With entries for the 2019 Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards closing on Sunday (20 January), Pure is reminding organisations not to miss out on the significant business benefits of winning a prestigious accolade.

The Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards recognise the county’s best business talent and winning can be a hugely motivating experience for everyone in the organisation, whatever category you enter.

David Culley, Director at Pure, said: “Being shortlisted or winning an award brings employees together in a sense of pride and it is an excellent endorsement for a business which can really help to distinguish it from its competitors. As part of our ongoing purpose of celebrating and promoting the fantastic employers and places to work in our region, Pure is once again sponsoring the Employer of the Year category. This award celebrates the businesses which have successfully created a culture where employees are encouraged to work together to achieve business objectives.

“Through our recruitment work with clients and our strategic partnerships, we get to see inspiring examples of local organisations which are actively creating stimulating and motivating workplaces every day. We know there are lots of businesses in the county which would be strong contenders for this award and we would encourage them to take the time to enter. In judging the entries we will be looking for employers who genuinely value their staff, recognise the impact they have on the success of the business and are passionate about inspiring, motivating, developing and rewarding their employees. Those selected as finalists will be able to promote their organisation as having been externally recognised as an employer with fantastic workplace culture and this will inevitably help to attract future talent by enhancing their employer brands.

“It is not just the Employer of the Year award which will help businesses to stand out and attract high-calibre employees in today’s competitive recruitment market. All of the award categories are designed to highlight the excellent, innovative businesses we have here in our region, and the winners of all categories will be seen as successful, thriving organisations in which people will want to work.”

To enter the Employer of the Year award, businesses simply complete a short form which explains briefly how they have created an engaging workplace culture; including how they reward their people, the learning and development opportunities available, corporate social responsibility strategies and any new, innovative ideas recently introduced.

Previous winners of the Employer of the Year Award include Genie Ventures, Bidwells, Cambscuisine, Mills and Reeve, Cambridge Building Society and Cambridge Consultants. The wide range of categories open for organisations of all sizes and industries also include Business of the Year, High Growth, Business Person of the Year, Business Innovation and Outstanding Contribution.

Entries can be uploaded online at Cambridge News. The deadline to enter is midnight on Sunday 20 January and the awards will be presented on Thursday 21st March 2019 at a Gala Dinner to be held at the Great Hall at King’s College.