HR FOCUS


business and great retention will reap huge rewards for your reputation.


Training should be a journey, it should be ongoing and it should develop based on: the individuals in your organization; your customer’s needs; changes in the industry and legislation. It’s vital to also remember that delivery-wise, no one-size-fits-all. Online training has its place, as does learning in the classroom environment, but not all training has to be this formal. Learning on the job, shadowing, being mentored and practical skills sessions are all relevant too. The secret is to have a structure (there are four key stages) but to remain adaptable to the situation and circumstances.


STAGE ONE – RECRUITMENT Recruitment is all about hiring for


attitude and training for skill, and this is where the employee journey begins. Businesses can benefit from recruiting individuals who show drive, ambition, motivation and desire to learn. It’s normal to search for the perfect candidate with the perfect experience but it’s also important to find someone who will fit into your culture, who can become an ambassador, who wants to work for your business and who will push themselves to meet and exceed expectations.


“IT’S NORMAL TO SEARCH FOR THE


PERFECT CANDIDATE WITH THE PERFECT


EXPERIENCE BUT IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT


TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL FIT INTO YOUR CULTURE.”


Interviews are as important for you as they are for the candidate. Regardless of whether you hire an individual, it's in your best interest to ensure their experience is as positive as possible. Your reputation is invaluable and being seen as a destination employer will benefit you hugely.


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It is also worth considering that, whilst a candidate may look great on paper and tick all the boxes, remember to always ask yourself, would they fit within the team? Would they work in your organisation and do they really understand what the role entails? A practical way to gain real insight and to help make a final decision is by providing a ‘Day in the Life’ trial shift


STAGE TWO – INDUCTION A formal induction should be part


of every organisation’s HR process, this is a vital stage in the employee journey and sets the foundation for the road ahead. Good induction training ensures new starters can settle quickly and should cover off the basics such as shift patterns, holidays, sickness and any other company policies they need to know. Induction is the time to communicate the mission, vision, values and aims of your business and to define clear expectations. Practically speaking, this is when your new starter is given the correct tools to do the job they have been hired for and also the knowledge on how to maintain and care for them.


Basic training requirements should be mapped out at this stage and necessary skills should always be taught by subject matter experts. It's no use using an FM to teach about the practicalities of cleaning techniques, the showing and sharing of skills is a more efficient and effective way to train. Once any additional needs have been identified, ongoing training can then be planned.


The first few weeks, or bedding in period, is also the best time to create a ‘Development Journal’. Not only is this is self-empowering for the employee, it will also help to reinforce their decision to work for your business because it demonstrates opportunity and provides the perfect start to their employee journey.


STAGE THREE – ONGOING


DEVELOPMENT Monthly progress meetings with a line manager, if completed and documented properly, should feed into annual appraisals and a ‘Personal


Development Plan’ will also benefit both the business and employee.


It is also not always necessary to wait until milestones have been reached to discuss progression, try not to hold staff back with a rigid training and development calendar. All too often, an overly formal approach to training can stifle individuals; consider a more organic way to develop your staff. Allow mentors and line managers to nurture and encourage them to push themselves daily. Why not offer bite- sized chunks of training, increased responsibility and allow them to shadow others in a different role or at a higher level to experience firsthand what is expected.


Your employees are your ambassadors, treat them well, provide them with opportunity, recongise and reward hard work and in turn you will be rewarded. Remember that retention is a powerful message for all staff and candidates.


STAGE 4 – DEPARTURE The final stage brings us to


departure. Employee journeys will always end at some point and so be sure to use the exit interview as an opportunity to really understand why the individual is leaving the business. This is your chance to leave a lasting positive impression. There will of course be times when the terms may not be entirely favourable; this should be used as an opportunity to identify if there are any recurring themes with previous leavers. If so, ask yourself whether you can learn something that will enable you to preempt, anticipate and eliminate any further departures for the same reasons?


So now you see that mapping the employee journey is more than just ticking boxes; it’s about creating a happy and fulfilled workforce who will remain your ambassadors from start to finish. The smiles on reception will be genuine; you won’t have to worry about customers overhearing hushed and negative conversations. Positivity is infectious; never underestimate the influence your employees can have on your customers.


www.anabas.co.uk TOMORROW’S FM | 53


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