Its internal communications strategy was at the heart of its plans to get to where it is now, because of a belief that happy staff mean happy customers and in turn, brilliant business results.
In short, as its entry - which one of our panel of judges described as 'fabulous' and 'outstanding' - to this internal communications category eloquently puts it, AmicusHorizon nailed its targets through great communications.
The organisation ran interactive sessions, asking staff 'what great looked like'. Then it recalibrated the business, based fundamentally on consistent two-way interactions with staff. Finally, it communicated an entire culture change to the business through its leadership and team-building.
When it came to devising a three-year strategic plan, each member of the 940 staff was consulted and their ideas considered, ensuring when the plans came to fruition, the leadership team had maximum understanding and buy-in from employees.
Communications continued in force and after a 2009 staff survey found only 56% of employees used the intranet system for internal comms, this was overhauled and re-launched, so now an "ass-kicking" 88% love it.
In a bid to win hearts and minds through corporate communication, small teams meet for weekly 'sizzle' sessions to talk through issues facing the business and come up with new ideas.
Staff also receive monthly online magazines with opinion from the CEO and all receive monthly performance bulletins, keeping them abreast of the company's financial and non-financial position.
Last year, the company held a conference, in London's O2, for the entire workforce, where the focus was not on "corporate stuff", but to celebrate the employees and the work they had achieved as a team.
Throughout the whole communications process, every word communicated to employees was aligned to strategic objectives, employee engagement and organisational performance.
The judges praised the informal engaging style of the entry, commenting it was readable and trendy, yet interesting and detailed from the very first page.
The panel, although appreciating the resource assigned to internal communications at AmicusHorizon was limited, thought the magnitude of the strategy was impressive and the results measurable and at the core of the remarkable turnaround success of the housing association.
Finalists
• Heineken UK
• Lloyds Banking Group
• Lowell Group
• Red Door Communications
• Sesame Bankhall Group
• TUI UK & Ireland
