Meet our shortlist below

• Anne AxfordAssociate Director, Learning Development at Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust (PCT) has won through to the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition. She manages learning and development for the Trust's 2,500 staff.

  Anne was nominated by a number of her 10-strong team for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. They described how Anne's flexible management style has enabled them to combine their work and family responsibilities. One person works compressed hours to give her time to support her elderly parents, others work flexible hours to have more time at home during the school holidays and a flexible rota covers early and late hours so the admin team can cover a longer working day.... read more.

  Anne was nominated by a number of her 10-strong team for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. They described how Anne's flexible management style has enabled them to combine their work and family responsibilities. One person works compressed hours to give her time to support her elderly parents, others work flexible hours to have more time at home during the school holidays and a flexible rota covers early and late hours so the admin team can cover a longer working day.
  
  One said: "Anne always goes the extra mile to be available to her team and retains a vast amount of information about our personal and working lives. This makes us a very happy team in which to work hard!"
  
  Anne says: "Achieving success doesn't have to be about working long hours – I encourage regular breaks, team lunches and finishing on time. We attract better talent by offering hours where people can work around their family and caring responsibilities. We are a 24/7 business looking after patients around the clock so it helps that we have a range of people who want to work all sorts of different hours."
  
  "My family is very important to me – husband, children and grandchildren. My husband took early retirement to be the main carer for our disabled son, so I understand the importance of good work-life balance. I have the best commute in the world – walking across the beach and then by hovercraft from the Isle of Wight – but once I am at work I focus 100% on the work in hand."

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• Tracey HealyHeadteacher of Links Education Support Centre in St Albans has reached the shortlist of the Britain's Best Boss competition 2009.

  The Links Education Support Centre provides support for children who have been excluded, are at risk of exclusion from school or have emotional or behavioural difficulties. In the three years Tracey has been Headteacher, the Links has moved from a barely satisfactory Ofsted rating to one that is "outstanding" and level 1 in every category. When she took over, the Centre had 12 demoralised staff working out of a run down building and only six children on its roll. The Centre covers a wide area of Hertfordshire and currently has a staff of 40 working with 100+ students out of new, improved premises. It also undertakes outreach work in schools, including running sessions to support new and young parents.... read more.

  The Links Education Support Centre provides support for children who have been excluded, are at risk of exclusion from school or have emotional or behavioural difficulties. In the three years Tracey has been Headteacher, the Links has moved from a barely satisfactory Ofsted rating to one that is "outstanding" and level 1 in every category. When she took over, the Centre had 12 demoralised staff working out of a run down building and only six children on its roll. The Centre covers a wide area of Hertfordshire and currently has a staff of 40 working with 100+ students out of new, improved premises. It also undertakes outreach work in schools, including running sessions to support new and young parents.
  
  Anna Pool, Head of English at Links, who nominated Tracey, says: "She has done the most amazing job in leading this school. We work with some very challenging and troubled pupils and she has made this school a place they want to be. Both the kids and staff have a huge amount of respect for her because, although she is tough, they know she cares deeply about the children."
  
  Tracey puts much of her success down to making staff well being central to the Centre's working ethos. "Working with challenging and emotionally charged young people can be stressful and I encourage staff to use flexi time to keep on top of pressures," she says. "All staff have one 'occasional day' to use as an extra well being holiday and we have a very flexible TOIL policy. Our high staff levels mean they can cover for each other when family commitments and unexpected events crop up and we never use supply staff. As a result, we have very little sickness absence and the young people have continuity of care."
  
  She says of her own work-life balance: "I know what it's like to have challenges as a parent as I have an adopted son. Managers often feel they have to set an example of working really hard but this can be very punishing. Down time is crucial and giving yourself permission to have similar flexi time and benefits as the staff is important."

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• Debbie HintonCountry Audiology Services Manager for North and South Worcestershire, is through to the shortlist of the nationwide search for Britain's Best Boss 2009. Her service covers the four main hospitals in the area, as well several satellite clinics for each hospital.

  Debbie was nominated by several of her 48-strong team for the competition. They explained how they appreciated Debbie's flexible and supportive style, which allows people to choose their working hours where possible. One said: "She is always very encouraging and urging us to be the best we can, so that our patients get the best and friendliest service possible. She allows us to explore different avenues and ideas and welcomes initiatives which improve the service."... read more.

