Criteria for the Employer of the Year Awards 2004

• Carers UK Carers in Employment Award

• Lloyds TSB Scotland Scottish Employer of the Year Award

• NSPCC Family Friendly Award

• UKRC Women in SET Award

• Working Families Innovation Award

• Working Families Men at Work Award sponsored by Comet
  

Carers UK Carers in Employment Award

This award will go to an employer who can demonstrate that they have created a "carer-friendly" working environment. Judges will be looking for innovation and a proven track record in delivering policies and practices which have a positive impact on the lives of employees who look after family, partners or friends who are ill, frail or have a disability.

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Working Families Men at Work Award sponsored by Comet

The Working Families Men at Work Award is designed to recognise organisations that are actively developing policies to support their male employees who also have caring responsibilities.

We are looking for employers who encourage their male employees to be open about their roles as dads, granddads and carers, and we will want to see evidence of commitment on the part of the organisation.

Evidence we will look for will include training for and support by managers in facilitating men's caring roles, role modeling by senior men, take-up of flexible working and leave options by male employees, and a culture that values caring skills in men.

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Lloyds TSB Scotland Scottish Employer of the Year Award

We are looking for employers based in Scotland (and employing local people) which help staff juggle their work and home lives successfully, through innovative working patterns, other than statutory leave provision, fair and consistent processes and practice, and employee support systems. Employers will be asked:

1. Which measures to promote work-life balance are you most proud of?

2. Are your work-life balance options targeted at any particular group of employees?

3. How do you promote your policies and encourage take-up?

4. What are the financial and other benefits to your operation?

5. How do you promote this to managers and other stakeholders?

6. What, if any, benefits or disadvantages have there been to your customers/clients?

7. What do employees think of the measures? (please include quotes from employees or, if available, survey responses or other research data).

8. In what ways do you monitor progress (eg take up, benefits, change required)?

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NSPCC Family Friendly Award

Are you the employer who can best demonstrate practical assistance for your employees who are parents? We are looking specifically for employers with an understanding of the changing needs of parents with children from birth to 18.

We would like you to demonstrate your awareness of the need to balance parenting and work commitments. We are particularly interested in any practices that relate to parents with older children because much of the recent focus has been on parents with babies and very young children

The criteria for this award have been directly informed through consultations with young people to identify what they think employers can do to help working parents to look after and spend time with their children. In addition to young people’s own insight on the impact of parental employment, young people are the employees and parents of tomorrow.

Young people will be involved in the judging of this award. Therefore, we will ask you to complete this application form in plain, jargon-free English, which is 'child-friendly'. Picture a young person reading your application.

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UKRC Women in SET Award

The Working Families and UKRC Women in SET Award is specifically designed for employers in Science, Engineering and Technology and the built environment who understand and are addressing the issues and barriers faced by women in the sector.

We are looking for employers who not only have the policies in place but those who can demonstrate that their practices and initiatives are working effectively through real-life examples. Employers will need to show that they are actively working towards promoting and progressing the position of women in technical roles at all levels in their organisation.

The evidence we will look for will include female-friendly recruitment and selection practices, women’s networks, mentoring schemes, schemes for women returning from carer breaks, encouraging flexible working and ensuring that workplace cultures are equally comfortable for men and women.

To apply for this award, you must be a company or organisation that employs women in the fields of Science, Engineering, construction and /or Technology. This could include (but is not limited to) chemists, scientists, draftspersons, engineers, technicians, IT, bricklayers, plumbers, etc.

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Working Families Innovation Award

Whether it's a major initiative or one small action that has made the difference, we are looking for examples of innovation in taking the work-life agenda forward.

You may be just starting out in this field or be trying to win wider buy-in. Tell us about your breakthroughs: things that have helped encourage wider debate, more take-up of policies or commitment from senior management. Work-life balance is an issue for everyone in today's competitive market place and this is your opportunity to show just how creative you can be in putting this message across.

This is our own award for an employer who has devised and implemented leading edge work-life balance policies and practice. We will be looking for exciting, fresh ideas or initiatives, not covered by any of the other awards, and/or fresh thinking which will take us all forward.

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Working Families Men at Work Award sponsored by Comet

The Working Families Men at Work Award is designed to recognise organisations that are actively developing policies to support their male employees who also have caring responsibilities.

We are looking for employers who encourage their male employees to be open about their roles as dads, granddads and carers, and we will want to see evidence of commitment on the part of the organisation.

Evidence we will look for will include training for and support by managers in facilitating men's caring roles, role modeling by senior men, take-up of flexible working and leave options by male employees, and a culture that values caring skills in men.

top / back to main awards page