Why you should enter Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2025

The Caterer’s Best Places to Work in Hospitality awards are a celebration of businesses which have put initiatives in place which make a valuable and lasting difference to their people culture.

 

Run in partnership with Korero and sponsored by Umbrella Training, recognition as one of the Best Places to Work in Hospitality provides entrants the chance to feature in the Top 30 employers list, which sets a business apart as an employer of choice.

 

Former winners who have made it on the Top 30 Best Places to Work list have spoken of their pride at being recognised as “pioneers” in the industry.

 

Alongside the Top 30 list, new for 2025 are six new awards which will honour operators showing progress in particular areas of people engagement.

 

The new awards will celebrate areas of employee satisfaction, including pride, recognition and wellbeing.

 

Meanwhile, a most improved award will be given to a returning entrant for the work they’ve completed over the last 12 months to develop and better their employee engagement, strategy and satisfaction.

 

What types of businesses make the Best Places to Work list?

Qualities which make for a fantastic employer include encouraging and supporting professional development, promoting an environment which celebrates success, and embracing a flexible workplace.

 

Examples of past winners include Red Carnation Hotels, which was recognised for becoming the first hotel company to offer higher education opportunities to its staff by launching degree apprenticeships in 2018.

 

Filipa Biquinha, talent acquisition manager at Red Carnation Hotels, said: “Because we spend so much time at work, it’s really about caring about each other and having that family feel, which is such a big part of our culture here at Red Carnation as we are a family-owned company.”

 

She said the hotel group was “truly proud to be pioneers in this area”.

 

The Biltmore in Mayfair, London, was recognised as a hotel which places emphasis on celebrating staff successes.

 

Director of HR, Sting Khumalo, said the Biltmore “understand[s] the art of celebrating success” with initiatives such as a ‘team member of the month’ award and offering staff a "gourmet retreat" canteen.

 

Adele Oxberry, founder and chief executive at Umbrella Training said companies such as these “make our industry exceptional”.

 

“That’s why it is so important for us to celebrate and recognise those who excel, and why we are proud to sponsor and support Best Places to Work," Oxberry said.

 

Now in its eleventh year, the awards are open to pubs, restaurants, hotels, gastropubs and foodservice operators in the UK who want to gain invaluable insight into the happiness and satisfaction of their employees through a unique employee survey.

 

Sign up here.