.org.uk by 10am on Monday 10 July 2017.

Submission format

The submission document grants you 500 words (max) to state why you should win the award plus three 100-word supporting statements from colleagues (which must be attributed).

You are permitted to provide one piece of supporting material. This can be either:

1. A video or audio file of no longer than 3 minutes
2. A PowerPoint presentation of no more than 10 slides
3. An infographic

Please make it clear in your written submission what the supporting material is intended to illustrate.