Tauranga Business Awards 2020: New award to recognise positive workplace culture

This year's Tauranga Business Awards are on November 13. Photo / File

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce is encouraging Bay of Plenty residents to nominate a deserving business for its inaugural People and Culture Award in the Westpac Tauranga Business Awards 2020.

The award will recognise those businesses that had gone above and beyond to create a positive workplace culture – one that encouraged employees to have their say, helped them develop and grow, and acknowledged and championed their diversity.

It will also be a chance to recognise those businesses that had come through challenging times due to Covid-19, and had supported their team's mental and physical wellbeing.

Business Awards event organiser Anne Pankhurst said the award tied into the event theme, Love Local, and was all about identifying and supporting great actions within a company – no matter their size or sector.

"The people and culture of a company are critical elements to how well a business operates. A great workplace culture provides everyone with the opportunity to initiate change and to grow on both a professional and personal level.

"Given the extraordinary events that have occurred this year, there's never been a better time to thank those businesses who have worked hard to keep their team together, through good times and not-so-good times," she said.

Fiona MacKenzie, owner and director of The Culture Co, said both The Culture Co and Lysaght Consultants were staunch advocates of great workplace culture and were proud to be joint sponsors of this new award.

"Our motivation to sponsor this award is based on our genuine determination to improve people's experience in the workplace.

"In the current Covid-19 climate, employees crave human connection, reassurance, clear communication and job security.

"We want to shine a light on those businesses that have strengthened their workplace culture and overcome the challenges that Covid-19 has thrown at them – regardless of if the team are working from home or are back in the office," MacKenzie said.

The People and Culture Award entry process differed from the main categories in the annual business awards. It was open to anyone to confidentially nominate a deserving business and all you need to do was complete a short entry form. People cannot nominate their own business for this award.

However, there are 10 categories available to enter.

Nominations for the People and Culture Award are open from Friday, September 4 through to Friday, October 2. The nominated businesses will then be put up for public voting.

Full details can be found here.