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UK – Rank looking to the future with new style recruitment drive

By - 24 August 2016

A pioneering initiative to train unemployed people, some from disadvantaged backgrounds, for work in a new Essex casino has enhanced recruitment for one of Britain’s best-known leisure companies.

An innovative programme to train unemployed candidates for vacancies at Grosvenor Casino launched by Rank Group Plc at Southend-on-Sea, has been delivered by national talent development company, Beyond 2030, York, led by former director of talent and academy at Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, Toni Eastwood.

Grosvenor Casino originally needed 100 employees for the opening of its new casino in Southend in September 2014, including experienced and trainee dealers, food and drink supervisors and workers; kitchen staff, porters, cashiers, electronic gaming hosts and receptionists but faced the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff in a seaside town.

Beyond 2030 worked alongside managers at the £6m Grosvenor Casino at The Park Palace Inn Hotel to understand the skills and training required and what potential recruits should expect in terms of shift times, pay, promotion prospects and company culture from working at the new casino.

Toni Eastwood, who was awarded an OBE in 2007 in recognition of her work towards equal opportunities, said: “Grosvenor Casino’s challenge was to identify potential recruits with the appropriate skills and commitment. Any organisation recruiting for a new venture wants to retain them because staff turnover, particularly in a competitive leisure environment with similar pay, represents wasted investment.”

After initial research, Beyond 2030 ran an intensive selection and training programme, tailored to the precise needs of Grosvenor casino managers to identify and train local jobless candidates, some of whom were from disadvantaged backgrounds or had never even written a job application or CV.

Toni Eastwood added: “We contacted organisations including Jobcentre Plus, the Government’s Work Programme and FE colleges for potential candidates. Our intensive four-week programme enabled Grosvenor Casino to have a strong staff complement for opening, some with promotion potential.

“We presented 60 trained candidates for interview in September 2014 and 47 were offered jobs, a very high proportion which dramatically streamlined Rank’s recruitment. We were asked to repeat the programme this April this year (2016) and a further nine from 14 candidates were accepted even though only five jobs were available. Staff retention has also improved.

“It is so rewarding to see people who have had difficult pasts, or are suffering low self-esteem, smash through the barriers preventing them from achieving their aspirations. They tell us that their lives have changed and that is really rewarding. We have closed the gap between the skills of people who’ve been out of work and the specific needs of a significant employer and can replicate this anywhere in the UK as a means to reduce unemployment.”

Rank Group director of talent acquisition, Nick Boothroyd, says: “As with all leisure and hospitality businesses, we face relatively high staff turnover. Challenges include candidates being able to accommodate our shift patterns for 24-hour opening, high customer service expectations and the transient nature of some candidates. Rank is not a well-known employer and we are new to Southend.
“The quality of candidates for final interview has been far higher with Beyond 2030’s involvement. Candidates are far more aware of the employment requirements of Rank, Grosvenor and a casino. They are also better aligned with our values and know what to expect from the work experience or recruitment process.

“Staff retention from the first Beyond 2030 programme has been good. The quicker transition to becoming a valued employee, and the confidence recruits have when starting, has been markedly better. All this will deliver an improved return on investment through lower training costs and a faster contribution to the team. We look forward to working with Toni and her excellent team again.”

Pictured above outside Grosvenor Casino Southend are Southend Job Centre employment adviser, Paul Calladine; Rank Group retail recruitment adviser, Kirtsteen Raitt; recruits Martin Gower, Elliott Walsh, Tom Mezaros and Sasha Darling; Beyond 2030 founder and chief executive, Toni Eastwood and Beyond 2030 lead trainer and head of quality, Veronica Garbett.

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