Business Award Competitions: What Can We Learn From Them?

by EdgeLink on Nov 17, 2010 in Uncategorized

Award programs can serve a variety of purposes, but one that I personally find significant is the fact that they force you to take a hard look at the inner workings of your organization. For some awards, the application process alone allows a business to reflect on the things they’ve doing right, and at the same time, it can open their eyes to areas for improvement. Competitions that are based on customer feedback give an organization the privilege of gaining direct and candid feedback about their value and shortcomings.

Another benefit of award programs is that they offer a chance for employees to rally around the company. The application process can inspire questions that become meaningful topics for discussion within an organization. And of course, there’s also an intangible “cool factor” to winning awards that can “fire-up” a company and energize teams.

This year, EdgeLink has been fortunate to win several awards and receive important recognition on coveted industry lists. Most recently we won a spot on Inavero’s “Best of Staffing–Candidate™” list, and earlier in the year we were named to the “Best of Staffing–Client™” list. We were also selected as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon in March of this year. (You can read about these and our many other awards and accomplishments at: http://edgelink.wpengine.com/recognition.html.) We are grateful to have a team of talented, hard-working and dedicated individuals whose extraordinary efforts have made these achievements possible.

While these awards and recognition can be great for company morale and validating the efforts of our employees, it’s equally important to ask, “What benefit does this recognition bring to our clients and candidates? Here are some things that I believe these awards confirm:

• We have a sound reputation: While reputation is a subjective and elusive concept, the public’s perception can change quickly, either bolstering your profile or tarnishing it. The recognition that EdgeLink has received has certainly enhanced our reputation within the staffing industry. We have been described by our community as a company that is easy to work with, delivers on its promises, puts its clients and candidates first, and always conducts business with integrity.
• 
  We hold strong values: It’s easy to make claims that your company is made up of caring individuals who really listen to their customer’s needs and execute effectively. But when your company receives recognition for these exact traits that you promote, it lends credibility, demonstrating that you truly “walk the talk.” Based on the responses of our recent EdgeLink Loyalty Survey, many of our customers have shared appreciation in this vein.
• We serve the needs of our customers:  In today’s business climate, job seekers are often wary of staffing firms; worrying that a company may not represent and serve their best interest. Our designation to the “Best of” list helps to give our candidates “piece of mind” affirming that we will take good care of them.

Despite the glowing reviews, we won’t let our egos get the best of us. We will continue to work hard to prove our commitment to our clients and candidates. This means, always asking the hard questions, graciously accepting critique, and having the willingness to change for the benefit of our customers and their needs.
We are grateful to our candidates and clients for taking the time to participate in our recent Loyalty Survey and we look forward to continued successful relationships. Thank you!

Has your company participated in this kind of business competition? What lessons have you learned?