One of the UK’s largest housing associations has been named one of the top 10 best workplaces for women in the UK, for a fifth year running.
Newcastle-based Home Group has not been out of the top 10 of the Best Workplaces for Women Awards since they started in 2019.
The specialist provider of housing, health, and care saw off competition from major global companies, and was the only housing association in the top 30 at this year’s awards.
Laura Matchett, head of organisation development and learning at Home Group, said: “To remain in the top 10 for so long is an amazing achievement and testament to the work that so many of our brilliant colleagues put in to ensure we are able to continually improve our workplace for women.
“Home Group prides itself on supporting all women, and to making sure that women feel safe at work, as well as engaged and empowered to lead a fulfilling professional life, whatever that may look like for them.
“While we’re delighted with the 2024 results we won’t rest on our laurels – we’ll keep learning and improving our wonderful organisation.”
The awards recognise the best super large, large, medium and small workplaces in the UK who are leading the way in creating equal opportunities for women in their workplace, with Home Group named in the super large category for business with more than 1,000 employees.
This latest success follows on from Home Group being ranked among the top 10 places to work in the UK for the fifth year running in the Great Places to Work survey.
Among the policies and actions that kept Home Group in the top ten of the Best Workplaces for Women Awards were applying the Rooney rule for gender (as well as for multicultural candidates) for all senior roles; supporting every woman in their career development journey, running quarterly virtual Lean In sessions, where women can informally build networks; continuing to focus on women’s safety with working groups reviewing safety, workplace language, training and education of others.
Home Group also reviewed its Lone Working arrangements and improved the experience for colleagues returning to work after absence, as well as continuing to work on gender pay gap, which remains favourable against the national average and shows a year-on-year improvement.
Best Workplaces awards were created by Great Place to Work, an international organisation represented in over 50 countries worldwide. Operating in the UK since 2000, their aim is to help businesses create high performing workplaces where employees feel valued and trusted.
Representing the most prestigious recognition of employer success, the awards are backed by more than 30 years of global research. They provide a unique insight into the people practices that create an organisation’s workplace culture.
