Developing People in the Workplace

Understand the importance of promoting personal development.

At Greenyard, we are continuously looking for non-utilised talent, which is part of our eight wastes. I believe that it is important for everyone to reach their potential within their chosen field. The main benefits to an organization would be-

• Gain Key Leadership Skills: For example, Ashley Gower started as an administrator. He quickly showed his key strengths in leadership roles, taking responsibility and accountability for the decisions he had to make. This helped him progress through the ranks to team leader and supervisor.

He is currently the team lead in his area.

• Drives and improves performance within the business: Ashley has grown with the business and, by doing so, has developed relationships with the people who have grown with him. This helps him and his team drive the business forward by using the tools and techniques we have adopted. For example, by using process mapping, we can identify our major hotspots and determine how we can improve them. Collaborating with other stakeholders within the business, we use this approach as a primary example to drive improvements. All improvements are recorded throughout each management meeting. We expect to have a minimum of two meetings per week.

Coaching & Leadership Skills – full coaching and training given, internally or externally, including Situational Leadership & Grow Models (See Appendix 1 & 2).

Social awareness.

Being empowered to make the necessary changes within the business.

• Achieving new qualifications and new skills to improve your chosen career prospects.

• Having the motivation to drive change and people forward.

Personal development cascades into other working relationships, nurturing positivity in ourselves through others.

Be able to mentor others – Ashley is now able to mentor others who have joined the team. He recognizes the need for different leadership styles and can apply them to everyone.

• Makes you a better person – more people are attracted to you or your team because you are more engaged and organised than others.

Acceptance of yourself and others.

The company would uphold a good reputation and have very few leavers.

At Greenyard, we nurture everyone to help optimize their development. Being part of an organization means it gives you the capacity to grow and self-learn in all areas of the business to discover what interests you the most. We encourage, engage, and enable each colleague to reach their potential by learning new skills and knowledge, enhancing existing skills to improve their capability.

The benefits to individual personal development would be.

Taking an interest in yourself.

Better understanding of what you want and what you want to achieve.

“Better understanding of building positive/nurturing relationships.”

• Improve awareness: By understanding our emotional intelligence, we can present ourselves differently, understand how others may see us, and consider how we need to change for the better, if necessary, or what we should be achieving. (See Appendix 3).

• Unlocks hidden potential – in new areas that need further development.

• Enhances the quality of life.

• Learn how to balance work/home life: We should be able to balance home and work life by considering our time management. A healthy balance between the two should be created to give ourselves time to recharge, thereby becoming more productive.

• Understanding strengths and weaknesses – what suits me most.

What do I enjoy?

• Gain confidence and improve the way I work.

• New qualifications can open a career change or improve the current position.

Be able to plan for an individual’s development.

Everyone will be given an appraisal, and part of that process is a personal development plan. From this, you can then see in which areas they are most interested, and help guide, coach, and develop each person within their chosen field by creating a development plan with the individual.

We will also have regular one-on-ones with each person to discuss their expectations and to check how they are getting on with their objectives within their appraisal. We also have team projects that everyone will get involved in. Team projects are discussed at the weekly management meetings, or each individual can discuss on a one-on-one basis if they prefer.

You can develop anyone in a company who is self-motivated, wanting to increase learning and knowledge, gain experience, demonstrate commitment, and enhance performance. Part of their development plan might be gaining qualifications either internally or externally, which gives them more power and experience within the organization to promote from within. This can also help address any areas of weakness and recognize the individual’s strengths.

Other examples of development for the organization and individual are:

Secondments – These are good for giving people a taste of other departments and can be part of their development and learning if their growth involves covering a wide range of areas.

On-the-job training, working with other people, learning new skills, understanding how another area works, and interaction within different departments.

Training can be limited and dependent on the duration of the secondment. It could potentially harm the department from which the secondee originates if the individual doesn’t fit in well with others. Moreover, the secondee’s capabilities and the effectiveness of those conducting the training also come into play.

Mentoring is another good way of developing people. I myself have mentored several people, using the situational leadership and GROW model to help develop them alongside their appraisal and regular catch-ups. I have worked alongside these people for a while and they are now fully capable of delivering the correct coaching, leadership, and development methods for themselves and to lead their teams as well.

Limitations: You can pick up bad habits from the mentor. Individuals should be allowed to break away and find their own way in new situations. There is a tendency to hang on to the mentor and still be directed in what to do, which can lead to complacency. Other downsides include displaying bad behaviour, lacking self-management, and having no self-awareness.

Working alongside the coach and coachee, we observe situations that happen daily and how they are led. We adhere to a “lead by example” methodology using the leader standard work (Appendix 4). This approach aids in leading and developing at all levels in all situations. We also monitor Key Behavioural Indicators (KBI) at the leader standard level (Appendix 5).

Self-reflection within Greenyard is utilized in the GROW model (appendix 1 & 2). This is part of our everyday toolkit and is often used for appraisals, onboarding new starters, and generally when a situation arises to tease out from the individual what they think we should do—thereby helping them grow and building their KPI. It can be employed in a variety of different situations, for example, fostering confidence and working relationships. However, the individual must be the one who wants to engage in it. This tool can offer profound insights about the individual and team, revealing different levels of ability, strengths, and weaknesses. From these insights, the best path to further development can be assessed. This toolkit is used at all levels of the business. The mentor must also possess an understanding of self-management and emotional awareness. For that, we employ the Daniel Goleman method (appendix 3).

Both examples below have been part of AG’s objectives within his appraisal, which includes personal development. (See Appendix 6.)

HR development has been necessary for AG to learn throughout his journey and for him to continue his progress. This includes learning how to deal with sickness, lateness, conduct, capability, and gross misconduct. Currently, AG can complete file notes, conduct full investigations, and carry out the first stage of disciplinary actions. For future progression, AG will need to be involved in final disciplinary actions, dismissals, temporary or secondment endings, and gross misconduct to complete his training in this area. Thankfully, we don’t seem to have that many of the latter.

Lean Development & Learning is the way forward for Greenyard Fresh. We already have a Senior Fresh Approach Team (FAT) who started their own journey back in 2017, of which I am a member. Now, we are leading & coaching the next generation/tier down, which includes AG. Currently, AG is fluent in running a Management Information meeting, completing an A4 problem-solving exercise (PSE), 5’S, Fishbone & 5Why, as well as being involved with creating a team strategy and understanding what it means to him. There is plenty more future training to be completed which includes A3 PSE, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Blitz & Process Mapping.

In order to keep AG on track and assess how he is progressing, we would also have 1-1 meetings (See Appendix 7) on a regular basis. We would sit and discuss each area of his objectives/development, and see what’s working well and what’s not. We would then ask if there are any blockers he needs support with. Is there anything that has changed? With Lean development, we adopt a different approach to development. Each person selects a subject they are not yet trained on, then they research it and present to some or all of the FAT. We have found this to be an effective basis for training with LEAN. This system has also been implemented in the Central Supply Chain as a method of training.

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