Foxtons is the only estate agency shortlisted for an award in this year’s CIPD People Management Award.
The company has actually been shortlisted in two categories – the ‘Best Inclusion and Diversity Initiative’ and ‘Best People Team of the Year – Private Sector’.
Foxtons says that it has helped ‘set the standard for service in estate agency’ and argues that its nomination in this years’ awards recognises ‘the hard work that’s gone into developing our people and culture’.
Foxtons’ chief people officer Sarah Mason said: “I am delighted to see Foxtons shortlisted by the prestigious CIPD People Management Awards 2021 in the ‘Best Inclusion and Diversity Initiative’ and ‘Best People Team of the Year – Private Sector’ categories.
“2020 was a challenging year for many of us and Foxtons People Teams worked really hard to support our colleagues through this time.
“I’m also hugely appreciative of the work that our D&I committees, communities and allies have done to ensure we have an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.”
Comments (3)
Now I’m not a member of CIPD. Never have been and never want to be. But I’m sure they are an extremely worthwhile body to be a Member of.
Interestingly, they don’t seem to make a big thing of their ‘Awards’ on their website. You’ve gotta dig deeper than that – and even then, the info is a bit sketchy at best.
The Regional awards appear to be free to enter. But the trail pretty much ends there. There’s nothing really to tell you how you go from ‘Regional’ to ‘National’ – if, in fact, that’s what happens. Or even if it’s a completely different entity, with a completely different set of requirements… and potential costs… for entering.
There’s a glitzy Awards Night that costs attendees anywhere between £325 and £475 per bum-on-the-seat. Several of the Awards are sponsored, too – no doubt the cost of putting on these shindigs is a bit eye-watering, so they have to cover those costs somehow… CIPD is, after all, a registered charity so it doesn’t have money to throw at these things.
My reason for interest? Simple, really. By strange coincidence, only yesterday in the usual deluge of emails I received one inviting me to apply for a job selling “Awards” to the property industry. Now they definitely need someone – if you were to divide England into four quarters, the ‘top right’ where I am based is conspicuous in its’ absence on their list of ‘nominees’/’winners’ from the most recent divvying out of perspex trophies (and of course ‘advertising/pr rights’).
But my point being, the package offered was one which most Area Managers… some Estate Agency owners up here would give their right arm for – never mind the thought of leaving all the stresses and trials of running their agencies on an hour-on-hour basis.
For selling “awards”.
Not many weeks go by when we don’t read on the pages of the trade press of an “awards” ceremony or of an “award” winner trying to get some column inches to pay for the “award” they have just “won”.
I appreciate that some people are impressed by the thought of having an “award winning team” marketing their home. Maybe they even believe it will get them a better result… quicker sale… more money – after all, many believe all the other bullshuttery that certain corners of our industry spew forth in the chase of their next paid listing.
But in the main, I would suggest, these “awards” are nothing other than new clothes for an ever increasing number of emperors desperate to be looked at…
…whilst the best ones I know just get on with the job and don’t chase awards that really do little or nothing to stop folk seeing the others’ winkies (credit: Robert May).
Oh – I didn’t apply for the job, by the way.
(And good luck, Foxtons. Sorry to have hijacked your PR piece.)
I’m always intrigued by how divisive awards are. Regardless of how you classify it, past successes are never a guarantee of future performance- be that sales results, reviews, awards…whatever. I find it fascinating that most that don’t buy into entering awards almost always insinuate a cabal of paid-for victories. I don’t think any agent that wins an award honestly believes, categorically, that they are ‘the best’ (whatever that means- since when did every client want exactly the same thing from an agent)- but it is one (of many available) benchmarks. We have found that the pride and joy wins have brought our staff, along with an aspiration to match or better that result in the following year, is the greatest reward we have ever had. Whether you shout about an award, a sale result, a review, an innovation whatever- bragging is bragging, there is no such thing as a noble brag. If we don’t shout about our own achievements- who will? I don’t think our rival valuation agents will be telling prospective Landlords on our behalf. Each to their own no?!
This week Foxtons had an Edisons Research report produced, extoling the virtues of the company.
Their standard fee is £49,500 for a report full of projections.
It leads with the strapline
CLEAR GROWTH PLANS DRIVE UPSIDE POTENTIAL
No doubt in an attempt to dampen any disquiet currently being shown by shareholders to how the company is being run
“We value the shares at up to 129p based on our bull case scenario.”
The shares are currently valued at 58p!
The paid for report is similar to the one Purplebricks paid Hardmans to produce which accompanied their stock market listing by Purplebricks
You know the one full of fluff which said they would have 100k instructions pa by FY 2020.
A cross between Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm .
I am sure shareholders Hoskings & Catlist will have something to say in response