More than 800 HR professionals gathered at the Park Lane Hilton in London last week for the 12th annual Personnel Today Awards, buzzing with excitement as comedian Marcus Brigstocke announced the all-important winners.
With a total of 17 awards, including five new categories and an additional award for the overall winner, we take a look at the shortlists for each category, who won the award, and what the judges had to say about the winners. Additional photos can be viewed in HR Space.
• HR director of the year
• Excellence in learning and development
• HR team of the year
• Excellence in HR through technology or social media
• Excellence in public sector HR
• Award for health at work
• Award for corporate social responsibility
• Award for talent management
• Award for managing change
• Award for reward and benefits
• HR rising star
• Award for workplace diversity
• The employer branding award
• Award for innovation in recruitment
• Employee engagement award
• Award for best original employment initiative
• Overall winner
HR director of the year |
Shortlist:
Noel McGonigle, Azzurri Communications
Leatham Green, East Sussex County Council
Tracy Robbins, IHG
David Fairhurst, McDonald’s Restaurants
Harvey Francis, Skanska
Joanne Mackie, Superdrug And the winner is….
Tracy Robbins, IHG 
The judges’ comments: “Our HR director of the year was praised by the judges for the commercial approach taken by their HR function. One judge said this was an example of HR strategy at its very best. “Tracy Robbins leads a disparate team but has created a joined-up culture that should be an inspiration to us all.” |
HR team of the year |
 Shortlist:
ATS Euromaster
Azzurri Communications
Broadway Homelessness and Support
Morrison
Paul UK
Pension Disability & Carers Service
And the winner is….
Paul UK
 The judges’ comments: “Paul UK has come a long way in a short period of time. It set out to achieve a massive challenge from a very low base and delivered excellent results with business-focused objectives.” |
HR Impact Award
|
Shortlist:
3M
Boots
McDonald’s Restaurants
Mitchells & Butlers
NATS
Santander And the winner is….
Mitchells & Butlers 
The judges’ comments: “Mitchells & Butlers clearly showed the benefits of not following the crowd by rejecting the option of outsourcing and relying on in-house capabilities – delivering comprehensive benefits to the group.” |
Excellence in HR through technology or social media
|
Shortlist:
IHG
NHS North Yorkshire and York
Telefonica O2 UK
River Island
Vaillant Group
WHSmith Retail Holdings And the winner is….
River Island 
The judges’ comments: “River Island combined traditional technology and social media in an innovative way – an amazing use of new technology in recruitment.” |
Excellence in public sector HR
|
Shortlist:
Birmingham City Council
Chelmsford Borough Council
Chorley Council
DEFRA Shared Services
East Lothian Council
Royal Free NHS Trust And the winner is….
Birmingham City Council 
The judges’ comments: “We were particularly impressed by Birmingham City Council’s ambitious and intelligent programme for change, with efficiency being a driving force through each element.” |
Award for health at work |
Shortlist:
Centrica
Domestic and General
East Sussex County Council
Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Mail
York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust And the winner is….
Royal Mail 
The judges’ comments: “Royal Mail’s entry was particularly innovative in considering specific health issues for men, acknowledging the critical role for line managers – a comprehensive programme with tangible results.” |
Award for corporate social responsibility
|
Shortlist:
DHL Supply Chain
Marks & Spencer
Signet Trading
Telefonica O2 UK
The Midcounties Co-operative
University Hospital of North Staffordshire And the winner is….
Marks & Spencer 
The judges’ comments: “We were hugely impressed by all our shortlist but Marks & Spencer stood out by providing strong evidence of its corporate social responsibility programme’s effect on the business as a whole.” |
Award for talent management |
Shortlist:
BT
Environment Agency
KPMG
Magnox South
Royal Mail
Tesco Retailing Services And the winner is….
KPMG 
The judges’ comments: “KPMG’s talent management programme is a brilliant way of developing leaders while also providing excellent value to customers.” |
Award for managing change
|
Shortlist:
Broadway Homelessness and Support
DEFRA
IHG
Lloyds Banking Group
NATS
Royal Mail And the winner is….