  Debbie was nominated by several of her 48-strong team for the competition. They explained how they appreciated Debbie's flexible and supportive style, which allows people to choose their working hours where possible. One said: "She is always very encouraging and urging us to be the best we can, so that our patients get the best and friendliest service possible. She allows us to explore different avenues and ideas and welcomes initiatives which improve the service."
  
  Debbie adds: "I realise the importance of the correct balance between work and home life and have promoted a culture where my staff feel comfortable requesting a change to their hours and working patterns. For instance, changes in working patterns have allowed staff to take and collect their children from nursery and school, care for elderly relatives or participate in specific past-times or sports.
  
  "This has been a 'win-win' strategy for everyone. Some staff want to start work at 7.30 a.m. while others prefer evening or Saturday shifts, which means we have been able to offer extra clinics to our patients. Staff retention, timekeeping, productivity and general levels of motivation have all significantly improved. If I need additional hours worked to achieve a particular target or new service, my team always provide me with appropriate participation and fresh ideas.
  
  "I have only recently addressed my own work-life balance but I'm doing well now. I have reduced my hours and can support my son and daughter in their chosen careers, take care of my elderly father and even ride my horse in daylight during the winter!"

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• John JonesChief of Operations for NHS Halton and St Helens Community Health Service has won through to the shortlist for the Britain's Best Boss competition 2009. His team of 1500 people deliver a range of services to the community.

  John was nominated by Business and Admin Support Manager Denise Harrison for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. She said: "John is a successful boss because he is emotionally intelligent and empathetic, as well intellectually energetic and technically competent. He genuinely cares about the people he works with and the community we serve." ... read more.

  John was nominated by Business and Admin Support Manager Denise Harrison for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. She said: "John is a successful boss because he is emotionally intelligent and empathetic, as well intellectually energetic and technically competent. He genuinely cares about the people he works with and the community we serve."
  
  John says: "We have a highly trained workforce and it would be absolute madness not to allow them some flexibility to work around family needs, to make sure we retain their talents. I believe strongly that, if you have your home life squared up, you will give 120% at work because you don’t have any distractions. I actively encourage staff to quickly talk to their managers if they are going through a difficult time, to set up working arrangements which will help them through.
  
  "Two of my close colleagues and I currently work condensed hours to give us the flexibility we need. In my case, this is currently so I can help with elder care but, when I was younger, I was part of a job share so I could share care of our young family."

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• Daniel KenyonDeputy General Manager at Blackpool Airport Premier Inn has made the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition.

  Daniel was nominated by a member of his staff for the competition. He said: "Daniel shows that you can work really hard but still enjoy your job and help others enjoy it, too. He is incredibly dedicated and focused and our guests see that he enjoys his job and is a great leader."... read more.

  Daniel was nominated by a member of his staff for the competition. He said: "Daniel shows that you can work really hard but still enjoy your job and help others enjoy it, too. He is incredibly dedicated and focused and our guests see that he enjoys his job and is a great leader."
  
  Daniel says: "I always encourage flexibility when my team have family commitments or need to work particular shifts. As a result, we have excellent staff retention and we get a lot more parents applying for jobs than we used to. My team have great work-life balance and this means they are happier at work - our guests have commented on how happy and engaged the team are."

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• Robert Lia Director in KPMG LLP's Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare advisory practice, is through to the shortlist of the nationwide search for Britain's Best Boss 2009.

  Robert was nominated by several of his 30-strong team for the competition, which is run by Working Families and supported by BT. They explained how they appreciated the flexibility he allows – being able to work from home or stagger hours as necessary. One said: "We work in an area where very long days and weekend working can sometimes be necessary in order to meet the timetable demands of clients. Robert always demonstrates an understanding of the pressure this brings, does his best to ensure timetables are reasonable and treats any problems his team members may experience with concern and respect."... read more.

  Robert was nominated by several of his 30-strong team for the competition, which is run by Working Families and supported by BT. They explained how they appreciated the flexibility he allows – being able to work from home or stagger hours as necessary. One said: "We work in an area where very long days and weekend working can sometimes be necessary in order to meet the timetable demands of clients. Robert always demonstrates an understanding of the pressure this brings, does his best to ensure timetables are reasonable and treats any problems his team members may experience with concern and respect."
  
