This year saw the roll out of our Employee Engagement Toolkit app, providing access to our Learning and Development Programme, appraisals and other information on desktop and mobile devices.
Now that every colleague has the information to hand, it’s much easier for us to show the alignment between their day-to-day work and the company’s objectives. By doing this, we can ensure visibility of objectives across the business and more importantly, ensure that we are training our colleagues appropriately and equipping them with the skills they need to deliver those business objectives. At the end of each year, we can review and report on the training that has taken place.
As well as managing the critical components of our strategic objectives, we are developing the system into an appropriate tool for all areas of employee engagement, including up-to-date job descriptions, appraisals, expenses management and commission status (for sales people) all on a digital platform. This saves time and money and increases efficiency. Users of the new system are far more engaged in the preparation and monitoring of their own Learning and Development and report feeling a deeper sense of trust from the company about investing in their skills for the future.
Ultimately the aim is to have one central view for each colleague, so they feel motivated and connected to the business. It will also allow line managers to have a clear dashboard enabling efficient and effective team management and supporting good decision making, within company guidelines and authorisation levels.
We have also seen an improvement in our background processes. Job specifications could previously be out of date and now they are all complete and current. The quality of appraisals has also improved, with full completion rates and increased engagement in the process.
The system is being used alongside a Management Development Programme to facilitate talent management, identifying the “Top Talent” and “Rising Stars”, enabling us to have a clear succession plan for all key roles in the business.
Part of our learning and development strategy is about talent mapping and career planning. Research shows that recruitment of the best talent is only possible with a high-profile employer brand, which encourages the best people to want to join the business. We know that their priorities are to work for a company that offers good learning and development opportunities and provide a modern approach to work/life balance.
Through our successful adoption of the Investors in People Programme, we have been able to:
Our Learning and Development Programme has been awarded the Princess Royal Training award for dedication to developing our people. We are thrilled to be receiving this award for the second time.
Our people are at the heart of our sustained business achievements and are our most important asset – it’s fantastic that this has been recognised once again.
Accolades like the Princes Royal Training Award help us to attract, retain and develop the very best talent. This means we can offer our partners innovative, market-leading solutions, as well as an inspired and motivated team to work with.
Following on from our success in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in April, this is shaping up to be a truly special 50th anniversary year for Brother UK
Phil Jones, Managing Director, Brother UK
