With the date now confirmed, employers still have time to register to take part in the initiative and to attend the high-profile networking event. To register, organisations need to sign up for the free employee survey which is at the heart of the initiative. The survey is tailored for each organisation and provides employers with a better understanding of their workplace culture and employee engagement levels. All participating organisations are in with the chance of winning a prestigious accolade which will highlight the organisation as a great place to work. Research by Pure, East Anglia’s professional recruitment specialists, shows that organisations with these types of employer-focussed accreditations and awards typically receive twice as many applications when recruiting for a role.

Lynn Walters, co-founder and director at Pure, said: “Many employers already carry out their own staff surveys. We want to encourage them to incorporate these into the Best Employers survey as this is a unique opportunity with added benefits. Being part of the Best Employers initiative not only enables employers to monitor their own employee engagement levels, it is also a chance to benchmark their findings against other organisations in the region. Our aim is to provide employers with the tools and guidance to actively develop their own organisation, and the opportunity to work together with other business leaders to share successes and ideas. A collaborative approach from all the region’s best employers will help to put East Anglia on the map as great place to work and ultimately boost the regional economy overall.”

The Best Employers Eastern Region Survey provides employers with the data needed to understand and develop an organisation's culture, values and employee engagement. Each organisation receives a tailored report summarising the culture, values and leadership style across their organisation, and an action plan for guidance on further development.

Margaret Burnside, Director of People Development at eras Ltd, added: “Running your employee survey through the Best Employers initiative not only provides organisations with reliable and accurate information on their own organisation, but also access to regional trends. This will help to really inform strategic planning and to deliver long term organisational change. Employers can choose to use our standard survey or customise it to suit their own business by incorporating any existing staff surveys or adding additional, bespoke questions. Because it is conducted by an external party, employers are also more likely to get honest answers and gain an authentic reflection.” 

Previous participants, which have gone on to win Best Employer awards, include Benefit Cosmetics in Chelmsford, crowned the region’s Best Overall Large Employer at the last Best Employer awards in 2014, and Bidwells in Cambridgeshire, Rehabworks in Suffolk and Tobar in Norfolk. These organisations are now part of a growing network of Best Employers across the region, attending regular employee engagement seminars to share best practice.

Three key reasons to take part in the Best Employers Eastern Region initiative:

1.       Become part of a growing network of Best Employers and share successes and ideas with other top employers to benefit the region as whole.

2.       Enhance your employee survey by accessing valuable data not only on your own organisation, but also regional trends which will enable you to benchmark your business against others across the region.

3.       Be in with a chance of winning a prestigious award which will enhance your employer brand and attract more talent to your organisation.

The Best Employers survey is open to organisations of all sizes and sectors across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. The confidential employee survey typically costs around £2,000, but is provided free of charge if businesses implement it as part of Best Employers initiative. The survey is open for employees to complete until September. For more information, visit www.best-employers.co.ukor contact the team at Bestemployers@prs.uk.com.

For more media information, or interview opportunities, contact Dawn Humphreys or Amy Larman at FOUR Agency on 01603 627294 or email dawn@fouragency.co.uk or amy@fouragency.co.uk