How do I enter?
Entering the Contract Journal Best Places to Work in Construction Awards 2008 is simple. To obtain an entry form, all you need to do in the first instance is to complete the registration details, send it to us with payment and we'll start the ball rolling.
What category should we enter?
We're seeking entries from any company involved in construction, from suppliers and consultants, to contractors of all sizes (see categories).
What do I get for my entry fee?
The entry fee of £75 pus VAT (total cost £88.13 per single entry submission) helps to cover the cost of carrying out the in-depth research and collating the detailed individual company reports that each entrant receives. If companies were to carry out this research themselves, it would cost many thousands of pounds, so this is a cost-effective way of gaining some great insight into your company, what makes it a good place to work, and what could help make it an even better place to work.
What happens once I have entered?
Once you have entered, each company will be sent a form which looks specifically at your company and what you offer your employees. We’ll also want to know whether you have any company values – and we’ll ask if you have any other comments you want to add too.
We’ll also email you a questionnaire, which you can either email to all your employees, or print out to give to them. Employees should fill out the forms and return them to the email address or postal address given – they should be sent directly to the independent research company that is collating all the results. Employee comments will be completely anonymous.
We do need a certain percentage of each firm’s employees to respond to ensure the results are accurate. The independent research company carrying out the work will notify companies who have not met the required response rate, in order to allow them to encourage more employee participation.
Please note that the information you and your employees supply will remain strictly confidential. It will not be passed onto any third party, and employees taking part in the survey will not be named or identified in any way.
Once all the individual company results are completed (by the closing date of 2nd April), firms will be ranked according to their performance, and a shortlist will be drawn up.
When do entries close?
You must get your completed entry form and payment to us by 14th March to qualify for entering the research process. You will then have 5 weeks to complete your questionnaires - the closing date for completed questionnaires is 2nd April 2008. Each firm’s employees must have completed the required number of surveys by this date to be included in the final judging. The independent research firm conducting the research will let firms know beforehand if they require more entries to meet the set level to ensure entries are fair and representative.
What happens to the surveys after they're sent in?
The independent research firm will collate the results for each firm, and will produce a tailor-made individual report on each company which entered. The results will be collated by the independent research company. They will be used to judge each category and to draw up the shortlists for each Award. The comments given by employees may also be used during the shortlisting and final judging process. These comments will remain anonymous at all times.
When will I know if I have made the shortlist? And what happens next?
The shortlist for the Contract Journal Best Places to Work in Construction will be published in Contract Journal on 30th April 2008, and will also appear on this site and on www.contractjournal.com. Every shortlisted company will be contacted individually, and will also be sent an Awards package. This will include a Best Places to Work in Construction 2008 finalist logo, which you are free to use on stationery, recruitment advertising or any company material. We will also send you full details about how you and your colleagues, friends and clients can join us for the Awards ceremony on 18th June.
When will I know if I have won?
The results are a closely guarded secret, and are only revealed at the Contract Journal Best Places to Work in Construction Awards 2008. Winning one of these Awards is a huge achievement, and that's why we make our annual Awards lunch a day to remember. This year, the Contract Journal Best Places to Work in Construction Awards will be presented on 18th June during a fantastic lunch at the home of cricket – Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. We look forward to welcoming you to this great event.
