American fast food chain Five Guys has been named winner in the Employer brand and EVP (employee value proposition) category at the Caterer.com People Awards 2019.
The awards, organised by hospitality recruitment and job listing website Caterer.com, recognise employers across a range of categories, as judged by a panel of experts in hospitality recruitment, retention and development.
The shortlist for the Employer brand and EVP category included, alongside Five Guys, Casual Dining Group, which operates brands such as Café Rouge and Bella Italia, and Dishoom. Five Guys was ultimately recognised for efforts that led to the reduction of 90-day attrition from 92% to 57% over a 12-month period, and a 40% decrease in staff turnover overall.
The Diversity and inclusion award was given to Soho House and Co, in recognition of its work establishing an inclusion committee and training more than 30 mental health first aiders. The shortlist in this category also comprised Accor Group, Honest Burgers, Marriott, SA Brain and Company and Social Pantry.
The winner of the Employee engagement programme award was seafront luxury hotel The Grand Brighton, which was shortlisted alongside Busaba Eathai, Grosvenor House Suites by Jumeirah Living, Hooked on Group and Stonegate Pubs. The Grand Brighton was marked as the winner for its work establishing employee representatives to boost idea sharing.
On the shortlist for Reward, recognition and benefits was Rapport, Soho House and Co and St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. The award was ultimately won, however, by The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane, for its use of a campaign that led to 77% take up of its new recognition and reward platform.
Marriott Hotels took the award for Workplace wellbeing initiative, from a shortlist that also included Apex Hotels, The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane, and Valor Hospitality Europe. The organisation was recognised for its holistic approach, incorporating mental health, nutrition, exercise, financial wellbeing, and diversity and inclusion.
Neil Pattison, sales director at Caterer.com, said: "As the entries to our awards clearly demonstrate, good hospitality employees must be retained and developed in ever more creative ways. The search for talent now goes beyond traditional hospitality territory. Employers are engaging young people, older workers, school pupils and their families, those with [a] disability and those who need to find a foothold in life, such as homeless individuals and reformed offenders."
