Organisations taking good care of their workers are likely to be among the most successful.
Now bosses who put the emphasis on staff training and employee welfare can earn recognition for their efforts by entering the Employer of the Year Award – a major category in the eagerly-awaited Examiner Business Awards.
Judges are looking for an employer who can demonstrate excellence in their approach to workforce development.
Entrants will show why workforce development and training is important to the organisation, how training needs and skills requirements are assessed and addressed and the direct benefit gained by both individuals and the organisation.
A commitment to developing all staff and volunteers to their full potential helped Kirkwood Hospice at Dalton win the award last year.
The hospice has more than 100 staff members and more than 700 volunteers. Personnel range from clinical experts to retail staff.
All staff work through a Knowledge and Skills Framework, an initiative from the NHS which identifies common themes for staff to be able to demonstrate progress in their development year-on-year.
All new staff attend an induction programme during the first month of their employment. Training is also given to the hospice’s retail teams based at its shops across the town, whose efforts contribute hugely to keeping the hospice functioning..
For example, shop managers have taken part in a team building programme, which included an away-day featuring games and challenges designed to show the importance of teamwork, co-operation and trust to achieve success in communication, organisation, goals and strategic planning.