  Robert adds: "I have encouraged each and every member of my team to consider whether they would like to avail themselves of the numerous flexible working schemes that are on offer at KPMG. I treat each team member as an individual and not as part of a large corporate machine, and I think flexible working is one of the most important things you can do for people, without it necessarily costing a lot. After all, if we work excessively, we undermine the value of our work – we cannot afford to make mistakes due to fatigue when our clients rely on the quality of our work.
  
  "The skill set in my team means they would be in high demand elsewhere. But, as a result of my approach, we have far less turnover than you would expect. Also we get a lot of internal applicants so we benefit from a steady stream of potential recruits."

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• Julia McGinleyParent Support Manager at online advice service Netmums - based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent - has been short listed for Britain's Best Boss 2009.

  Netmums provides a 24/7 online service for mums in distress. Most of their 45 employees work part time and all work from home. Currently funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the service performed best" in a recent evaluation of services funded by DCSF.... read more.

  Netmums provides a 24/7 online service for mums in distress. Most of their 45 employees work part time and all work from home. Currently funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the service performed best" in a recent evaluation of services funded by DCSF.
  
  Anna Fleming, Parent Supporter, who nominated Julia says: "Julia and the other working mothers who run Netmums are truly awesome, inspiring women. They lead by example and are dedicated and professional."
  
  Julia says: "All of my team of 32 are working mums (or in one case a dad) and only five of us work more than 24 hours per week. The hours and shifts our staff work have been developed in response to our users' needs – for instance, our most active times on the forums are school hours and evenings - so no one needs to work 9-5. Most of us joined the organisation as volunteers and have become paid staff as the organisation has grown.
  
  "One of the reasons we have such fantastic staff working for us is because other organisations won't be so flexible. We have ex-social workers, health visitors, a nurse, a midwife and people studying for counselling and other career changes – fantastically skilled mothers and fathers who, if they were not able to work flexibly, wouldn't be able to work at all."

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• Marion McPhersonCentre Manager of MWB Business Exchange in Edinburgh has made the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition. Her team of six manage a business centre offering serviced business accommodation.

  Marion was nominated by Assistant Manager Amanda Stoyell for the competition. She said: "Marion encourages us to work hard, as well as spend time with our families and have our own time. She always gives us confidence, praises us when we have done well and encourages us to work towards our goals."... read more.

  Marion was nominated by Assistant Manager Amanda Stoyell for the competition. She said: "Marion encourages us to work hard, as well as spend time with our families and have our own time. She always gives us confidence, praises us when we have done well and encourages us to work towards our goals."
  
  Marion says: "Flexibility here is driven by business needs. We work in peaks and troughs and during quiet periods, I make sure each staff member has the opportunity to come in late, leave early or take a long weekend to meet personal commitments. We were also able to rejig responsibilities within the team to accommodate someone working a four day week after maternity leave.
  
  "As a result we have a stable, experienced team which gives us credibility with clients. My team is recognised by clients and our parent company as professional, capable and an extension of their businesses. We received several awards for service excellence last year."

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• Freda MughalManaging Director of Leeds estate agents Simple Moves Ltd is through to the shortlist of the nationwide search for Britain's Best Boss 2009

  Freda was nominated by Lettings Supervisor Aimee Linfoot for the competition, which is run by Working Families and supported by BT. She says: "Freda clearly recognises the need for a happy work-life balance and thinks that if you are happy at home, it shows at work. This is the best working environment I have experienced and I just wish there were more employers like her – she sets a fantastic example!"... read more.

  Freda was nominated by Lettings Supervisor Aimee Linfoot for the competition, which is run by Working Families and supported by BT. She says: "Freda clearly recognises the need for a happy work-life balance and thinks that if you are happy at home, it shows at work. This is the best working environment I have experienced and I just wish there were more employers like her – she sets a fantastic example!"
  
  Freda says: "We are a small team here at Simple Moves and I believe it greatly benefits my business to have happy employees. I set out to start up a totally new kind of estate agency and I believe we have changed the market by being ethical and helpful to clients. I work a four day week myself and, as the mother of two young children, I understand the need to have a balanced work and home life. It was therefore important to me to ensure that my employees also had the flexibility to be parents.
  
