Elliotts Builders Merchant has been named “Employer of the Year” at the tenth annual Solent 250 Business Awards.
The Solent 250 Business Awards evening, which took place on Tuesday 18th June, celebrated the achievements of some of the top privately-owned businesses with headquarters in the Solent region. Significantly, Elliotts didn’t self-nominate for the award and was surprised to learn that it had been selected to participate by the Solent 250 team due to its great reputation in the area.
An interview process with the University of Southampton Business School followed, before learning that the business was a finalist. The University’s Richard Cartwright commented: “Elliotts has established itself not only as a successful business but as a pioneering employer that prioritises the empowerment, development, and well-being of its staff.
“Through its progressive management practices, comprehensive benefits, and an environment that nurtures innovation and simplification, Elliotts not only exemplifies the qualities of an Employer of the Year but also sets a benchmark in the sector for fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect.”
CEO Tom Elliott (pictured with the award) said: “I’m really proud and humbled to have won Employer of the Year. It all comes down to how we look after our team, because they are core to our success. Once you’re part of the team, we’ll go out of our way to support you, and we’ve created an environment where people can thrive.”
With 182 years under its belt, Elliotts continues to be family owned and run (currently in its sixth generation) and employs over 300 people across its branch network and head office site. And as well as pizzas for the team on payday and hampers at Christmas, Elliotts has a range of other benefits to support their team members when they most need it.
For example, the Elliotts Team Trust fund aims to assist employees financially when life doesn’t go to plan, with no rules on what will or will not be funded. Elliotts also has an Employee Assistance Programme that gives every team member 24/7 access to GPs and mental health support. Elliotts also offers their team members enhanced pay for maternity and paternity leave, with 6 months full pay for maternity and 2 weeks full pay for paternity leave.
Tome continued: “We’ve chosen to do things that feel right and are genuinely valued by the team rather than follow a formula or a tick-box exercise.”
Paul Chadwick, COO at Elliotts, added: “Winning this award is recognition of the way we’ve been running the business and doing something you probably wouldn’t expect from a long standing, family owned, traditional builders’ merchants. It’s the small things that really count for people. Treating our people like humans, feeling supported when they’ve got other things going on outside of work and having a safe environment.”
Head of HR Sarah Clements concluded: “One of the key reasons I joined Elliotts just over a year ago was its reputation as a great place to work, which genuinely looks after and invests in its people.”
