Allstate NI's Talent
recognised at Irish News Awards

Allstate Northern Ireland was among the high-profile organisations which scooped the gongs at the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards in Belfast last night. For the 3rd year in a row Allstate Northern Ireland received the Managing Talent Award in the Large Organisation Category.

A capacity crowd packed into the Ramada Hotel for the gala black-tie dinner, at which Department of Employment & Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey congratulated all the winners for their success in placing a firm emphasis on individuals and their positive contribution to the Northern Ireland workplace.

The prestigious event, hosted by award-winning BBC journalist Karen Patterson, saw 17 main awards being presented alongside 14 commendations. Sarah Newman - RTE's Dragon's Den - provided a unique insight into what makes a successful entrepreneur and what it's like inside the Dragon's Den.

Speaking at the awards, the Minister welcomed the initiative, which aims to promote and reward our key resource - people. He said: "These awards recognise excellence in the workplace and reinforce the message that our people are our most important asset. It's great to see that more and more businesses and organisations are recognising this and the need to upskill their existing workforce so that they can make the most of new opportunities. Unfortunately we live in times of economic uncertainly but as research has shown, companies that invest in the skills of their staff are two and a half times more likely to survive. The aims of The Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards go hand in hand with much of skills work being taken forward through my department."

Allstate Northern Ireland' Talent Management Strategy focuses on a strong sense of leadership. This reinforces culture and instills values, to create a workplace environment where staff are managed in a consistent and measurable way, ensuring everyone is aligned, held accountable and paid fairly. The strategy also identifies high performers as successors to key positions throughout the organization to make sure the company has a highly flexible, responsive workforce. In real terms the Allstate NI Talent Management Programme evolves year on year and remains integrated with the business in a real-time fashion.

For additional information and photographs on the awards visit www.irishnews.com/wea.

Caption for photo - Ryan McGlinchey, Kenneth Finnerty, Allstate NI employees with Patricia Wallace from Sustrans.