Staff training improves business for tolerance ring company

For these reasons Rencol, which supplies tolerance rings to the engineering and manufacturing industries worldwide, has a long track record of providing excellent training and personal development opportunities for its staff. Recently, however, it has increased the focus on its NVQ programme, which is designed to give participants a recognised and transferable qualification, as well as enhancing their skills and self-confidence.

In the first 18 months of operation, the NVQ programme has already achieved notable success, with over 25 per cent of the company's employees having satisfied the requirements for an NVQ award. Roberts states: "Many of those who are receiving training as part of this programme are from our shop floor, but by no means all of them. Many employees in other areas, including our managers, have successfully taken advantage of the opportunities offered by the programme."

For employees at Rencol, however, the gaining of qualifications is not just an end in itself. Staff members know that their new qualifications and skills will be taken into account when their performance and pay is reviewed, and that successes will lead to increased remuneration and enhanced opportunities for promotion.

Roberts adds: "As well as these very tangible benefits from training, we find that properly trained staff are much happier in their work. This is simply because they know exactly what to do and how to do it well. And, of course, a job well done always gives a sense of satisfaction. Naturally, our customers also enjoy the benefits of the "job well done' in terms of consistently high quality in everything we supply, and our ability to respond efficiently to special requirements."

Sharing ideas

Rencol does not limit its enthusiasm for training only to in-house activities. The company is an active member of Beacon South West, a project sponsored by the South West of England Regional Development Agency. Beacon South West brings together companies with a proven track record of success, from a diverse range of industries, to showcase good practice, share ideas and exchange experience. In the case of Rencol, these meetings are supplemented by training sessions held at the company's works for delegates from other Beacon South West members.

Roberts says: "Showing exactly what we have to offer not only leads to greater understanding between local businesses, it can also reveal genuine business opportunities. And, of course, when we discuss our approaches to various challenges, we often discover that one of the other Beacon members has already developed a good solution. That can lead to big savings in time and money."

Alongside its comprehensive NVQ programme and its membership of Beacon South West, Rencol offers its staff a wide range of other training opportunities. These include, for example, 100 learning vouchers distributed with pay packets, which can be redeemed against almost any night school, college or on-line course.

In addition, internal development courses are held on a regular basis, covering topics of general interest, such as environmental issues, office politics, effective management of change and company culture. These are complemented by learning-at-work days, when staff members are encouraged to take part in activities that include half-day job swaps and visits to other group companies.

Roberts concludes: "We place a lot of emphasis on training and personal development, but we genuinely find that it pays big dividends. Well-trained staff deliver so many benefits that the costs of training are, by contrast, almost insignificant. We truly believe that our employees are our most important resource, and we are always ready to invest in them."