Today is one of my favourite days in the Employee Benefits calendar – the Employee Benefits Awards.

I enjoy it for all the obvious reasons: celebrating winners, the networking, the lunch, the comedian and of course, the fun fair.

But there is an aspect I don’t enjoy.

It is watching the disappointment on the faces of those people who made the finalist list but weren’t the eventual winners.

No amount of “but you had to be really good to make the shortlist” takes away the sting of disappointment. I know this, because I have been there myself.

Deep down you know that you and your team have done a great job and that whatever you entered was successful and effective in your business.

That is when you have to remind yourself that although gongs are great, they aren’t worth the metal/plastic/Perspex they are carved from if your original project didn’t deliver on its original business aim.

So good luck to all the Employee Benefits finalists today – both winners and non-winners.

Now, I have just 10 days to practice my gracious loser (hopeful winner?) face for the annual Periodical Publishing Awards on 19 June. Wish me luck!

Debi O’Donovan

Editor

Employee Benefits

@DebiODonovan