After another very successful prom season, Red Carpet Ready was named one of the five Employer of the Year finalists at the 2024 Natwest Enterprise Vision Awards!
What are the Natwest Enterprise Vision Awards?
The Natwest Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs) are the UK’s largest business awards celebrating female entrepreneurs and employers. Every year, the EVAs champion the women shaping the future of female entrepreneurs and reward businesses that grow the communities around them as they grow.
Three dedicated staff members were chosen to represent Red Carpet Ready at the awards in Blackpool, all wearing dresses from our RCR Exclusives Collection, dresses designed by us, made with love, and only sold at our one-shopping destination.
Why we were finalists for ‘Employer of the Year’?
We were pleased that Red Carpet Ready made the final for the Employer of the Year category for this year’s final. Here are just some of the reasons why we deserved our spot in the final.
We develop staff, recognise results, & reward achievements
As an employer, Red Carpet Ready nurtures reliable and dedicated staff that create an environment for success and grow with the company as we expand. Our internal graduation scheme for our retail staff offers opportunities for staff to grow within the company and provides goals for staff to work towards. This system at Red Carpet Ready recognises and rewards staff for the results they show and motivates staff to want to build their careers with us.
Every role at Red Carpet Ready has a clear path of progression no matter where you start. Our staff incentives, rewards, and career progression opportunities help us maintain staff motivation and retention.
The team are actively developed in their roles into several other departments, including sales, marketing, content creation and operations. This provides a well-rounded experience to improve skills across a variety of different roles within the company.
One of our top Stylists Jemima is an example of someone who was able to take advantage of our culture of development and thrive at the Red Carpet Ready. After joining Red Carpet Ready a year an a half ago with no experience, Jemima is now a full time member of staff and a member of the design team for our bestselling RCR Exclusives Collection.
Here’s what Jemima has to say about here experience working at Red Carpet Ready:
“Red Carpet Ready have been a fantastic employer to me. I have been given opportunities that I would have got anywhere else. They really care about their staff, I’m motivated at work, I enjoy coming here & I know there are endless opportunities for me here in the future”
We reward staff for their achievements
Red Carpet Ready recognises and rewards results through fun events and staff days out.
Our annual Staff Recognition and Rewards Night is an event the whole team looks forward to. The event is an opportunity to recognise our top achievers for the season and reward their performance. The night is a celebration that the whole team enjoys and looks forward to.
Staff days out are opportunities for the whole team to connect and enjoy themselves. A past example includes a staff trip to Alton Towers, which was an opportunity for the team to connect and get to know each other outside of work, as well as a reward for all the hard work our team puts into the company.
Why our staff love working at Red Carpet Ready
But don’t just take our word for it. Here are what a few members of our team have to say about Red Carpet Ready as an Employer.
Our Retail and Customer Service Manager, Narrindar, says that the recognition she receives for her work at Red Carpet Ready lets her know she’s valued and not just a number in the system.
‘Ive been with the company for 2 years and I’m now proud to say that I am a strong manager within the company. I get recognised for all the hard work I do and I can honestly say I enjoy every day – I’m proud to work at Red Carpet Ready. Compared to other places I’ve worked, Red Carpet Ready is so much more fast paced, no day is the same! Normally, a retail manager would not have the opportunity to get involved in photo shoots or campaigns as well as training and recruiting, which are just two examples of what I’ve done here, and for some events you get to wear beautiful dresses! What’s not to love. Its a great company to work for.”
Another management team member, our Marketing & Projects Manager Oliver, joined Red Carpet Ready straight from university 3 years ago with no previous experience. Since then, Oliver has become a core member of our senior management team, has received pay raises and bonuses for his achievements & commitment, and works very closely with our CEO Kirsty:
“I have received a huge amount of mentoring, development opportunities, promotions & pay rises,” says Oliver.
“I feel these opportunities are rare & truly do not feel I would have received these if working elsewhere. Red Carpet Ready has a great working culture, blending a fast-moving, forward-thinking successful business environment with fun & unique staff events to celebrate. It’s a brilliant team to be a part of.”
Our CEO, Kirsty Gale, is at the centre of this culture of staff rewards, recognition and development. She built the company from the ground up, from its inception 11 years ago to the thriving multi-million pound business that it is today. As someone who left school at 15 with few qualifications, taking a non-traditional route to success through dedication, perseverance and drive, she is a role model to all of us here at Red Carpet Ready.
It was an honour to be named among the five finalists up for the award and we appreciate the EVAs for the nomination.