YOU receives ‘Best Companies to work for' accreditation

"Seen as a Michelin Star for excellence as an employer"

The social care organisation YOU, which employs over 450 staff across Hampshire and Dorset, has been revealed as one of only 410 organisations in the UK to receive Star Status in the Best Companies Accreditation 2010.

1,086 companies applied for the accreditation this year and YOU, which is based in Portsmouth, must now wait until the beginning of March to see if it is ranked in the sought-after Sunday Times Top 100 Companies To Work For.

The Best Companies accreditation award scheme is based on staff feedback, which is one of the reasons it is so highly respected. It honours companies who use employee engagement as an integral part of their success and growth, and it sets a benchmark for all employers. It follows a Michelin star-style system with companies awarded one star for first class, two stars for outstanding and three stars for extraordinary performance.

Liz Page, Director of People and Learning at YOU, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have received this accreditation. So far we have one star, and of course now we're aiming for at least another one! I joined YOU nearly three years ago because of its ethos, which is to involve employees in every aspect of what we do."

Jonathan Austin, Founder and CEO of Best Companies, said: "We would like to congratulate YOU on their outstanding achievement. An engaged workforce is essential as organisations move out of the recession and into a more stable economic situation. No doubt many organisations have tackled redundancies and rapid change this year. But organisations like YOU that have kept on engaging their staff and making sure they are involved in the business will be in a good position for the future and should be congratulated for their efforts".

The Best Companies 2010 star status accreditation ceremony will be held at The Art of Engagement, the groundbreaking event being opened by Best Companies later in the spring.