Buckinghamshire pub owner, Oakman Inns, recognised in 100 Best Companies to Work For; nominated for Pub ‘Oscars’
Tring 2nd March 2016: It isn’t just The Oscars where British skills and talent are recognised and for Tring-based Oakman Inns (the owners of The Akeman Inn – Kingswood, Beech House – Beaconsfield and Betsey Wynne – Swanbourne), the celebrations have already started for the recognition they have received for their efforts in 2015.
With a handful of nominations at the pub industry’s biggest awards event in March, and having been named last week as the highest ranked Pub Company in “The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For”, Oakman Inns’ founder and CEO Peter Borg-Neal said: “I am just so proud of my team. They are young, clever, enthusiastic, fun and inspire me all the time. My managers are great leaders, my chefs are skilful and talented, my graduate trainees are aspiring to running great hospitable venues in their own right and every one of my team wants to give their customers the best experience they can.”
Alex Ford, Operations Director, said: “To be in the top 50 in ‘The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ for the second year running is a credit to every one of our team – they are our business – we are, after all, a people business – and we’re determined to be there again next year.”
The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2016 commendation reads:
“Encouraging the 487 staff – 60% of whom work full-time — to nurture their talents and bring craft back to the hospitality industry has been a focus this year for the Hertfordshire-based chain under its newly introduced ‘Oakmanology’ scheme. The learning platform uses YouTube films, in-house videos and factsheets to educate staff in a skill, guiding their expertise in the likes of wine, barista knowledge and butchery. This initiative is an example of the personal benefit employees feel they receive from in-house training (a 75% positive score).
Within the same scheme, information is available on work-based issues such as the effects of alcohol, standing for long periods and stress at work. Stress is also minimized by the realistic deadlines set by managers (75%, a top-15 score). The recent introduction of online health audits for managers, an employee assistance programme offering counselling and a confidential helpline have all contributed to Oakman Inns’ 16th place among mid-size Best Companies for Wellbeing (69%).”
Meanwhile, the Oakman team waits with bated breath for the results of The Publican Awards which will be announced at a glittering event on March 15th at the Battersea Evolution and where they have been nominated for three awards:
- Best Community Pub Operator
- Best New Pub/Bar: The Navigation Inn, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire
- Best Pub Employer (2-50 sites)
Oakman has won all three of these awards in the past – last year they had just opened The Beech House in St Albans – and since 2009, Oakman has won or been shortlisted for a dozen of the prestigious “Pub Oscars”.