Finalists announced for s1jobs Recruitment Awards 2021

The awards, in association with esure and sponsored by Harvey Nash, Lidl, Quarriers and Turning Point Scotland and Volvo, will be presented in August to reward firms of all sizes that are making their mark in the Scottish recruitment sector.

Toasting the individuals and organisations setting the highest standards in the Scottish jobs market, the s1jobs Recruitment Awards have been judged by an expert panel of judges chaired by s1 sales director Gavin Mochan.

Eighteen categories are up for grabs this year, including Best Recruitment Website, Recruitment Consultant of the Year, and Best Use of Social Media as Part of a Recruitment Campaign.

Others include Best Diversity & Inclusion Initiative, sponsored by Quarriers, which will recognise the Scottish employer that best demonstrates diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their candidate attraction and people management activities.

The judges were looking for leading businesses that deliver a great candidate experience as well as an innovative approach to recruitment. Mr Mochan said the quality of entries was outstanding and the panel was overwhelmed with the number of applications displaying innovative recruitment campaigns, and dedication to developing their staff.

Mr Mochan said that 2020 was “not a year for business as usual”, adding: “The pandemic forced us to rethink everything that we do, and execution on all of this involuntary adjustment could be hit and miss.

“It is not the strongest or most intelligent businesses who survived or even thrived through the lockdowns – it was the businesses who could innovate, adapt and hold true to that now tested promise of putting their people first.

“I was astonished to review how high businesses were able to push the bar in such a short period of time while keeping their people front and centre.”

Judge Stephen O’Donnell, an online recruitment specialist and chairman of NORA UK, said: “In the last 18 months, the challenges for employers and recruitment firms have flipped considerably as employees and employers have had to change where they work and how they work.

“We are all finding our way but the rulebook is starting to be rewritten with employers and recruiters much more attuned to looking at things from a candidate’s perspective and recognising that candidates are now much assertive and focused on what they want.

“The s1jobs Recruitment Awards have given us some great examples of companies responding to the changing marketplace.”

Another judge, Jennifer Millar-Donaldson, director of brand specialist Calgary Communications, said: “It’s such a positive step to see s1jobs progressing with these awards through adversity and it gives the whole industry hope to see companies being so innovative and taking on board the changes that have made us do things differently on a number of levels.

“Seeing how organisations have demonstrated how they are rethinking working practices and focusing on people in an honest, compelling and authentic way is tremendously encouraging and the awards are an ideal platform to shout about success in the industry and give something back.”

Abellio’s UK head of organisational effectiveness, Jacqueline Hepburn, was also impressed with the high levels of innovation and working practices in the context of the pandemic. “Some companies have been negatively affected by Covid but as a result they have rethought what they offer and how they offer it,” she said.

“Many have changed the way they deliver services through harnessing technology, developing new services and working with other businesses on a range of issues affecting employees and the wider organisation. This has been very positive and was very evident from the excellent entries we judged.”

The event, the ninth edition of the awards, will take place on Thursday, August 26 via virtual event platform The Awards Room and will be hosted by Joel Dommett, the popular stand-up comedian and presenter.

The Awards Room is a specialist events platform designed to offer an engaging virtual awards ceremony experience. Attendees will have an opportunity to network, and connect with sponsors and colleagues, all while enjoying the interactive event experience.

Find out more at www.s1recruitmentawards.co.uk.

The 2021 Shortlist

Best Recruitment Consultancy (UK & International)

• Blue Arrow

• Harvey Nash

• Pertemps

• Search Consultancy

Best Recruitment Consultancy (Scottish Operations)

• Contract Scotland

• Denholm Associates

• iMultiply

• Hrc Recruitment

Best Recruitment Consultancy (Newcomer)

• Amplifi Talent

• Oliver Smith Recruitment

• Pfc Careers

Recruitment Consultant of the Year

• Jackie Macgregor – HRC Recruitment

• Isabel Muller – Search Consultancy

• Kerry McFarlane – Denholm Associates

• Gillian Pate – Anderson Knight

• Linzi Murphy – Pertemps

Best Employer Brand

• Lidl GB

• Children 1st

• University of Glasgow

• University of the West of Scotland

• Webhelp UK

• West College Scotland

• Sky

• Wheatley Group

• The Richmond Fellowship

• Gap Group

Best Recruitment Website

• Balhousie Care Group

• DR Newitt

• NFU Mutual

• WM Morrisons

Best Recruitment Video

• Allied Vehicle Group

• Balhousie Care Group

• Quarriers

Best Use of Social Media – sponsored by esure

• WM Morrisons

• Quarriers

Best Digital Creative

• Allied Vehicle Group

• Esure

• Quarriers

Best Recruitment Campaign

• Jupiter Advertising

• Quarriers

• Together Energy Ltd

• esure

• WM Morrisons

Best In-House Recruitment Team

• Barchester Healthcare

• City Facilities Management

• eSure

• The Richmond Fellowship

HR Team of the Year – sponsored by Turning Point Scotland

• Best HR Ltd

• Bakkavor Salads Bo’ness

• French Duncan LLP

• North Lanarkshire Council

• Springfield Properties

Best Charity Employer – sponsored by Lidil GB

• Capital City Partnership

• Simon Community Scotland

• Quarriers

Best Early Careers Employer (Apprentice / Graduate)

• Springfield Properties

• Together Energy Ltd

• Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland

Best Employer Learning & Development Initiative

• Brasserie Ecosse Restaurant and Bar

• Simon Community Scotland

• Springfield Properties

• Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland

Best Diversity & Inclusion Initiative – sponsored by Quarriers

• Capital City Partnership

• South Lanarkshire College

• Springfield Properties

• Together Energy Ltd

s1 Shine Award – sponsored by Volvo Truck & Bus North & Scotland

• Louise Robertson – Bakkavor Salads Bo’ness

• David McCarroll – TMS UK Ltd

• Douglas McFarlane – Abbeycare Scotland

Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Achievement – sponsored by Lidl GB

To be announced on the evening.