Awards and Media Coverage

Happy and our facilitators have won many awards of the years for crafting learning that had a real impact on our clients workplaces. But what we have been most well-known for is our culture and values.

Most recently, Happy was recognised as 13th in the 2024 UK's Best Workplaces™ for Small Businesses and 2nd in the 2023 UK's Best Workplaces for Women™, based on our culture and values. Happy has also been listed as one of the Sunday Times 2024 Best Places to Work, and Highly Commended on the Best Places to Work for Wellbeing Spotlight.

Below you can find details of all of our awards and media coverage.

Awards Won by Happy

2024

  • Highly Commended in the Sunday Times Spotlight for Best Places to Work for Wellbeing - view the list
  • Featured on the Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work in the Small size category - view the list
  • Ranked 27th in the 2024 Best Workplaces for Development in the Small size category - view the list
  • Ranked 13th in the 2024 UK's Best Workplaces™ list in the Small size category - view the list
  • 2024 Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, based on our reviews on Feefo from real customers over the past year — read more

2023

  • Investors in People platinum accreditation, the highest level of accreditation possible
  • 2023 Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, based on our reviews on Feefo from real customers over the past year
  • Great Place to Work™ Certified, from November 2022 to November 2023
  • Ranked 2nd in the 2023 UK's Best Workplaces for Women™ in the Small Size category — view the full list and download the report here
  • Finalist in 2023 for the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards hosted by the Institute of Customer Service - Customer Focus - SME category

2022

  • Ranked 2nd in the 2022 UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Small Businesses (20 - 50 employees) — view the full list and download the report here
  • Ranked 15th in the 2022 Best Workplaces™ in Europe for Small Businesses (10 - 49 employees) — view the full list here
  • Ranked 24th in the 2022 UK's Best Workplaces™ for Women in the Small Size category — view the full list and download the report here
  • Ranked 37th in the 2022 UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing in the Small Size category — view the full list and download the report here
  • Silver, Learning Provider of the Year, the Learning Awards 2022, Learning and Performance Institute — more info here
  • 2022 Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, based on our reviews on Feefo from real customers over the past year

2021

  • Great Place to Work™ Certified, from November 2021 to November 2022
  • Finalist, Learning Provider of the Year, the Learning Awards (Learning and Performance Institute)
  • 2020 Zero Distance to Customer Award (Thinkers50) — read more here
  • 2021 Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, based on our reviews on Feefo over the past year and as we have received the Gold award for two consecutive years

2020

  • Silver, Learning Provider of the Year, the Learning Awards (Learning and Performance Institute)
  • 2020 Feefo Gold Trusted Service Award

2019

  • Highest Rated Trainers (Large Business), CourseCheck Brilliance Awards 2019
  • 2020 Finalist: Apprenticeship Programme of the Year, 2020 Learning Awards
  • Winner: Employer Brand and Values, Business Culture Awards 2019 – read more on Henry’s blog How We Transformed Happy From £180k Loss to £165k Profit in One Year
  • Listed on the WorldBlu List of Freedom-Centered Workplaces™ 2019 — read more
  • 2019 Feefo Gold Service Award, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences, as rated by real customers

2018

  • Finalists: Employer of the Year (Henry Stewart) and Director of the Year (Cathy Busani) at the 2018 London Venus Awards
  • 2018 Feefo Gold Service Award, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences, as rated by real customers – read more on our blog

2017

  • Listed on the WorldBlu List of Freedom-Centered Workplaces™ 2017 – read more on Henry’s blog
  • 2017 Finalist: Paul Gapper, Learning Professional of the Year, Learning & Performance Institute, 2017 Learning Awards (full details here)

2016

  • 2016 Finalist: Maureen Egbe, Learning Professional of the Year, Learning & Performance Institute, 2016 Learning Awards
  • 2016 Finalist: Happy Ltd, External Learning Programme with Epic CIC, Learning & Performance Institute, 2016 Learning Awards (read about this project here)
  • Listed on WorldBlu: List of Freedom-Centered Workplaces™ 2016 (see the full list and details here)

