Great Place to Work: Special awards

GPTW Team Award: ORS Building Consultants

The ORS Cultural Development Team was first initiated in 2015. The committee is integral to ensuring that companies live by their values and have a mission to create a supportive workplace across all levels of business. Each person in the team is responsible for one of the nine key practice areas which include sharing, listening and rewarding.

ORS actively seeks and encourages people to participate in the committee through local town halls, committee updates on internal newsletters and through managers encouraging employees to join committees during performance reviews.

“We know that Great Place to Work functions best for an organisation when a range of people take part in the process, and everyone has the opportunity to drive cultural change, says Fania Stoney, business development strategist for Great Place to Work. “It has involved people from across the business and driven tangible change that has underpinned ORS’s ongoing status as a Best Workplace – focusing on all elements of culture from communication to recognition to wellbeing.”

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Culture Improvement Award: Mater Private Network

A “culture of safety” has been defined as a collaborative environment in which skilled clinicians treat each other with respect, leaders drive effective teamwork and promote psychological safety, teams learn from errors and near misses, and caregivers are aware of the inherent limitations of human performance in complex systems. There is a visible process of learning and driving improvement through debriefings. Employees are surveyed every year to ensure safety is a top priority and to identify areas that can be improved upon.

Claire McGeever, client success manager with Great Place to Work, agrees that the commitment from the Mater Private hospital to improving its culture is evident from the results from its Trust Index Survey over the last two years. “An increase of 12 per cent demonstrates that participation and engagement has led to action-driven results.”

Employer Branding: Woodie’s

Woodie’s has prided itself on its diversity and inclusion journey. The company focused on updating its employer branding to make it more representative of the type of applicants they want to attract. They wanted to create employer brand imagery that is gender diverse and ethnically diverse, which would send a message to Woodie’s talent pool that they are an employer for all.

To convey this message, they used geo-fencing in their campaigns where very specific areas in the country were targeted with imagery and job adverts. Woodie’s also invested in an augmented writing tool called Textio that strips out language in job adverts that is unconsciously biased or swaying only certain types of applicants to apply for a job.

“Woodie’s exceptional achievement in winning this special award is a testament to their dedication to cultivating a strong but also inclusive employer brand,” says Marina Rivas, brand and marketing manager with Great Place to Work. “Employing innovative tactics such as geo-targeted campaigns, Woodie’s demonstrates a proactive stance in reaching specific talent pools. By strategically crafting an imagery set that is gender and ethnically diverse, they have not only attracted top talent but also sent a powerful message of inclusivity.”

Learning and Development: Vagabond Tours

There is a strong commitment by management at Vagabond Tours to upskilling and pursuing further training. This extends to their tour guides and their office and administration staff.

All staff receive a training and development allowance each year and a number of seasonal guide employees have received additional training so they can then take on off-season work with the company. This progression towards some becoming full-time members of staff has allowed the company to have a much wider reach when encouraging new employees.

The upskilling and further training of Vagabond staff has also opened doors for some guides to progress to becoming independent tour guides and set up their own companies. Some of them continue to work for Vagabond Tours on a part-time basis while their own company grows.

In 2023, Vagabond created the role of chief trainer, further demonstrating its commitment to upskilling and further training. New guides joining the company will receive a minimum of five weeks’ full pay and expenses-covered training. Members of staff are always encouraged to give feedback to management through their liaison officer about any further training they require.

Sinead Dunne, client success executive from Great Place to Work says: “Their consistency and the value placed on upskilling and advancement ensures that talent is nurtured. They demonstrate a clear commitment to ensuring all employees are constantly sharing knowledge and displaying agility in their roles.”

ESG: Sun Life

Sun Life has made a commitment to being part of the climate solution. The company is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in its Ireland office. It has installed 276 Solar PV panels on the office roof which will produce 20 per cent of its electricity requirements, with the installation being the largest in an office building in the southeast of Ireland. It partnered with Energia for the rest of their electrical needs – Energia is a supplier of 100 per cent green, emission-free electrical energy which has seen Sun Life reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero. All its office lighting is LED, and all furniture is fully recyclable. The carpet is low VOC [volatile organic compounds] and is also 100 per cent recyclable. Additionally, employees have access to electronic charging points in the car park and a highly secure covered bike rack.

Sun Life employees in Ireland have raised more than €620,000 for community groups and charities in the southeast since they began fundraising events and establishing charitable partnerships 20 years ago.

In addition, a substantial donation to Helping Hand meant the organisation was able to secure a new premises and provide hot meals, sleeping bags and personal essentials to homeless people in Waterford city. In addition to what has been highlighted above, 2023 saw them host a 25k challenge for their 25th anniversary, and they raised more than €64,000 for five charities.

“It’s great to see Sun Life’s exemplary work in integrating ESG [environmental, social and governance] values into the operations of the organisation – by prioritising sustainability, they are setting the standard for the industry to follow, and hopefully paving the way for more progress in the field,” says Joseph Benkanoun-Greene, client success list and awards project manager, Great Place to Work.

Wellbeing: The Kingsley

Wellbeing as an area that the Kingsley hotel in Cork is particularly proud of. The hotel is committed to promoting and supporting the wellbeing of its employees, creating an inclusive culture which focuses on continuous improvement of the work environment and on work-life balance.

The Kingsley has a lot of initiatives for employees, including Wellbeing Wednesday and a bi-monthly town hall gathering with guest speakers on nutrition, fitness, sound therapy, yoga and stress management.

As well as a monthly employee wellbeing day that could involve meditation, yoga, art therapy, bingo or a table quiz, they are in talks with a wellbeing and personal development coach for one-to-one sessions with staff, as requested. The Kingsley also has mental health first aiders and access to a free support line. A free pool and gym, staff canteen with complimentary food, menopause room and a private room for breast-feeding mothers are only some of the facilities that staff can access. There’s also a sensory space – a quiet area to escape to – and a walking club.

In terms of professional development, employees have access to a leadership development programme, graduate programme and continuous professional development courses.

Corporate social responsibility initiatives include donations and spot prizes to local charities, a weekly food drive for the local homeless support centre, free treatments to local cancer centres, and fundraising for Autism Dogs.

“The Kingsley’s commitment to employee wellbeing is exemplified through initiatives that enhance work-life balance and ensure a positive work environment,” says Akshita Sood, event and marketing co-ordinator at Great Place to Work. “Their diverse wellness programmes like the monthly employee wellbeing day and flexible work arrangements have led to improved retention and productivity. From mental health first-aiders to dedicated spaces, the Kingsley fosters an holistic approach to employee wellness, creating an environment where exceptional talent seeks fulfilling careers. Winning the Wellbeing Special Award is a testament to its comprehensive commitment.”

GPTW Ambassador: Gráinne Quinn of Global (Business Resources Manager)

This award acknowledges an individual who has a deep understanding of the Great Place to Work model and methodology, is a champion in helping their own organisation create and sustain a great workplace, and contributes to the Great Place to Work community.

Quinn has held key roles in admin, EA to leadership and as a business resource manager, giving her a unique perspective on how Great Place to Work helps people deliver on the business strategy.

Quinn understands that a great workplace is when you trust in the people you work for, have pride in what you do, and enjoy the people you work with. She has great pride and belief in her team, and they have seen their culture of trust and care grow through the surveys.

“Gráinne is a true example of what it means to be an ambassador for a Great Place To Work culture. She has been generous in sharing her experience with our community, and it has been amazing to see her passion and commitment – especially to how Global mined their data and utilised supported sessions to build a meaningful culture,” says Brían Sutton, client relationship manager at Great Place to Work.