Chess won the region’s top award for Performance through People in recognition of its commitment to people development as a fundamental aspect of its growth strategy.
Testament to the success of this strategy is Chess’ recent inclusion in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 and Deloitte’s Fast 50 – the two most important national league tables of fast growing technology companies.
One of the things that stood out most to the judges is its investment in its Chess’ unique management training programme.
New managers at Chess are allocated a mentor from the senior management team to assist them in their development. As a result, the business rarely recruits for senior roles, favouring the provision of opportunities for its existing people to develop their careers with a policy of promotion from within.
Liz Deakin, National Employer Service Relationship Director at the Learning and Skills Council, said: “Chess demonstrates the positive impact investment in workforce development can have on the bottom line. Chess is a role model for others to follow.”
Chess’ Chief Executive, David Pollock said “one of the main underlying principles about the way we run our business is that the development of our people will underpin the future growth and success of Chess. This award is true recognition of our commitment to this. It is important to us to be recognised as an example by our peers in the business community. Winning this award is a positive step towards us, and it raises expectations, and inspires us to drive towards future successes.”
Now in their fourth year, the Chamber awards were developed to recognise outstanding achievement in the British business community.
Chess will now go through to the national round of judging, where it will get the chance to win a top prize of £50,000 courtesy of Royal Bank of Scotland.