"It's not only an award for me, it would be an award for them as well."
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She opened her door once upon a time as a home business, now Ultimate Care owner Marg Ottley is in the running to be New South Wales' Employer of Choice.
After winning her category last year at the Mudgee Clock Awards and also the Employer of Choice, Marg and her family-friendly business are well on the way to claiming an award at the NSW Business Chamber Awards.
"We're a really flexible workplace, everyone is either pregnant or has children. Between all of us, we have 12 with two on the way," Ottley said.
"We work in an environment with a lot of women, it's women working with women.
"I know it's a cliche when people say that staff is family but they are."
Being quizzed about staff welfare, work health and safety, education, training, and so forth, Marg says she tries endlessly to be the ideal employer.
"I just try to be the best employer that I can, and make the girls feel at home, appreciated, nurtured and safe," she said.
It's not only an award for me, it would be an award for them as well.
- Ultimate Care owner, Marg Ottley
"To be an Employer of Choice, you have to have really great staff. It feels a bit surreal. It's a reward for a lot of hard work.
"It's recognition of a really cohesive and happy workplace. If I have to say a speech, I'll be a mess."
Marg was also nominated for a Pride of Workmanship award by her staff, much to her surprise.
"I went up there thinking that one of our clients had nominated a staff member so they well and truly pranked me, they all knew about it," she said.
"I was really embarrassed because I was actually going to nominate the girl who I was told had already been supposedly nominated and I just didn't get around to it.
I was sitting up there feeling quite embarrassed that someone was going to get up and talk about this amazing staff member of mine but they actually reversed it on me.
"I really had no idea. It was really lovely."
Marg will attend the NSW Business Chamber Awards on November 22 at the ICC Sydney.
"We would love to thank all of our clients because without them, we wouldn't have a workplace," Marg said.