Award won for reducing sickness absence

EDF Energy’s Sunderland-based customer services centre has scooped two titles at an awards ceremony to reward achievements in human resources and development.

The operation at Doxford International Business Park won the highest accolade of Business of the Year at the North East of England Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Awards.

Human resources advisor Sharon Hay won the individual award for Practitioner of the Year at the ceremony which took place at the Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park.

The judges recognised that the company’s training and development policies and excellent human resources management have created a warm and friendly atmosphere and led to the lowest staff turnover levels in Sunderland’s contact centres.

Sharon won her award for her work in reducing sickness absence.

She said: “Winning the award was a great surprise and I’m delighted that we have been recognised for the hard work in creating a great working environment. My award was won for an ongoing project which I am co-ordinating which brings sickness management to the forefront of managers’ minds.”

EDF Energy was also short-listed for the Developing People award for its work in a leadership twinning programme which twins UK managers with a German or French manager with a similar role.

The CIPD awards acknowledge best practice in people management and showcases organisations which nurture, develop and reward employees enabling them to reach their full potential.

Kevin Gatens, director of customer account management at Doxford, said: “We’re thrilled to have been recognised in the North East CIPD Awards. We work hard to make our operation a great place for our employees to work and are committed to providing personal development opportunities.

“EDF Energy’s success in the awards further demonstrates the company’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in recruitment, training, development and motivation.”

Picture – Sharon Hay (front) with some of the EDF Energy staff who worked towards the company winning Business of the Year in the recent CIPD Awards.