Investing in our people

‘People are our greatest asset’ is a phrase that CEOs and HR directors have been saying for almost as long as the workplace has existed. But with the advent of technology, there has been a worrying decrease in the belief behind that statement.

Global executive search agency Korn Ferry has recently conducted a study into CEO perceptions of what is most important to their companies. Their research revealed that technology has taken over from people in emphasis – in fact people didn’t even make it into their top 5 key assets, which is, quite frankly, appalling.

At UOE, people come first

Here at UOE we have the opposite view – our people really are our biggest asset. And we are undertaking a new strategy of investment to ensure we not only employ the best people, but also develop their talents and support them in their UOE careers.

We have just recruited two new account managers to look after the business side of our company, Tobi Adekanye and Adam Chadi. Both are university graduates we found through Pareto, one of the UK’s top sales recruitment companies. We took the decision to go with Pareto because of their rigorous selection processes which include interviews, assessment days, and coaching, ensuring they only put forward the very best candidates.

In addition to recruiting high quality graduates, we are also investing in a dedicated training programme for them. Over the next year both Tobi and Adam will undergo 15 days of external training to hone their skills and train them in all aspects of account management. We are sure that their skills, training and enthusiasm will benefit their colleagues as well as their clients.

Our MD Elliot Jacobs thinks this major investment in our staff will be hugely beneficial to the business in the longer-term. “In every aspect of our business we are only as good as our people. Investing in our people over the past few years has improved retention as well as the quality of the work they deliver. I’m excited to see what this further investment in great people with ongoing training can deliver over the coming months and years.”

Current training provision

This new training investment is additional to our existing in-house induction training programmes for our retail staff. To this end, we established the Potters Bar branch as our Development Centre for onboarding and training. Alongside online modules, UOE Store staff receive an intensive training programme on retail and Post Office products, services and customer engagement. Elliot Jacobs said: “The new programme has enabled us to deploy new team members into our retail stores with real-world and classroom experience that gives them confidence to deliver the standards we expect from the first day in their branch.”

In addition to the induction training, we have launched Level Up! a quarterly personal development programme which rewards effort, knowledge and teamwork, as well as individual performance, and is delivered in branch as well as through external training companies.

If you are looking for a retail career with a forward thinking company that invests in their people, please contact us and send us your CV.