  "Many customers choose to market their properties with us, rather than our competitors, as they find us much more easy going, and I believe that flexible working has contributed greatly to this. It has also made it easier to recruit the staff I wanted. They don't have to lie and call in sick when they need time off for their family and none of them has ever let me down. We can cover all the hours we need, with flexibility working both ways. There is fantastic morale and our clients are very loyal because they like us."

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• Stephen PaineGlobal Head of Infrastructure at investment bank UBS has won through to the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition 2009. His team of 20 in London and 10 in New York advise governments and major companies on raising capital for infrastructure projects, such as airports, motorways and railways.

  Stephen was nominated by Executive Director Bronte Somes for the competition. She said: "Stephen is an inspiration to the team. He leads by example by demonstrating that, although he travels frequently and is required to be on call 24/7, he can still have an active family life. He gets things done by empowering and trusting people to deliver. He motivates us by highlighting our success and achievement of goals."... read more.

  Stephen was nominated by Executive Director Bronte Somes for the competition. She said: "Stephen is an inspiration to the team. He leads by example by demonstrating that, although he travels frequently and is required to be on call 24/7, he can still have an active family life. He gets things done by empowering and trusting people to deliver. He motivates us by highlighting our success and achievement of goals."
  
  Stephen says: "In recent years UBS has developed policies to support work-life balance and it's a good place to work. Managers are given a lot of autonomy in how they run their teams and I grant people as much flexibility as they want, as long as it works for our clients. The key thing is to use technology like the Blackberry to enable you to work at home and spend more time with your family, rather than being distracted by it while on holiday.
  
  "This approach increases loyalty as people will be less likely to move if they think their family and friends may suffer if they move to a less flexible employer. In the Infrastructure team we do far better than average in retaining people because they see it is possible to be involved with their families and have proper holidays. A lot of people in the team are musicians or sports people – they are passionate about their interests and that helps keep them inspired."

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• Julie PereiraCompany Secretary at IT services provider Capgemini UK plc has won through to the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition.

  She runs the company's Corporate Services team with seven direct reports covering areas including the company's property portfolio, insurance and sustainability. Her team work out of offices in Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Woking and London and a number have what Julie calls "agile working arrangements". These include a senior staff member working compressed hours to enable study for a doctorate, a parent who works four days per week and another employee who works mainly from home to avoid a long commute.... read more.

  She runs the company's Corporate Services team with seven direct reports covering areas including the company's property portfolio, insurance and sustainability. Her team work out of offices in Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Woking and London and a number have what Julie calls "agile working arrangements". These include a senior staff member working compressed hours to enable study for a doctorate, a parent who works four days per week and another employee who works mainly from home to avoid a long commute.
  
  Julie was nominated by Head of Health & Safety Bob Constant and Director of Sustainability, People Michelle Perkins for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. Michelle said: "Julie accommodates a variety of working patterns and encourages flexible working across Capgemini. She focuses on outputs and the quality of delivery, not how many hours you sit the office or how many late emails you send her."
  
  Bob Constant added: "Julie allows a freedom of working styles to gain the best from her team members and she sets a good example as a departmental head. Her energy levels are awesome and her commitment to high standards of delivery is well known throughout the business."
  
  Julie says: "Our most important asset is our people and, to be the best, Capgemini has developed excellent, robust and considered policies. There is no doubt that agile working practices have enabled me to retain and attract the best team members – people with passion, imagination and intelligence who bring more than their lunch to work! I can see in my team that when their home and work life is calibrated correctly, they are happier, more focused and better able to deal with the pressure of a demanding role. We have also reduced our property rental costs significantly by reviewing the way people work and by introducing collaborative work space and hot desking which encourages flexibility."

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• Liz PettmanDiversity Manager at Suffolk Constabulary has made the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition. Her team of five engage with the local community, as well as encouraging the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce.

