Best Employer Award Sponsored by BAM

The Best Employer Award recognises those organisations that ensure that their employees are at the heart of their success. Entrants will be expected to show how they invest in their staff, engage and include them in the business and outline what it is they do that makes for a happy and healthy workforce. This could include providing a supportive working environment via adopting family-friendly initiatives, developing positive measures to enable employee development, and taking a pro-active approach to recognising and rewarding employee contributions.
The judges will be looking for:

• Recruitment and progression of staff
• Training and development
• Employee engagement & support

2017 Winner: Ladybird Private day Nurseries
2017 Runner-up: Anchor Removals
2016 Winner: Morson Group
2016 Runner-up: Ladybird Private Day Nurseries
2015 Winner: Manchester and Cheshire Construction
2015 Runner-up: Social Ventures

Anchor Removals who were runners up at the last awards ceremony in 2017 went one step further this time and were awarded the “Best Employer” award for 2019. In giving the award the judges stated “they recognised that 2018/2019 had been the most challenging of years for the company, but they applauded the company’s continuing focus on their employees and their retention of their status as the only company in their sector to deliver the Real Living Wage and No zero-hours contracts” – the award was presented by ITV’s BAFTA award-winning journalist Elaine Wilcox

During the interview process, MD Chris Smallwood had acknowledged that winning the award would send a message to customers and colleagues within the industry of the benefits of good employment practices and would set an example to all, giving the company the profile and recognition they deserved and needed. On accepting the award he stated “this is a recognition of our dedication to good working practices driven by both personal, emotional and good business reasons” Chris pointed out that staff retention and reduced sick days were only two of many reasons why it was beneficial to be a good employer and was quick to mention his key long term employees Ellen Hughes (fellow director), Martin Edmondson, Gavin Ryan, Paul Doxey, Reece Jones and Chris Heyworth. It should be noted that many customers were now making the conscious decision to take up the services of Anchor Removals and storage based purely on their ethical approach to employment and that many industry operatives were approaching Anchor for work. Chris explained that all the company employees had come from either the “black economy or off benefits” meaning the company was delivering a substantial positive social impact for its size.

Anchor removals employ 10 people turning over £600,000 per annum and delivers UK and international furniture removals and storage services, secure document storage, supplies crate rental, document destruction and packing materials for both domestic and commercial premises.