However, it was a day of recognition for the best employers in the industry, with BNP Paribas, BT Group, Heinz, Peel Ports Group and Visualsoft just some of the employers that came out on top.
BNP Paribas, which picked up the Grand Prix and won four awards prior to receiving the prestigious accolade, especially excelled due to the work it has done on flexible benefits and healthcare.
But it was interviewing the winners back stage after they had collected their awards from the lovely host, Debra Stephenson, that really provided a fascinating insight into what the benefits and reward professionals had achieved. I felt a real sense of pride to be able to share their success with them.
A number of them were in shock, speechless even, but all winners highlighted the huge impact that winning an award will have on the business and their employees. Some mentioned it would help attract and retain new staff, while also highlighting to directors that what they are implementing for employees is the right thing to do.
Lisa West, reward manager at Heinz, put it into perspective: “I have been in reward for a few years now and these awards are so reputable it is amazing. For our business it is brilliant for talent attraction, as well as in terms of promoting our total reward proposition to employees and showing that we are doing market-leading activities, which is probably the key thing for us.”
What was also great to see during the day was everyone networking and sharing their success with each other. Be that letting their hair down during the post-awards reception, on the bumper cars at the funfair or in the Aon-provided karaoke booth, which was a personal highlight this year.
But now onto 2016 and I personally cannot wait to see the entries we will receive. This year the standard was very high, and it will be interesting to see where benefits strategies head over the next 12 months.