CIPD Award reflects Claire’s transformational strategy

Winning the Michael Kelly Outstanding Student prize, sponsored by MOL at the CIPD People Management Awards, was a fitting achievement for Claire Gibbons.

Claire, HR Manager at label manufacturer Label Apeel in Leicester, not only won over the awards judging panel, she has transformed her company’s relationship with its 45 staff through re-evaluating the firm’s future HR needs.

Claire said of winning her CIPD award: “It was a huge honour and I am extremely proud to be recognised for my achievements from such a prestigious organisation.”

Through designing highly successful employee engagement, absence management and recruitment policies, Claire used her Certificate in HR Practice course to drive down staff turnover by 60% with similar decreases in sickness and stress figures.

More impressive still is the increase in employee engagement, with 94% of staff saying they are highly committed to the business. The CIPD People Management Awards judges commented on Claire’s impact on her business: “Claire had strong quantitative and qualitative evidence of applying all of the CHP. There is no doubt what she learned has made a difference to the business.”

Claire said of her MOL course: “I had a fantastic tutor and a brilliant group. We were from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries which meant we could discuss issues we were all facing and bounce ideas off each other. It was great to get so many views and examples of issues different people faced.”

Winning the Michael Kelly Outstanding Student Award as part of a smaller company undoubtedly added to Claire’s sense of achievement. She said: “When I look at the organisations I was up against for the award it makes winning so much more significant. One organisation sitting at the same table as me had a HR department three times larger than my whole business!

Claire concluded: “Professionally, the award is about putting yourself out there as a person who is able to perform at the highest level. That makes me feel very proud.”

Professionally, the award is about putting yourself out there as a person who is able to perform at the highest level. That makes me feel very proud.