Law firm Marshall Diel & Myers was yesterday crowned Bermuda’s top employer.

The Hamilton company topped the rankings in The Bottom Line Top Ten Employers Awards.

Adam Richards, appointed managing director of the firm this month, said: “We are very surprised and honoured to receive the award.

“We try to provide a good working environment for our staff so they can come to work and enjoy being in work — and at the same time, allow us to provide a good professional service to our clients.”

“Everyone enjoys coming to work, which is a good thing. If they enjoy coming to work, they will be more efficient and productive when they’re there.”

Mr Richards was speaking after business magazine The Bottom Line, a sister publication of The Royal Gazette, presented the best employers on the island with certificates at a special ceremony at the Hamilton Princess.

Mr Richards said: “It’s very much an open-door policy — if anyone has concerns or ideas to promote the firm, they’re welcome to come in and see me.”

Car company Auto Solutions, founded just three years ago, took second place in the 2016 line up of star firms.

Managing director Glen Smith said: “It’s amazing — I’m ecstatic, as are my partners. We’re blessed to have wonderful staff. We’re all part of a team and that’s what’s great about it.

“We’re only 40 months old. We’re still a very new firm and we put a lot of investment back into the facilities so the staff, the community, have a great place to work.

“Anybody can paint lipstick on a pig — it’s the people who make things happen and we have great people who want to work for us.”

In third spot was Stevedoring Services, which runs the Hamilton docks.

Warren Jones, CEO of Polaris Holding Company, Stevedoring Services parent, said the company had been struggling and had labour relations problems only a few years ago.

But he said: “We are really pleased when you consider where we came from and what people thought of the docks over the years.

“This shows the growth — we are proud of our staff and they do a good job every day. This is really for them and something they will be very proud of.

“The difference is relationships. The total focus for my last two-and-a-half years has been labour relations and this has helped us in every way.”

Jonathan Kent, editor of The Bottom Line, said: “It’s always a pleasure for The Bottom Line to be able to give this island’s great employers some recognition.

“In treating their people as they do, these organisations promote prosperity and personal development in our community.

“Much of this good work goes on under the radar, so it is nice to give these model employers some limelight.”

Derek Winch, chief financial officer of Bermuda Press (Holdings) Ltd, the parent company of The Royal Gazette, added: “It’s a significant achievement to be one of the Top Ten employers in Bermuda, but what I find amazing is the number of companies that continue to be in the Top Ten year after year.

“Companies rise to the top by continuing to be better year after year.”

The awards are sponsored by professional services firm PwC and Global Research, who also analysed the results.

Arthur Wightman, territory leader for PwC Bermuda, said: “Our belief in and commitment to people lead us to support these tremendous awards and we feel privileged to do so.”

And he told the winners: “You are making a striking difference to the lives of your people, something we know to be of paramount importance.”

Dr Leslie Steede, director of Global Research, said that creating a happy personal relationship was tough and businesses had similar problems.

He added: “It’s just as hard for an organisation to have a healthy, positive relationship with its employees — and this is something you have all accomplished.”

The Royal Bermuda Regiment came ninth in this year’s list after narrowly missing out on a Top Ten spot at its first attempt last year.

The RBR was the only public sector body represented in this year’s Top Ten and the first uniformed organisation to figure on the list.

RBR second-in-command Major Warren Furbert, who accepted the award on behalf of Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel David Curley, who is off the island, said: “We are a unique employer in that we are not the traditional employer with a lot of full-time staff.

“Our human resources are our biggest asset because we are manpower heavy and we have to put boots on the ground to deliver our goals.

“We are Bermuda’s insurance policy for natural or man-made disasters — anything that affects Bermuda’s peace and stability.

“We have to invest in our people — we do that from the moment they come into the Regiment and provide people who are interested in leadership with opportunities to progress through the ranks.”

Tokio Millenium Re, part of the Japanese giant Tokio Marine, celebrated their tenth spot with miniature versions of traditional Japanese Taiko drums — copies of the large 90-pound version in the company’s offices which is used for major events.

Kathleen Faries, the firm’s Bermuda head, said: “The Taiko is a great representation of our team culture. We bang the drum to celebrate and signify our achievements.”

Features of all of the Top Ten Employers will appear in The Bottom Line magazine, to be distributed free inside copies of The Royal Gazette on Monday, September 26.

See more photographs from the awards under Photo Gallery on The Royal Gazette website’s homepage at www.royalgazette.com.