Employee development no gamble for Emperor’s Palace
16-SEP-09
Life is a gamble for employees who are illiterate. And bad for business. Realising this, Emperor’s Palace acted and soon found that customer experience has improved.
A strategic decision was taken in January 2008 to offer ABET training to all employees, permanent, and contract. This has proved to be huge success as well as being popular with employees.
The upgraded programme is run in conjunction with THETA and Media Works and is an improvement on the old fashioned classroom- based training which had a very high drop- out rate.
The Palace’s training and development manager Malebo Mpepele credits the change in training format for the improved results and increased interest by learners by saying: “We had to find a way to keep learners in training, without putting strain on managers who are required to release employees for training.”
Theta appointed adult education specialists Media Works whose training methodology uses two broad approaches: face-to-face classes guided by a facilitator and computer-assisted learning that incorporates multi-media programmes with workbooks and facilitator sessions.
The training centre also added resources such as a library of books suited to adult learners and provided ear-phones to further assist learners to put in some extra study time during their breaks and after-hours.
Before the training was introduced the training team, assisted by Media Works’ project manager Elizabeth Rautenbach, embarked on a marketing road-show to the over 3000 staff.
Emphasising the importance of marketing training programmes to staff, Mpepele advises, “Our team went on a marketing drive to explain the benefits of the training to our employees and contractors.
“While our staff generally have technical skills many are unable to communicate confidently with colleagues, managers and guests. This can cause a number of challenges when it comes to assessing performance or considering individuals for skills development and promotion.”
Once staff members were exposed to the new training, Mpepele’s new challenge became accommodating all the learners who wanted to join the training or spend a few extra hours in the training room.
Many ABET learners have attended school up to Grade 9, but need ABET certification, to access additional skills development programmes and or participate in learnerships. To date learners have achieved an 80% pass rate since training started in January 2008.
“The profile of ABET learners has changed and this has necessitated a change in training. It is not the adult education of the past. It is not only about literacy but also about communication, numeracy, and the life-skills that learners gain from being able to comfortably communicate and in many ways better manage their lives,” shares Rautenbach.
The ABET training is but one part of Emperor’s holistic training programme which also includes employee development, compliance training, computer training and management development programs.
“All of these training elements make it possible for us to develop world-class employees who we can confidently entrust to represent the Emperors Palace brand,” states Mpepele. Managers are also being trained to better manage employees and assist to motivate them to take advantage of the optional training.
Recently Emperors Palace parent company Peermont became a partner in Department of Tourism’s domestic travel campaign, launched by Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.
