Why Enter Industry Awards? By Stephanie Stubbs
Stephanie Stubbs, Deputy MD of Hickory – Winner of BWS Hospitality and Tourism Awards for Best Place for Women to Work 2017 and Winner of BWS Employer of the Year Awards 2017.
I’m fortunate to have gained first-hand experience of the tangible benefits that winning awards can bring to businesses, and the positive ripple effect that continues long after.
Every business, in every industry has its ongoing challenges. Whether it’s being faced with a new competitor, the rising costs of products or keeping a happy and motivated team – running an SME is hard work and requires a lot of focus and determination. Companies are constantly having to set themselves apart and strive to grown in a tough environment, but industry awards celebrate and recognise those who have achieved remarkable results in these tough industries.
The awards calendars are well planned and offer a wide variety of recognition. A nomination or win highlights the aptitude of your business and teams and provides vast benefits to your organisation. However, I’m not going to lie, it’s a commitment for any business. The time it takes to develop, design and submit the submissions, ensuring yours stands strong against other entries all doing amazing things is a job in itself… so, why bother?
Do it for your team!
To accept the awards on behalf of Hickory for the Best Place for Women to Work and Employer of the Year is without doubt one of the highlights of my career. Women are central to this industry yet less than 10% make it to senior management roles. Hickory set out to change this and at these awards we were recognised and rewarded for our vision and commitment to bringing young women up the ranks to achieve their potential and, importantly, be recognised for doing so.
Not only were we crowned the Best Place for Women to Work, two members of the team were also recognised for their contribution to the growth and success in business. Account Executive, Nicole, received the Rising Star Award and was also awarded a HIT Scotland scholarship for further development. Just amazing!
Yes, it’s a brilliant night out and an excuse to get glammed up to celebrate with colleagues however, for me, the biggest reward was the feedback from the team around how valued they felt just for being put forward!
Teams and individuals contribute towards the success of a company and winning these awards has given us a shared sense of achievement, increased company morale and helped us to build a culture of trust.
Do it for your brand!
Positive brand recognition is vital to the success of any business. Having ‘award-winning’ or ‘award-nominated’ next to your company name, tells everyone, from clients to potential employees, that you are the best! Awards builds trust and encourage customers to choose and stay loyal to your business.
An award-winning brand attracts new customers, in turn increasing your market share and profitability.
So, for any business owners or managers thinking about entering an award, go for it! The rewards to your business and the boost it gives your teams when you’re nominated and even win is touchable at all levels! Winning the BWS Hospitality and Tourism award for Best Place for Women to Work and BWS & WES Employer of the Year award is a badge of honour that has helped us to grow and retain a motivated and happy team, as well as attract the best talent.
