We aim to become the region’s employer of choice

Sophie Williams, Finance Director at Corbetts the Galvanizers, talks about a change in culture for the company and why becoming an ‘employer of choice’ is one of its key aims.

‘People power’ – it’s a common phrase that is used in all parts of life, but what does it mean in the world of business?

For Corbetts the Galvanizers, we are talking about our greatest asset: the 105 people who make up the very fabric of our company, allowing us to claim the rightful title of the UK’s oldest galvanizing company.

It’s time for a hand-on-heart moment. This appreciation of our workforce and a desire to unlock its potential hasn’t always been in place. Far from it. Under the previous ownership, investment in employees wasn’t something they entertained, as it cut into profit margins and wouldn’t contribute to the bottom line.

When Ardenton Capital purchased the business in 2017, this all changed. Over the last two years, we have thrown out the previous employee manual and the rules that went with it, drafting a whole new culture that puts people very much at the centre of what we do.

This starts with a week-long induction programme for all new employees, with general operatives given access to a training and development path that will see them become fully skilled within 6 to 9 months and earning in excess of the ‘real living wage’ by the time they’ve finished.

The implementation of an Operational Support Team was fundamental to this new approach and I’m delighted to say it is now complete, with new HR and Training managers in place to help us accelerate the roll-out of a number of exciting new initiatives for our staff.

We offer regular overtime and rotating shift patterns to ensure a healthy work-life balance, with free English and Maths courses and Forklift Truck and Crane training available to improve the skills of our workers – skills they can use in their future career.

The perks don’t stop there. We have just recently implemented a weekly attendance bonus scheme for our staff whilst also providing the opportunity for staff to take an additional two weeks unpaid holiday, to help our foreign workers who may need to return home. We’ve also started to arrange for an ice cream van to visit the premises to keep people cool during the summer months.

There is an understanding at the very top level of management that we need to make Corbetts the Galvanizers a great place to work. Not just to deliver improved performance on the factory floor or in the offices, but to make sure all our people feel valued and part of the team. That way we will actually increase performance and grow the business, as expected, by 15% year-on-year.

This is just the start. The next stage will be to develop a new employee works council, where employees can voice opinions and share ideas, whilst also learning about the direction of the company. There has to be an open culture and an honest two-way discussion; that’s the only way we are going to get collectively better.

However, changing perceptions isn’t easy. The legacy of the previous management has been ingrained in many local recruitment agencies and in some parts of the industry, and we are continually fighting to show that this is the new, and vastly improved, Corbetts.

This is a fight we are willing to face head-on; we are confident that the new measures and culture we are putting in place will help us become an employer of choice for Shropshire. Proof is in the proverbial pudding, and we’re ready to serve up dessert.