Lloyds Banking Group 
The judges’ comments: “Lloyds Baking Group’s entry was a very impressive change project on a massive scale, through a difficult time. The execution was well thought through and ensured that there was leadership support and the workforce was on board.” |
Award for reward and benefits |
Shortlist:
Azzurri Communications
Barratt Developments
Calor Gas
Kent County Council
Ladbrokes
University of Lincoln And the winner is….
Azzurri Communications
 The judges’ comments: “We were impressed by Azzurri Communications’ approach in addressing the complex and potentially unfair mix of benefits in an organisation that had grown through acquisition. “They gave reward a pivotal role in the company’s employee engagement strategy.” |
HR rising star |
Shortlist:
Catherine Rowe, Balfour Beatty Work Place
Claire Crouch, East Sussex County Council
Christian Peiner, Kuehne + Nagel
Mark Smith, Royal Free NHS Trust
Zoe Lloyd, RSK Group
Helen Cross, Superdrug And the winner is….
Zoe Lloyd, RSK Group 
The judges’ comments: “The first ever Personnel Today Awards Rising Star award was hotly contested by the six finalists. But one star shone brightest, described by the judges as a truly outstanding individual.” |
Award for workplace diversity |
Shortlist:
Barnardos
DHL Supply Chain
London Fire Brigade HQ
McDonald’s Restaurants
NHS Gloucestershire
University of Chester And the winner is….
DHL Supply Chain
 The judges’ comments: “From the outset, DHL Supply Chain was clear on its business case for increasing workplace diversity. “We believe that by securing senior management commitment, our winners have put in place the measures necessary to secure long-term viability of their wide-ranging initiative.” |
The employer branding award
|
Shortlist:
British Heart Foundation
East Lothian Council
Morrison
Outsourcery
Zizzi’s And the winner is….
Outsourcery 
The judges’ comments: “We congratulate all those who made the shortlist but Outsourcery’s entry demonstrated a strong approach to employer branding across the board, providing an innovative solution to a difficult challenge.” |
Award for innovation in recruitment |
Shortlist:
DHL Supply Chain
IHG
Integrated Dental Holdings
ITV
Northern Rail
Superdrug And the winner is….
IHG 
The judges’ comments: “IHG’s winning entry was exceptional: a truly inspiring entry which sets the tone for others creating sustainable models of building talent that would provide enduring benefits for the organisation.” |
Employee engagement award
|
Shortlist:
Barratt Developments
Broadway Homelessness and Support
Capgemini
Essex County Council
Thames Water
The Co-operative Group And the winner is….
The Co-operative Group
 The judges’ comments: “Over the past two years, the Co-operative Group has undertaken one of the biggest rebrand programmes in UK corporate history, bringing together a diverse portfolio under one name. “It has clearly linked engagement to business benefit.” |
Best original employment initiative |
Shortlist:
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
McDonald’s Restaurants
Mitchells & Butlers
RSK Group And the winner is….
McDonald’s Restaurants 
The judges’ comments: “McDonald’s employment initiative involved recruitment on a broad scale. The HR team identified all the issues and found a comprehensive nationwide solution with clear evidence of results.” |
Overall winner
|
Shortlist:
ATS Euromaster
Mitchells & Butlers
River Island
Royal Mail
Marks & Spencer
KPMG
Lloyds Banking Group
Azzurri Communications
Paul UK
DHL Supply Chain
Outsourcery
IHG
Tracy Robbins, IHG
The Co-operative Group
McDonald’s Restaurants
Zoe Lloyd, RSK Group
And the winner is….
Birmingham City Council
The judges’ comments: “Birmingham City Council has taken an innovative approach to utilising and engaging existing talent to the benefit of many stakeholders. “They proved that a lack of funding need not compromise delivery. This organisation’s creativity, business focus and determination has the potential to be replicated across the sector.” |
More content on the Personnel Today Awards 2010 |
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