Sodexo top Landscaping employer

19 December 2012

Sodexo saw its horticultural services business awarded the Employer of the Year 2012 award at this year’s BALI National Landscaping Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in early December.

Sodexo Horticultural Services was recognised for supporting and encouraging its 650 employees to shape their own future and grow with the company. The company strives to provide each and every employee with a wide range of professional and personal opportunities to improve. Sodexo’s approach to its employees focuses on five key touch points from recruitment, induction, everyday work life through to career development, recognition and reward.

Sodexo uses a talent management system which enables it to understand who it employs, what the business needs are as well as providing individuals with appropriate opportunities to grow. It ensures all of its multi-skilled employees receive a comprehensive training and development programme and offers the following programmes:

- an apprentice scheme which offers individuals the opportunity for a full-time vacancy for 18 months on a fixed term contract. The aim of this scheme is to nurture a pipeline of talent into the business, and give individuals the skills, confidence and experience to apply for a permanent vacancy at the end of their apprenticeship.

- a management development programme which helps the business develop a pool of supervisors and frontline managers for future business growth. On completion of the course the candidate is trained, prepared and ready to take their first steps into management.

- a new skills programme which was launched earlier this year demonstrating a commitment to increase skills in its business. The new programme aims to see all of employees trained to a NVQ Level 2 standard and receive a work based diploma in Horticulture.

Phil Smith, managing director of Sodexo’s Horticultural Services business said: “We are immensely proud to have received this award. Our employees are essential to our business, over the last few years we have invested heavily in creating a defined learning pathway for all our staff. Without their skill and commitment we would not be able to provide the high level of service we have become known for.”