Barclays takes top spot at Personnel Today Awards

A youth employment initiative at Barclays Bank has been voted the overall winning entry in the 2013 Personnel Today Awards. The apprenticeship programme aimed at young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) beat off strong competition across 18 categories.

Hundreds of HR professionals from some of the UK’s top employers were entertained by comedian and host Alexander Armstrong in the prestigious surroundings of the Great Room in the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

Alexander Armstrong hosted the 2013 Awards. View all the pictures from the event

In deciding the overall winner, the judges praised Barclays for addressing both a need to identify future talent in the bank, and the way it reached out to the communities it serves. The entry also came top of its category – the new Youth Employment Initiative category, and judge Emma Parry from the Cranfield School of Management applauded Barclays for its “wide outreach and a focus on qualities rather than formal qualifications”.

The HR Team of the Year award, sponsored by Monster, was scooped by Virgin Money, after successfully leading the organisation through a major change programme after the acquisition of Northern Rock in 2011.

Sarah Trota of Circle Housing Group won HR Director of the Year, having helped to deliver £1.5 million in efficiency improvements for the housing association group.

Rob Moss, Personnel Today’s editor, said: “Congratulations to all our winners and to everyone who made the shortlists. The standard of entries was higher than ever and it’s great to celebrate HR’s achievements.”

Earlier in the evening the category winners of the Occupational Health Awards 2013 received their trophies, with the Award for Absence Management going to Northampton Borough Council; the Award for Health Promotion and Wellbeing to Surrey Police; and the Award for Innovation in Occupational Health to London South Bank University. Susan Gorton was named Occupational Health Nurse of the Year. The Occupational Health Awards Overall Winner was awarded to Surrey Police.

LIST OF WINNERS: PERSONNEL TODAY AWARDS 2013

Award for Employee Engagement, sponsored by Oakleaf Partnership
Winner: MBNA

Award for Excellence in Employee Relations, sponsored by The Employee Relations Institute
Winner: Thales

Award for Diversity and Inclusion, sponsored by the Employers’ Network for Equality & Inclusion
Winner: EDF Energy

HR Team of the Year, sponsored by Monster
Winner: Virgin Money

Youth Employment Initiative
Winner: Barclays

Award for Health at Work
Winner: The Random House Group

Award for Employer Branding, sponsored by Personnel Today Jobs
Winner: Direct Line Group

HR Impact Award, sponsored by CEB
Winner: The National Offender Management Service

Award for Excellence in Public Service HR, sponsored by the Public Sector People Managers’ Association
Winner: Essex County Council (Your Voice Initiative)

Award for Excellence in Learning & Development
Winner: Elior

HR Professional of the Year, sponsored by Monster
Winner: Nicola Burrows – ATS Euromaster