2014

  • Live Online Learning Facilitator of the Year: Silver: Nicky Stone

2013

2012

  • Gold: Learnfizz for Social Media Learning Product of the Year (Learning & Performance Institute)
  • Bronze: Trainer of the Year, Zelal Baccus (Learning & Performance Institute)
  • Finalist: Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year (Learning & Performance Institute)

2011

  • Gold: IT Trainer Of the Year: Nadya Nathan (Institute of IT Training)
  • IT Training Company of the Year, Silver (Institute of IT Training)
  • Henry Stewart, listed on ‘Guru Radar of Thinkers 50’ list of top 50 business thinkers in world

2010

  • Special award for 13 years of raising standards in IT training (Institute of IT Training)
  • IT Training Company of the Year, Finalist (Institute of IT Training)
  • IT Trainer for the Year: Finalist (Institute of IT Training)
  • Best Workplace, IT Services (Great Place to Work Institute) – Top 20, Listed for 5th successive year
  • London Health Commission: Winner (Good Jobs)
  • Worldblu: List of most democratic workplaces in the UK (see the full list and details here)

2009

  • Best in UK for health and well-being (Great Place to Work Institute)
  • Best UK Workplaces: No. 12 (Great Place to Work Institute)
  • Best Workplace, IT Services (Computer Weekly)
  • IT Training Company of the Year, Gold (Institute of IT Training)
  • Gold: IT Trainer Of the Year: Ed Lepre (Institute of IT Training)
  • Finalist: Training Facilities Of The Year (Institute of IT Training)

2008

  • Best UK Workplaces: No. 18 (Financial Times)
  • IT Training Company of the Year, Silver (Institute of IT Training)
  • Gold: Freelance Trainer of the Year(Institute of IT Training: Ryan Thompson)
  • Bronze: IT Trainer of the Year (Institute of IT Training: Sarah Briscoe)

2007

  • May 2nd 2007: The Financial Times rated Happy as one of the top 2 places to work in the entire UK economy. This was the result of their annual Best Workplaces award, organised with the Great Place to Work Institute.
  • IT Training Company of the Year, Silver (Institute of IT Training)

2006

  • Impact on Society, Small Business Winner (Business in the Community)
  • FT Best Workplaces, No. 11
  • IT Training Company of the Year, Silver (Institute of IT Training)

2005

  • Winner: Most Inspired Workplace (Inspired Leaders)
  • Silver: IT Trainer of the Year (Institute of IT Training: Nicky Stone)
  • Finalist: IT Training Company of the Year (Institute of IT Training)

2004

  • Finalist: Best Manager in the UK (Daily Telegraph: Cathy Busani)
  • Finalist: Women in IT (British Computer Society Awards)
  • Finalist: Impact on Society (Business in the Community)
  • Winner: Best company in UK for work/life balance (Financial Times)
  • No. 12: 50 Best Workplaces in UK (Financial Times)
  • Listed: 100 Best Workplaces in Europe (Financial Times)
  • Winner: IT Trainer of the Year (Institue of IT Training: Donna Caldwell)
  • Winner: Online Project of the Year (Institute of IT Training, with NHS and Spring consortium)
  • Bronze: IT Training Company of the Year (Institute of IT Training)
  • Finalist: External Training Project of the Year (Institute of IT Training)

2003

  • Overall Winner: Management Today/Unisys Service Excellence
  • Winner: Family Friendly Employer of the Year (Parents at Work)
  • Winner: Online Solution of the Year (WOLCE, with NHS and Spring Consortium)
  • Finalist: IT Training Provider of the Year (Computing magazine)
  • Winner: London Small Business of the Year (Business in the Community)
  • Winner: Chief Executive’s Special Commendation (Institute of IT Training)
  • Runner-Up: Impact on Society Award (Business in the Community)
  • Silver: E-Learning Project of the Year (Institute of IT Training, with CMS)
  • Bronze: IT Training Company of the Year (Institute of IT Training)
  • Finalist: International Training Project of the Year (Institute of IT Training, with PADEAP)

2002

  • Winner: Management Today/Unisys Service Excellence Winner (Business-to-business category)
  • Winner: Most Innovative Online Product 2002 (Association of Online Publishers)
  • Winner: UK Online e-Commerce Award 2002 (London region)
  • Gold: Blended Training Project of the Year 2002 (Brandon Hall, Los Angeles)
  • Winner: E-Learning Project of the Year 2002 (Institute of IT Training, with Manchester NHS)
  • Bronze: IT Training Company of the Year 2001 (Institute of IT Training)
    Finalist, Investors in People Award for SMEs (National Business Awards)

