BaxterStorey’s Proving Ground
When you work across 500 sites it's important to set consistent standards to work to; and when you've got 6,500 employees it helps your business to maximise their potential. That is why BaxterStorey has invested heavily in its staff training and development programme, as David Foad reports for Cost Sector Catering
The jewel in the crown of the contract caterer's training programme is the Chef
Academy, which is now in its third year and has 47 people signed up for its 2008-2009 courses – almost double the number when it started.
The success has been such that the company is investing £60,000 in the academy this year, almost double the figure for last year. It offers a range of training that begins with practical food and kitchen management skills and goes all the way up to a Masters degree for those looking to become industry leaders of tomorrow.
But it has had to prove itself, according to training and development director Graham Eveleigh, and attracted only 24 students the year it launched. Two years later, the bugs have been ironed out and two intakes of chefs can provide testimony to the academy's effectiveness under Eveleigh, who describes his role as a 'dream job'. "I came into catering without a lot of formal qualifications but because I loved the idea of working in kitchens and wanted to get involved.
"And now I get to run a programme that offers a way to get ahead for people who are keen to train but haven't necessarily had the opportunity for formal study qualifications earlier on in life – a lot like me.
MEASURABLE RESULTS
"We employ people from a diverse range of backgrounds and more and more we are telling them 'if you are enthusiastic to learn, then come forward and we can train and develop you'." This month (November) will see BaxterStorey mark the graduation of last year's 26 chefs with an awards dinner and presentation.
"We have got kitchen operators we have taken through NVQ's, who are now working
as chefs or supervisors," he says.
All of which sounds very worthy, in a cuddly 'aren't we a nice company to work for' kind of way. But where's the business benefit? BaxterStorey has been careful to ensure there are measurable results from this workforce investment.
Driven by generally low wages and a skills shortage, the hospitality sector continues to suffer high staff turnover, particularly among chefs. Eveleigh says the company's far from unusual chef turnover of 31% in 2006 dropped to 21% in 2007, with a further fall likely to be reported this year.
Graduation from the academy also offers chefs a much clearer career progression, with 60% of graduates already promoted. And a company-wide 61% increase in profit is being attributed in part to more highly trained chefs providing high levels of service with a mix of modern purchasing systems and culinary techniques that require smaller, tightly managed teams.
PUTTING SKILLS BACK IN
"Other benefits are not so easy to quantify, but we believe, for instance, that the Academy has increased the profile of BaxterStorey as employer of choice. "It has increased productivity in the kitchen and given us more innovative, confident chefs who are serving a wider range of foods using seasonal, fresh produce," says Eveleigh.
"I think a strong training and development programme is especially important in contract catering where we take over new sites and have to cope with staff TUPEing (transferring from one employer to another) over."
Rik Razza is BaxterStorey's executive chef and also a big fan of the Academy. "The motivation for the academy came from a sense of frustration due to the quality of chefs that we were trying to recruit, especially at the early stages of their careers, commis, demi and chef de partie.
"There seemed to be a lack of fundamental skill sets and little appreciation of modern techniques in kitchen management and practical culinary skills. "We also wanted to develop rounded chefs who would, in turn, pass on their skills to others in the industry, a great industry that, at the moment, certainly in our sector, is taking out skills rather than
putting skills back in."
He has worked closely with training manager Sue Kennie to develop the Academy from concept to delivery, and believes his focus should be as much on the trainers as the trainees.
"There is an excitement in the recruitment process for chefs who see the Academy as an excellent way to develop their career, therefore assisting us in their recruitment. It has helped tremendously in chef retention."
"The great thing is when they have finished the academy they are keen to become mentors for others just starting." In fact, the success already achieved has surprised him. "The results so far are excellent. When we started I expected to see comprehensive results after five years time; but those results are coming through already. "The momentum of the Academy at the beginning of year three, from both outside of BaxterStorey and internally, has been hugely encouraging."
The learning has not been all one sided, with Razza admitting that the Academy training changed as a result of experience. "The initial level on the academy was primarily set up to view and assess commitment; this has now developed into a more comprehensive level focused on developing their base skill sets. "We've refined the paperwork to make it more user-friendly yet more effective.
"Monitoring and assessing the progress of trainees through the year has been strengthened by getting Academy graduates involved, and we've improved the monitoring
of trainees once they have finished." The Chef Academy may be the most high profile element of BaxterStorey's staff development programme, but it's by no means the only one.
Senior managers are catered for by a course called The Pathway, an 18-month programme of modular workshops, individual and team projects, coaching, mentoring and personal assessments that is designed to develop personal and professional skills.
Says Eveleigh: "It takes in a whole range skills from customer service to management and is aimed at senior site managers to get them ready to move to the next stage at an operational level.
"The great thing is that it's supported by the senior management, with directors coming in to present to the trainees and make the course work relevant to their roles within the company. "It's proved hugely successful this year and we want to take that forward."
TRAINING COURSES 2008/09
The wallplanner in training and development director Graham Eveleigh's office marked 'Training Courses 2008/09' highlights a packed programme that takes in something for everyone of BaxterStorey's employees.
The courses range from Level 2 Food Safety, which is mandatory for all staff, up to The Pathway and the Chef Academy. Along the way it includes essential induction courses for managers, head chefs and senior operations staff that cover workplace safety, company personnel policies, hygiene, food costing, information technology, environmental awareness and managing employee performance.
There is also a 'People and Communication' course to help managers and supervisors make effective presentations, and practical hands-on food and wine courses for all chefs at Leith's School of Food and Wine. Chefs and managers are also invited to apply for places on a masterclass with Michelin starred chef John Campbell at The Vineyard in Stock Cross. On this they develop their enthusiasm for food and look at ingredient mix, craft development and delivering a minimum-risk food offer incorporating the application of science.
There are also IT and commercial courses, a barista school and supplier-led practical training courses with companies such as M&J Seafood and First Choice Coffee.
Article by:
Cost Sector Catering
November 2008
www.costsectorcatering.co.uk