  Liz was nominated by Diversity Specialist Yvonne Coolbear for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. She said: "Liz is definitely the best boss I have ever worked for. She encourages us to prioritise and manage our work so we don't work long hours. We can also structure our shifts and rest days to suit the needs of our job and our outside lives. She literally has an open door and is always available to give support and advice when needed. She also has a great sense of humour and encourages others to have fun, whilst getting the job done, which I am sure helps us all to stay positive."... read more.

  Liz was nominated by Diversity Specialist Yvonne Coolbear for the competition, which is run by work-life balance charity Working Families and supported by BT. She said: "Liz is definitely the best boss I have ever worked for. She encourages us to prioritise and manage our work so we don't work long hours. We can also structure our shifts and rest days to suit the needs of our job and our outside lives. She literally has an open door and is always available to give support and advice when needed. She also has a great sense of humour and encourages others to have fun, whilst getting the job done, which I am sure helps us all to stay positive."
  
  Liz says: "I have always tried to accommodate requests from my team to work flexibly and in turn members of my team are prepared to work in the evenings and at weekends, which allows us to engage with members of the community at times suitable to them. As long as at least one diversity officer is in the office to deal with queries during normal working hours, I will allow other members of staff to adjust their hours, have fixed work days or work compressed hours. This means we have extra cover at peak times when the demand is there. For example, I had one officer who only worked Friday and Saturday evenings, which was a real asset as he was able to foster better relations with the bar staff and bouncers in the area in which he worked.
  
  "Allowing flexibility leads to the retention of valuable staff. It also enables people to study, which is a business benefit in terms of professional development. I, myself, studied for a degree in HR Management whilst serving as a police officer."

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• Bob Rothenberg MBESenior Partner at London chartered accountants Blick Rothenberg has made the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition. Bob has tried to maintain the "family firm" atmosphere begun by his father, even as the organisation has grown to 175 people looking after private and corporate clients around the UK and abroad.

  Bob was nominated by his PA Philippa Whiting for the competition. She said: "Bob tells everyone in the firm that work-life balance is incredibly important. He understands that a company is made up of people and he is very understanding and supportive if you have a personal crisis."... read more.

  Bob was nominated by his PA Philippa Whiting for the competition. She said: "Bob tells everyone in the firm that work-life balance is incredibly important. He understands that a company is made up of people and he is very understanding and supportive if you have a personal crisis."
  
  Bob says: "If you have a contented workforce with a good work-life balance, they will work more efficiently, feel confident to give that little bit more and will deliver a better quality service to clients. This results in happier clients who are more likely to give us repeat business. So I feel there are real economic benefits to the business from ensuring people feel content and looked after.
  
  "I have encouraged, where appropriate, working hours to be adjusted to fit in with individual requirements. We have people working part time and staff can purchase" or sell" their holiday entitlement. People in the accounting and administration team can choose an early start or a late stay to give the business longer cover, as well as hours that suit the individuals."

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• Mark StantonHead of Economic Development at Breckland Council in Norfolk has made the shortlist of Britain's Best Boss competition. His seven staff (and a larger number of occasional project consultants) work with local businesses and run regeneration projects across the area.

  Mark was nominated by Economic Development Adviser Lindy Warmer for the competition. She said: "Mark is very good at generating ideas but at the same time gets the whole team involved in developing the ideas and taking them forward into successful projects. He has high aspirations and is extremely ambitious, not only for himself, but for the whole team. He’s also a great family man and puts his wife and two children before everything else."... read more.

  Mark was nominated by Economic Development Adviser Lindy Warmer for the competition. She said: "Mark is very good at generating ideas but at the same time gets the whole team involved in developing the ideas and taking them forward into successful projects. He has high aspirations and is extremely ambitious, not only for himself, but for the whole team. He’s also a great family man and puts his wife and two children before everything else."
  
  Mark says: "I look at productivity rather than attendance at the office and have always encouraged team members to work from the most appropriate location to achieve the particular task they have been set. The team are all equipped with mobiles and laptops which can be docked in a number of locations, including their homes if they have a family emergency or need to be there for a delivery. This makes us a very flexible service, reduces travel costs and lowers our service's carbon footprint.
  
  "If you can allow people to get that work-life balance, they are more committed. We have one of the lowest sickness rates in the organisation and we are a very high performing team. For example, in 2007 we won the award for excellence in rural regeneration from the Academy for Sustainable Communities."

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