Franchise support is vital to any franchise operation, and the people who work in franchise support, helping franchisees to achieve maximum potential for their business are incredibly important. It is no coincidence that those franchisees who enjoy the most success are also those who most value their teams, going above and beyond in their efforts to help keep staff motivated, inspired and committed to business growth.
Here at the Belvoir Group, we truly believe that employees are the lifeblood of any business. A great deal of investment has been made into creating a culture of creativity and empowerment amongst those who work at Central Office, and we are currently working towards an Investors in People Award. The results of our last annual survey revealed that 85% of staff were proud to work for the company and would recommend it is a good place to work. Job satisfaction, career development opportunities and a sense of pride in the company also contributes towards staff retention, and almost 40% of team members at Central Office have over five years’ service.
Over the years we have introduced many employee benefits, ranging from simple things such as birthday leave, plus extra days of annual leave for every year worked (up to a maximum of five days) and bonuses for successfully introducing new employees. As we are in the property market, we also waive mortgage admin fees for any residential mortgages done through our own mortgage advisory service and offer reduced selling fees to employees and their family members.
The Belvoir brand is modern and contemporary, and providing employees with a clean, comfortable and modern working environment is important. Attention to employee wellbeing is paramount, which is why we have developed an employee assistance programme, enabling employees to freely access financial, mental and physical wellbeing advice. Staff can also access Medicash, and mental first aiders are readily available. At this year’s annual conference, we had a key speaker who spoke very passionately to our franchisees on the importance of looking after the mental health of their employees – especially anybody who may still be working from home. A simple effort to meet up with people and ask that all important question ‘How are you doing?’ can make all the difference to someone who might be silently struggling.
In addition, we’ve introduced a range of incentives and rewards for staff at Central Office, to help ensure people enjoy coming to work. Some of these incentives don’t cost very much in financial terms, but they contribute a great deal to wellbeing, and are well worth the time and effort. Examples include fundraising and team bonding events, such charity walks and swims, where everyone, from Senior Management to apprentices, are made welcome and can get to know each other a little more whilst also helping local good causes. Another small incentive that went down very well this year was arranging for an ice cream van to visit Central Office each week during the summer, as well as visiting our corporate office in the heart of the town. Everyone loves an ice cream and looking forward to a freebie every Thursday during the hottest weeks of the year provided a lot of fun!
Belvoir takes wellbeing so seriously that we’ve even appointed an Ambassador of Goodwill. This role was taken on by a senior team member who organises all the training schemes for the Group. Initiatives include things like thank you awards and providing each department with a happiness jar. Each day team members select something from the jar and are encouraged to follow the instructions such as offer to make someone a coffee, ask someone for a walk at lunchtime, or start a conversation with someone in another team. Due to the pressure of work, it’s easy to forget how important the little things can be, and the happiness jar is a gentle reminder of the value of doing something kind for a colleague. These may be little things, but they can make the biggest difference, helping to create and retain a team that is proud of where they work, and keen to go the extra mile for your business.
