Together with their sponsors and partners, The Royal Gazette has cancelled the 2020 RG Business Top Ten Employers Awards Programme due to Covid-19. This programme also includes an awards ceremony which is generally held in late September. Michael Grier, The Royal Gazette’s commercial director, said: “It was a difficult decision to make, but after careful consideration, cancelling this year’s programme was the right option. “The employment status of many workers has been disrupted and we felt this would not be an appropriate climate to judge employers who are doing their best to navigate these difficult times. “We have also taken into account the emotional intelligence of both the employees and employers. Are employees in the right frame of mind to engage the programme and are companies themselves agile enough to execute — and is it fair to the ones that are not and those that are?”In addition to the direct factors that have affected Bermuda’s employers and employees, the organisers and partners were also concerned with the health and safety factors that would come with an awards ceremony that has historically had over 100 attendees. Leslie Steede from Global Research, the research data partner for the programme, said: “One the most important factors when making a call like this was to also find a way to ensure that none of the attendees would have their health and safety compromised. “While we recognise that the event could have been streamed via social media channels, the group of stakeholders collectively determined that event’s human element is what makes the ceremony intrinsically special. “There is something quite unique about seeing the respective Top Ten Employers and their teams cheer for their peers, colleagues and professionals from differing industries.”The RG Business Top Ten Awards has been presented by PwC for the last nine years and were on schedule to celebrate a decade of sponsorship this year. A spokesperson from PwC said: “We are still looking forward to celebrating ten years with this special programme, but recognise that at this time, it is best to give employees and employers space to work through these unprecedented and challenging times. “Next year, when the programme is reinstated, we look forward to applauding those companies who found creative ways to support their employees during this global crisis.”The Bermuda Human Resources Association joined the RG Business Top Ten Employer Awards last year as a partner and echoes the sentiments of the other stakeholders. Krystle DaPonte, the organisation’s president, said: “During this time, many human resource professionals are juggling new challenges and having to adapt and pivot quickly based on the changing conditions that has come with this pandemic.“As an organisation, our main focus right now is to ensure that our members are adequately supported while managing unforeseen and ever-changing elements in the workplace.”• The RG Business Top Ten Awards Programme expects to return next year. For more details about this event and for future updates, visit www.rgmags.com/rg-business-top-ten