2001

  • Winner: IT Training Company of the Year (Institute of IT Training)
  • Winner: External Training Project of the Year (Institute of IT Training, with Yell)
  • Winner: HR Manager of the Year: Cathy Callus (Personnel Today)
  • Winner: Employer of the Year (Lloyds TSB/Parents at Work, South East, small business)
  • Gold: Computing community Award
  • Winner: Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award
  • Silver: IT Trainer of the Year: Mary Berridge (Institute of IT Training)
  • Bronze: Training Course of the Year (Institute of IT Training, with Yell)
  • Finalist: Innovative Recruitment (Personnel Today)

2000

  • Finalist: IT Training Company of the Year (Institute of IT Training)
  • Winner: Special Commendation for Innovative Management: Cathy Callus (Parents at Work/Lloyds TSB)
  • Finalist: Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award

1999

  • Winner: IT Trainer of the Year: Cathy Callus (Institute of IT Training)
  • Winner: Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award
  • Finalist: Service Excellence Awards (Management Today/Unisys)

Awards before 1999

  • Finalist: 1998 External Training Project of the Year (Institute of IT Training, with Sedgwick Financial Services)
  • Finalist: 1997 IT Training Company of the Year (Institute of IT Training)
  • Finalist: 1994 Boss of the Year: Henry Stewart (DHL)

Academic Papers

  • Organisation Theory and Entrepreneurship. A. Döring, V. Jeantet, P. Kumpfmüller, E. Pedziwiatr, B. Sanchez.
  • Management Report. Rosa Wells.

Books

  • The Spirited Business, by Georgeanne Lamont (ISBN: 978-0340786376)
  • Authentic Business, by Neil Croft (ISBN: 978-1841126494)
  • The Biz, by David Freemantle (ISBN: 978-1857883466)
  • Capitalism is Dead - Peoplism Rules, by Alec Reed (ISBN: 978-0077103699)
  • Inconvenience Stores: One Year in Customer Service, by Mark Bradley (ISBN: 978-0954867812)
  • The Power of Empowerment: Release the Hidden Talents of Your Employees, by David Clutterbuck and David Oates (ISBN: 978-0749410490)
  • The Uses of Sociology, edited by Peter Hamilton and Kenneth Thompson (ISBN: 978-0631233145)

In the Media

2021

  • We Got This podcast: Creating Happy and Great Workplaces with Henry Stewart — listen here 

2019

  • Meaningful Work, Meaningful Life Podcast, Creating happy workplaces (May 19). 32min.
  • Being Human Podcast, #46 Happiness Leads Performance with Henry Stewart (Feb 2019). 1hr long.
  • Business Healthy by City of London, Helping staff to be happy (Feb 19). Guest blog. Henry Stewart writes about the simple, day-to-day steps like managers can do to help their staff feel listened to and supported.
  • Happiness at Work by Management 3.0 Podcast, Give People Jobs That They're Good at (Feb 19).
  • The Ray D'Arcy Show (RTE Radio, Dublin), Eating at your desk (Jan 19). Henry Stewart, founder and "chief happiness officer" of the workplace consultancy Happy spoke to Ray about the rules for eating at your office desk.
  • The Guardian, The new rules of eating al desco (Jan 19). Is there a right and wrong way to lunch at your desk? Should you even be doing it at all? Experts and office workers weigh in.
  • Work.life, Work.meets: Henry Stewart, founder of Happy Ltd (Jan 19). Work.life invited Henry to come and speak at their first Work Happy event and he wowed the crowd from start to finish. They wanted to know more about the man behind the jazzy shirts so sat him down and asked him a few questions.

