Apr 04, 2025

Strand Palace Wins Best Overall People Experience at the British HR Awards 2025!

We are thrilled to announce that Strand Palace has been awarded Best Overall People Experience at the British HR Awards 2025! This recognition follows our recent accolade as one of the UK’s Great Places to Work, reinforcing our commitment to creating an outstanding workplace for our team.

The British HR Awards celebrate the teams and individuals who go above and beyond to deliver a world-class people experience. With over 350 entries from organisations across the UK. Strand Palace stood out for our exceptional focus on employee well-being, diversity, professional growth, and recognition, which have been instrumental in shaping our workplace culture.

Championing People and Excellence at Strand Palace

Our People & Culture team champions an innovative, people-first approach, fostering an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and inspired. Our strategy focuses on well-being, diversity, development, and recognition, leading to exceptional employee retention, record-breaking revenue, and a significant rise on TripAdvisor from 290th to 120th place.

Well-being at the Core: Weekly yoga sessions, “Cake Fridays,” enhanced maternity benefits, mental health workshops, and trained Mental Health First Aiders create a supportive environment where our people can thrive.
A Culture of Diversity: With over 50 languages spoken among our teams, we celebrate cultural milestones like Diwali and Ramadan, and host monthly cultural team lunches to embrace our diversity.
Recognising Excellence: Our annual awards ceremony celebrates our FOH and BOH Employees of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Team of the Year, with generous cash and travel prizes. Long-service honourees were recently treated to afternoon tea at The Ritz, and our monthly Star of the Strand winner receives a £250 Virgin Experience voucher.
Empowering Growth: Our “One Way to Excellence” program bridges skills gaps, and partnerships with Cranfield University and HOSPA offer advanced leadership training. We also provide apprenticeship programs from Level 2 to Level 7, ensuring structured career growth.
Financial Wellbeing: Enhanced healthcare plans, financial education workshops, and double pay for Christmas and New Year shifts further support our team’s financial security.

From Our Leadership: Celebrating the Lovers of Service

Teresa Chacon, Director of People & Culture at Strand Palace, shared her thoughts on this achievement:

“At Strand Palace, our people are not just at the heart of everything we do, they are the driving force behind our success. Winning Best Overall People Experience is a testament to the incredible dedication, passion, and collaboration of our team. This recognition is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to creating a workplace where every individual feels valued, empowered, and inspired. It fuels our determination to continuously innovate, elevate the employee experience, and set new standards in people-first practices.”

Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible and British HR Awards judge, added:

"The need for an engaged and agile workforce is more urgent than ever, and it’s the outstanding skill, passion, and hard work of HR professionals who are meeting these challenges head-on. The British HR Awards are proud to celebrate these exceptional teams and individuals. Congratulations to all the Winners.”

Celebrating Success & Looking Ahead

The winners were revealed at a special celebration event in Covent Garden, London, hosted by comedian Fiona Allen.

This award is more than just an accolade, it’s a reflection of our continued commitment to fostering an exceptional workplace experience. Thank you to the British HR Awards and to every member of our team who has contributed to this achievement.

Want to be part of an award-winning team? Join us! Explore career opportunities at Strand Palace.