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Local businesses are competing for the title of 'Jersey's Best Workplace' as part of a new initiative launched by All Island Media which will help them unlock insights about their teams.
In partnership with CompassJersey, the employee engagement award seeks to identify the gold-standard of employee satisfaction in the island.
To identify a winner, businesses will be benchmarked against each other and receive detailed analysis.
Before the analysis gets underway, Express spoke to several businesses who have decided to take part in the process. So far this week, we've heard from Randalls, Valla, St Martin's Surgery and Islands Insurance.
Ashley Cox, Managing Director at Whitmill Trust Company, explained what the firm hopes to learn from the awards and what a good workplace culture means to them...
Participating in the Jersey’s Best Workplace initiative reflects our commitment to nurturing an environment where each team member’s contribution is valued and helps to make a positive difference to our working day.
At Whitmill we encourage a culture of trust, collaboration and appreciation and this has become an essential part of what motivates our people to excel. This initiative offers us a unique opportunity to celebrate and enhance that culture with our team whilst continuing to facilitate a workplace where our employees feel empowered, respected and inspired.
Inclusion - A positive culture is one where all employees feel they belong and their voices are heard and valued. An environment where people feel free to express ideas, challenge the status quo and be curious about what makes our business tick so they can be part of that fosters creativity and makes employees feel integral to achieving the company's mission.
Recognition - To ensure our team are motivated and engaged, their contributions should be recognised and acknowledged. Recognition builds morale and motivation, encourages hard work and demonstrates to our people that their efforts matter and make a difference - which drives personal and team success.
Support - Support creates a foundation where employees feel comfortable to grow and take risks. It involves providing resource, ongoing feedback, encouragement but also empowerment and enabling them to take those risks safely - making the workplace a positive, uplifting environment.
A great workplace culture is fundamental to attracting and retaining top talent and particularly in a high achieving and competitive market such as Jersey. Prospective employees have a choice and it must be for employers to differentiate themselves meaningfully by making their business an enjoyable and rewarding place to work for prospective and existing employees.
At Whitmill each individual’s contribution is recognised and valued and we work hard at demonstrating that. When employees feel that their input truly counts, that they are valued and supported, it creates a workplace environment where people are motivated to invest themselves fully and to stay loyal to a firm that also invested in them.
Top talent will carry out their own due diligence on a prospective employer, Jersey is a small Island, and a demonstrably strong culture emphasising open communication, teamwork and development opportunities reinforced by others will appeal to talented individuals who wish to grow within their roles and be recognised for the value they add.
We are eager to gain a deeper insight into how our team truly feels about their working experience allowing us to understand our strengths and to identify any areas for improvement. With the detailed report on key aspects such as job satisfaction, recognition and employee wellbeing, we hope to uncover specific areas where we can further empower and enable our team, enhance engagement and support professional growth.
These insights are likely to be invaluable in not only for improving our internal practices but also in helping us demonstrate our commitment to being an exceptional employer with an enjoyable workplace.
We feel that by participating in the initiative, we gain a credible, employee-driven perspective that we can proudly share with clients and potential recruits to showcase our dedication to fostering a vibrant, supportive, and fulfilling workplace experience.
The results of the questionnaire will provide us with a clear, evidence-based view of our team’s experience and their expectations. We see this as essential in shaping our internal practices in the future, focusing our corporate values and behaviours and consequently the business’ culture which is driven by its people.
By understanding employee feedback in relation to their satisfaction, recognition and engagement, we can pinpoint areas where we excel, so we can do more of that, and also areas where there is room to grow and so that we can plan accordingly. This will allow us to make informed changes that directly address the needs and aspirations of our team and, importantly, how they feel about their business.
These insights will also inform our future strategy; particularly in relation to talent retention and attraction. For instance, if we identify specific factors that contribute to job satisfaction or flight risk, we can adjust our approach in those areas to ensure we are meeting and where possible exceeding employee expectations.
By continuously aligning our practices with what matters most to our team, we continue to create an environment where people feel valued and motivated to contribute to our, and their, long-term success.
Top-performing companies will be highlighted in a special Jersey’s Best Workplace publication distributed in print and online through the Jersey Evening Post and Bailiwick Express. Winners will be honoured at a special awards ceremony in March 2025.
In addition to the survey results, compensation and potential to be crowned 'Jersey’s Best Workplace', entrants will receive an All Island Media advertising credit and an annual subscription to the digital edition of the Jersey Evening Post.
For more information, and to register, click HERE.
Randalls: "We want people to enjoy coming to work"
Valla: "We are only as good as the people we employ"
St Martin's Surgery: "Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and their opinions respected"
Islands Insurance Group: "We can build a shared vision where everyone feels valued and empowered"
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