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staff-retention initiatives – although the first thing talent manager Nicolette Glashan points out is that Peach never uses the word “staff”. “Everyone is a team member. We make sure it is inclusive right from the beginning,” she says. Indeed, the induction is a crucial step in engaging its people. Peach offers personalised inductions where recruits meet directors and their development path is explained to them, right up to what they would need to achieve to become a partner. “That moment is so impor- tant because so often in hospitality people can be thrown in at the deep end,” says Glashan. Giving employees incentives to stay is not rocket science, but Peach doesn’t skimp. In addition to funded training and inspiration days away, benefits include Peach Pounds to spend in its pubs, eight shifts over five days with extra shift allowances, childcare vouchers and a long- and short-term bonus structure (dependent on the role). Fun is an element, too, with an annual team-only festival. To recognise high achievers, there is an annual Peach Sum- merhouse, where 50 employees are rewarded with a trip away. This year it was Prague and it included training in and sampling of the new Czech beers being introduced to the pubs.
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“Peach never uses the word ‘staff’. Everyone is a team member. We make sure it is inclusive right from the beginning” Nicolette Glashan, Peach Pubs
Nevertheless, a few years ago Peach identi- fied that retention of junior front of house staff was not great. These staff tend to be transient – travellers or students staying an average of six to nine months. In 2014, to encourage them to see hospitality as a valid career choice, Peach introduced the Master Peach programme, which offers additional training and a career pathway. From here, they can take on more responsibilities and become part of a league of Master Peaches, who are expected to deliver 5% above their pub’s average weekly score. The knock-on effect has been to drive up
retention across all levels. Junior staff now stay an average of 12 months and Master Peaches stay an average of 18 months, with some 50% of those being promoted to management posi- tions. To date, nine assistant managers and six deputy managers have come through the Master Peach programme and Glashan pre- dicts several will become general managers. In 2017 Glashan plans to introduce Peach
Pathway, a development tool with online and classroom training modules and access to mentoring that will enable employees to take control of how quickly they progress.
Lancaster listens
Another professional with a track record in retaining people is Aideen Whelehan, HR man- ager at the 416-room Lancaster London hotel and winner of the 2015 Hotel Catey Human Resources Manager of the Year award. Staff turnover is 20% at the hotel, which ranked 72 in The Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work, and internal surveys show that engagement scores have increased year-on-year. Whelehan distils much of her success down
to simply finding out what keeps people inter- ested: “Young employees enjoy learning new
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