2018

2016

2015 and older

  • The Sydney Morning Herald, Keep workers with the four steps to happiness (May 15). Keeping workers happy is the key to business success, says British consultant Henry Stewart, who is in Australia to show how it can be done in four steps.
  • Learning Now TV, Your Say: Your Say: Henry Stewart on giving staff ownership of decisions (Apr 2015). 2min video.
  • Radio 4, Henry Stewart: Choose Your Boss (Series 4) (May 13). Henry Stewart argues that bad management blights the working lives of millions of people and that the solution is to let everyone choose their own bosses. 15min.
  • Pension Playpen, Happy Manifesto and 80 steps to a happy workplace (March 12).
  • The Hackney Citizen, The Happy Manifesto: a blueprint for workplace bliss? (Jan 12). A new manifesto for happiness at work by Stoke Newington business guru Henry Stewart says employers should let go of the reins and cut staff some slack.
  • Adrian Swinscoe, Creating a great place to work is the best business investment decision you could ever make: interview with Henry Stewart (Dec 11). Podcast interview, 22min long.
  • Business First Online, How can having happy employees pay dividends to your business? (Jan 11). Podcast.
  • NVSC | for voluntary, faith and community groups, LVSC Training Programme Now In Partnership With Happy Computers To Benefit Sector (Aug 10).
  • Human Resource Management International Digest, Empowerment breeds contentment at Happy Computers: Employees encouraged to trust their own judgement (Aug 10). In the first of two articles, describes the unusual HR practices that have brought success to UK computer‐training company Happy Computers.
  • The Independent, Roger Trapp: 'Even poets have been cited as inspiring business founders and managers' (Feb 10). Roger Trapp was the first journalist to write about Happy, back in 1996. Nice to see his latest piece coming back to us.
  • Thinkers 50, Videos: Henry Stewart Interview (Feb 10). My best attempt at capturing our beliefs in 15 minutes.
  • Calcalist Israel, On transparent salaries (Feb 10). Google Translate gives a good sense of this one, if your Hebrew isn’t strong!
  • Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice, Do happy staff make for happy customers and profitable companies? (Jan 10) In this article Henry Stewart explores what evidence there is for the belief that a great workplace and more engaged staff have real bottom-line benefits.
  • Indian Economic Times, Management’s motive should be to nurture people (Jan 10). A piece by me on what management can be like if it was people-focused.
  • Great Place to Work, Profile of a Change Maker (Nov 09). Interview with Henry Stewart.
  • Good Entrepreneur, Henry Stewart on the importance of making mistakes (Nov 09). 
  • Forbes India, Virgin would never hire Branson (Nov 09). Actually my quote says the opposite of the title but never mind.
  • Axiomnews, Pre-approval process unshackles business innovation (Jun 09).
  • Computer Weekly, Best Places to Work in IT 2009: The Winners (Jun 09). The winners were celebrated in London. Here we profile the winning workplaces.
  • Computer Weekly, Photos: Best Places to Work 2009 (May 09). The awards were held at the exclusive London Royal Lancaster Hotel on 22nd May 2009. See the photos from the awards night here.
  • MIT Sloan Management Review, What is your management model? (Jan 09). Interesting piece on Happy and others.
  • MSN Money, The case for sharing your salary details (May 08)
  • Management Today. And the winner is... an Irish bagel seller in Edinburgh (May 08)
  • Director, Corps values (May 08)
  • Independent on Sunday, When companies take a good look at themselves (Apr 05)
  • Human Resources, How much should staff know about your pay structure? (Feb 05)
  • The Guardian, Charity begins with the wealthy elite (Nov 04)
  • The FT, Managers break the last taboo: Salary Transparency (Oct 04)
  • Management Today, Service Excellence Awards (Oct 03)
  • Money Telegraph, Starting Out 2001 (Aug 03)
  • Management Today, Business to Business (Sep 02)
  • Financial Times, Under the Skin: Henry Stewart (May 02)
  • Personnel Today, HR Personnel Manager of the Year 2001 (Nov 01)
  • Personnel Today, HR Award Shortlist (Sep 01) - with what we do well.
  • The Guardian, Happy days: From sex war to sex law (Jan 01). The future is bright, the future is orange - and yellow and red, with daisies on the loo seats, cartoons and a clutch of awards on the walls, a turnover of £2m and a commitment to work-life issues. "Our view is that we can't afford not to operate like this," says Cathy Callus, 39, training director of Happy Computers. "It's about getting the most out of our staff."
  • Fast Company, High praise from across the pond (May 00)