Croner Teams with National Business Awards to Highlight the Value of Employee Engagement

LONDON, March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Croner, leading expert in HR and health & safety, (http://www.cronersolutions.co.uk), part of global information services business, Wolters Kluwer is partnering with the National Business Awards to find and celebrate the UK's best employers.

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The Croner Employer of the Year award recognises organisations that have achieved significant improvement in commercial and operational performance by investing in people - in their development and well-being - and creating a truly collaborative culture with a highly-motivated, appropriately-trained, ambitious, innovative and integrated workforce.

In 2012, Baringa Partners took home the award for demonstrating its commitment to developing and supporting staff and was described by judges as "a true meritocracy delivering astounding financial results … evolving a culture aligned with its growth plan by attracting and developing future leaders."

Andy Hague, Managing Director of Croner, commented: "Croner has sponsored the awards for the last two years and we have seen some remarkable examples of how a focus on employees can transform a business. When economic conditions are so tough for many organisations, greater financial benefit can come to those businesses that see the value of investing in their people."

Alex Evans, National Business Awards Programme Director said: "In an economy that is crying out for talent, and exploring new and innovative ways to attract, keep and develop the best people, the Croner Employer of the Year award is a powerful accolade. The standard continues to improve year on year and I'm looking forward to seeing some exceptional candidates recognised in 2013."

Now entering its twelfth year, the National Business Awards recognises the best performing organisations in the public, private and third sectors - from thriving SMEs, dynamic entrepreneurs and enterprising charities to FTSE 100 businesses.

The call for entries coincides with the National Business Awards revealing a white paper study that demonstrates the importance of strong leadership to British businesses. The research shows that both bosses and employees appreciate good leadership with over 90% of those surveyed saying that it's the most important influence on the success of an organisation. Over 80% of employees agree that having a good leader will have an impact on their own career progression, and they also believe that having a good boss inspires greater loyalty and motivation in them.

Britain's workers believe the top five personality traits of a good leader are honesty, good communication skills, being hardworking, trustworthiness and intelligence, which was similar to those also chosen by bosses. Both groups also said their top business leader of all time was Sir Richard Branson, followed by Bill Gates. When asked to attribute specific traits to top leaders, Branson again shone through, coming top for qualities such as good communication skills, competitiveness, confidence and being hardworking, although Lord Sugar came top for his deal making skills.

To register your interest in the National Business Awards and to see the full white paper visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk

Notes to editors:

About the National Business Awards

Open to organisations of all sizes from all sectors across the UK, the National Business Awards is the UK's most prestigious independent business recognition platform with its particular emphasis on excellence, innovation and ethical business. Now in its twelfth year, the National Business Awards connects the nations' professionals through its annual awards ceremony; year-round thought leadership and round table events; and is UBM plc's flagship awards programme. Visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk for further information or follow us on Twitter @businessawards.

The full list of categories includes -

The Daily Telegraph Award for a Decade of Excellence in Business
The Croner Employer of the Year
The New Business of the Year
The BlackBerry Business Enabler of the Year
The Smith & Williamson Entrepreneur of the Year
The International Growth Business of the Year
The Digital Business of the Year
The Customer Focus Award
The ICAEW Sustainable Business Award
The Leadership Diversity Award
The Social Enterprise of the Year
The Innovation Award
The Growth Business of the Year
The FTSE 100 Business of the Year
The Corporate Citizenship Award
The Santander Small to Medium-Sized Business of the Year
The Leader of the Year

About UBM Awards & Partnerships

UBM Awards & Partnerships is part of one of the largest event companies in the world. They create, design and deliver Awards ceremonies that reach thousands of people globally across every sector. Their Awards publicly celebrate excellence, highlighting what is best, what is effective and what is valued.

About Croner

Croner, a Wolters Kluwer business, is the UK's leading HR and health & safety expert. It has served HR, health & safety and business professionals since 1948 with market-leading products and services. Wolters Kluwer is a market-leading global information services company with annual revenues (2012) of €3.6 billion and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Its shares are quoted on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices.

For further information please contact:
Rachel Branigan
PR Manager
UBM Awards & Partnerships
Tel: +44-(0)207-955-3843 / +44-(0)782-344-4284
Email: Rachel.branigan@ubm.com