To be a good partner for our clients, we like to not only look at what is going on in the HR software space, but we also like to look at what is going on more broadly in the business space.
We recently applied for the NSW Business Chamber Business Awards and were delighted to be a regional finalist in the Small Business Excellence category. Although we didn’t win our category, the process of applying and the awards night did give us some important insights that we would like to share.
Going through the process of applying for a business award can be an achievement in itself. Usually you have to develop lengthy application documents and uncover classified business information. For anyone who has ever done it, you would know the long hours that you need to invest into it.
The good news is, even if you don’t become a finalist or win the award, these hours are not wasted as it can be a beneficial process. We found that it gave us a great opportunity to reset to our vision and look at the achievements we had gained to date.
We were able to articulate why we were suited to a business excellence award, and then we were able to communicate this to staff more clearly following the application. It gave us clarity and a sense of achievement. Of course, getting the phone call that we were a finalist meant that we could create a level of buzz in the office, and thank everyone for their achievements in a more formal sense.
Arriving at the business awards dinner, there are numerous tables with various businesses. It’s overwhelming at first to see the number of finalists and the diverse types of businesses that are present. However, looking at other businesses gave us an opportunity to assess ourselves in the market and see where we fit as well as how we compare to others.
On our table we had a finance company and an education company. We were able to use this opportunity to meet other businesses and learn from them through one on one conversations, as well as hearing each business speak who collected their award.
If anyone is thinking of applying for a business/ HR award, we would definitely recommend it. The process gave us invaluable insights and we look forward to applying and being involved again next year.