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Low pay, long hours and hard work.

That's how most of us would view a job in the catering industry. No wonder, then, that catering companies have trouble recruiting and retaining staff.

It's a familiar problem for Robyn Jones.

She and her husband own Charlton House, a contract catering business which serves up 8m meals a year to office workers across the south of England.

If you actually feel you are part of a company then you are more likely to stay

Chef John Jamieson
"I know how demotivating catering work can be," says Robyn.

"I started out washing dishes and I've done every job in the business, so I can empathise with staff."

Contract catering is a competitive industry, especially in the south-east, where there are a lot of big offices.

To attract the best staff - and more importantly, hold on to them - Robyn pays above the minimum wage.

Robyn Jones: Business grew from redundancy
"We're nothing without our workforce," says Robyn. "We wouldn't be able to win contracts and fulfil them without good staff.

"We try to make all our workforce feel that they're not a number - they are individuals."

Staff even get cards on their birthdays and presents at Christmas.

There are nearly 800 people working for Charlton House.

It's a far cry from the company's origins. It began in a back bedroom 11 years ago after Robyn was made redundant. Since then it has mushroomed.

I started out washing dishes and I've done every job in the business, so I can empathise with staff

Robyn Jones
Charlton House
Last year turnover was �22m - an increase of 52% on the year before. And this year the business expects to make �27m.

Its clients include the likes of Bupa and the Foreign Office.

Another client is the Greenpark business centre in Reading.

Nearly 500 people work in the building and 90% of them eat Charlton House food.

Leadership

They are catered for by a small team of five - three chefs, a catering manager and a kitchen porter - under the leadership of head chef Darren Sully.

Chef
All staff get a present at Christmas
He and his team produce a choice of three main hot dishes a day. And everything is made from scratch - including soups, desserts, pastries and cakes.

Darren doesn't just cook and create the menus. He also has to manage the team and make sure they stick to their budget.

"I'm proud of the fact that my team have stayed together since we got this contract two years ago. No-one has left, and in the catering industry that is very unusual."

Darren says staff loyalty is down to the way they are treated:

There's no weekend working

The hours are regular

Pay is above average in the industry

There's a company pension scheme.

But it's not just the practical benefits that appeal to Darren.

"There's a real family atmosphere in the company. And that's down to Robyn.

Kangaroo stir fry

"When my son was born Robyn sent my wife and I a card, which we really appreciated. The personal touch is very important."

That personal touch is also what makes Darren's diners keep coming back. After two years on the job he knows his customers well.

"They trust me. If I put something on the menu, they'll trust me enough to take a chance that it's going to be good.

"Recently I put kangaroo stir fry on the menu, and within half-an-hour it was sold out!"

Trust indeed!

Student Guide

People are important to businesses.

If they're unhappy:

They don't stay long

They don't work very hard

They affect the way other people work.

It can be difficult for some employees - they might have to work away from home because there are few jobs where they live.

But even then, unhappy people make an unhappy business.

Making people happy

Catering can be a tough world because people have to work when we want to eat.

It can mean early mornings and late nights, hot kitchens and some grumpy bosses!

Charlton House has tried hard to overcome the problems.

Catering is a very competitive world so many businesses do what they can to keep costs low.

Charlton House is prepared to charge higher prices in order to sell high quality food made by a happy staff.

Just think...

Make a list of the things that persuade you to work hard for your exams.

How might a catering business try to keep a happy staff?

Do you think money is enough to persuade people to work hard? Explain your answer.

How to make people happy

Charlton House sets out its philosophy on its website.

"The success of any business is a reflection on its people," it says, and adds that the company is prepared to make a big investment in its team.

Charlton House belongs to Investors in People, a national standard which shows a company puts emphasis on training and developing its staff.

And the business wants employees to know their opinions are valued. "We encourage creative talent and an exchange of ideas," says the website.

Just think...

How does Charlton House encourage people to work hard?

Why do you think it works?

What other strategies do companies use?

Performance related pay - if people work hard and produce good results, they are paid more

Commission - the more you sell, the more you earn

Incentives - these are special awards for staff who are doing well

Differentials - people with more skills, training or responsibility are paid more

Fringe benefits - these include pensions, longer holidays or a car. They're often given for loyalty.

Most of these involve money, but not all. Incentives may be holidays, meals and other things that people want.

Just think...

What sort of businesses might use the examples above?

What sort of employment would find it difficult to use these strategies?

Which ones might Charlton House use?

More than money

Not all the strategies involve giving people things. Making their lives better in other ways works as well.

A better working environment helps people to feel appreciated

Being involved in business decisions makes people feel part of the organisation

Keeping staff informed so they know what's going on encourages them

Recognising success makes people feel good about their achievements

Preventing people from getting bored helps them to stay productive.

If people are bored, they soon stop being effective.

A business might move people round so they do different things and learn different skills.

It could give them more responsibility or a range of tasks so their days are mixed.

Job enrichment encourages people to stay in a job because they are happier.

Keeping people motivated

Many organisations recognise that people are important for their success.

If people are not motivated to work in a positive way, a business is unlikely to succeed.

There are many theories about the best way to motivate people and research is constantly carried out to find new ways of going about it.


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