Best Companies to Work for sees stars at CDHT
The biggest and most comprehensive survey of employee opinion in the UK has, for the third year running, ranked Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) as one of the top organisations to work for in the UK.
The research carried out by Best Companies Ltd., and in its tenth year involved surveys from over 257,000 employees across the country from 1,086 entries. CDHT has attained two star ‘outstanding’ status amongst 140 of these organisations but will not be content to let things rest there.
Director of Property Services at CDHT, Phil Jones said;
“For CDHT the survey and resulting ranking is certainly not just a box tick, it actually recognises that we listen to and value colleagues and actively change things as a result, making CDHT a better place to work and enabling us to improve the way we work with customers and local communities. We have a genuine track record for using the ‘Best Companies to Work for’ ranking and more importantly the employee feedback to improve how colleagues feel about working for CDHT. Data from the survey is used to continually inform how we can improve our colleague engagement. Following further analysis and consultation with other colleagues across the organisation after last year’s award CDHT has improved communications, introduced company-wide health cover with Medicash and enhanced maternity benefits.”
Chris Chapman was one of ten colleagues who attended last year’s awards ceremony in London, following an open invitation for colleagues to nominate their team members who they felt most deserved a really good night out where the award would be given. A labourer/driver with CDHT’s Voids Team and with the organisation for 27 years, Chris helps clear empty properties quickly before new occupants move in. He stated;
“I was very honoured to be able to go to the dinner and really enjoyed meeting and talking to everyone from all different work areas across CDHT. It was really interesting. I was put forward to go by my line manager and was amazed to be selected. It was a great chance to be recognised and do something different.”
Jonathan Austin, founder & CEO of Best Companies Ltd. said;
“Our role is to set a rigorous benchmark so that organisations can become even better employers. I would like to congratulate Chester & District Housing Trust on their outstanding achievement.”
The Best Companies 2010 star status accreditation ceremony will be held at The Art of Engagement in Milton Keynes, a new event later in the Spring, where CDHT will receive their award.
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Notes to editors
The Best Companies survey is designed to measure employee engagement and uses 70 questions to gain a comprehensive view of employee engagement across eight factors; Leadership, Well Being, My Manager, My Team, My Company, Personal Growth, Giving Something Back and Fair Deal. Every company that goes for Best Companies Accreditation is given a Best Companies Index score (BCI). This score (on a scale of 1 to 1000) is defined from employees’ responses to the sixteen key questions within the Best Companies survey. The award supplement is sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development. More information at www.bestcompanies.co.uk
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is a dynamic and enterprising organisation at the forefront of delivering positive impacts in the communities with which it works. The Trust’s homes span six communities – Blacon North; Blacon South; Chester City Area; The Rurals; Lache and Handbridge; Upton, Hoole, Newton and Plas Newton.
Committed to the best principles of social enterprise with over 14,000 local customers in 6,200 properties and 53% of its 275 colleagues living within its communities, the Trust adheres to key commitments and principles relating to people, places, partnerships and performance which underpin the Vision to ‘create opportunity’, through its mission, ‘by doing the right thing’.
The Trust is about being transparent and accountable in everything that is done and to this end is one of the first organisations nationally to have established a Residents’ Board, with full delegated powers from the Trust Board, to direct services which impact upon their lives.
The Trust has a comprehensive development programme delivering over 330 new homes including the £12million regeneration of the Treborth Road area of Chester providing new homes for rent, sale and shared ownership, as well as a village green and wildlife habitats.
CDHT also provides services on a partnership basis, to a number of other customers e.g. Telecare services, TrustWorks Maintenance Services, Housing Options advice, waiting list management and choice based lettings to neighbouring local authorities and registered social landlords.
The Trust is rated as two Star excellent by the Audit Commission, has the highest possible rating from Telecare Services Association and is also credited Investors in People and is the overall Employer of the Year For Cheshire West. It has been in the ‘Top 100 Sunday Times best companies to work for’ for the last 2 years.
For more details please visit Click here to view the website or request a copy of CDHT’s Corporate Plan 2009-2014.
CDHT Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood
Click here to email Phil
M: 07884 493370
Jane Harrad-Roberts
Click here to email Jane
M: 07785 395705
W: Click here to view the website
T: 01244 330000
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