Caterer & HotelKeeper - 11 May 2000

The rapid growth of business for Alison Robinson's catering company has meant a sharp increase in the number of employees. She tells Diane Lane why recruitment and training are key issues at Artizian

IN April 1999, with six contracts in the bag, the head count at Artizian was 32. Now, just one year later, it has swelled to 77. The latest contract to open - at entertainment software company Electronic Arts' UK headquarters in Chertsey, Surrey - has been largely responsible for the increase, pushing up the number of staff employed by Artizian by 16 in one go.

With 550 people on site, it is Robinson's largest contract gain to date and triggered a huge recruitment drive earlier this year. Projected labour costs at the contract - worth £560,000 in annual turnover - are £241,000 for the year.

Continually recruiting

"We like to present the potential candidate to manage a contract at tender stage," explains Robinson, "so we are continually recruiting to build a bank of people for the future." Like many of Artizian's managers and head chefs, David Wood, general manager for the Electronic Arts contract was recruited through Chess Recruitment Agency in London, with whom Robinson has a close working relationship.

"They understand what we are looking for, and that is vitally important," she says. "And they have a high profile and network of people looking for positions. Because of the type of people we are looking for, some need to be headhunted, and Chess offers that option." The cost to Artizian is an agreed percentage of the salary of the person placed by Chess.

Once the manager is in place, he or she will recruit locally for the rest of the team through Job Centres and advertising. Recruitment for the Electronic Arts site was carried out in tandem with that for the Mynd contract, since the buildings are opposite each other and start dates were within two weeks.

"For big recruitment drives such as this one, we take over an area of the local Job Centre and interview people as they come through the door," explains Robinson. "We like the site manager to carry out such tasks, because people want to see who they'll be working with." The majority of the Electronic Arts positions were filled in this way.

Robinson places great importance on setting the right rates of pay to attract the calibre of person she is looking for. She tries to set Artizian salaries at least £2,000 higher than the going rate for a similar position. At Artizian, a head chef can earn between £20,000 and £27,000, depending on the contract; a chef/manager £18,500 to £26,000; and a general assistant from £5.50 per hour for contracts outside London.

"At the end of the day, there are more positions in catering than there are applicants, and we are in competition with everyone else to attract people," she says. "It's a fact of life that most people are coin-operated, and there is always someone else willing to pay them - you have to keep ahead of the game." Labour costs - with the exception of head-office staff - are covered by the clients, all blue-chip companies that are convinced of Artizian's ability to offset any increase in staff costs through increased sales.

When it comes to interviewing potential Artizian employees, Robinson is specific about the qualities she looks for. "We look for people with huge amounts of enthusiasm and energy and a passion for food. People who don't just function in a position but thrive on what they do," she says. "We want people who will fit in with our culture and grow with the business."

Qualifications and experience are not always essential. "There are different criteria for different positions, and we will train and develop people," she says. All new recruits go through a three-month probationary period, after which they are reviewed by their manager. This appraisal is used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the employee and plan an individual training schedule. Training occupies a prime position in the Artizian calendar and is usually carried out by contractors, although some staff members attend college on a day-release basis, such as the two general assistants who are training as chefs. "We can only deliver through the people who work for us," asserts Robinson, who has budgeted £9,500 for training costs in the six months to October.

Refresher courses

A pre-opening training plan is arranged for each contract to cover legislative issues such as hazardous substances, health and safety, food hygiene and equipment induction. All staff then undertake annual refresher courses, as required by law, to a level consistent with their position. June Harvey, chef/manager at the Mynd contract has now passed the advanced course in hygiene, which means she is qualified to train other Artizian staff in basic food hygiene. This is the plan for the future - making the £500 on her training well spent - but at present she is too tied up with her managerial duties at the relatively new contract to undertake training duties. These remain with a consultant for the time being.

Training begins shortly on a new, bespoke, computer accounting system developed by finance director Jackie Brain. The system is designed to simplify book-keeping for site managers and will be implemented at all sites by June. And currently in development in conjunction with Robinson's sister, who is a trainer by profession, is a customer service training plan specific to Artizian. "We have a distinctive approach to customer service," says Robinson. "Artizian is taking a five-star hotel-services approach rather than one of contract catering. We have a selling bias as opposed to the traditional defence mode, just dealing with complaints."

There is soon to be an addition to head-office staff with the appointment of an area manager for London contracts, the responsibility for which has so far lain with joint managing director Jayne Billam and area manager Sally Jackson-Grimes. "We currently have four London contracts and need someone dedicated to the area to cope with the planned growth," explains Robinson. And, just outside London, in Surrey, is a new contract gain worth £600,000 in annual turnover to Artizian, the news of which has just reached head office. n

Each employee at Artizian has an individual training schedule

Owner Alison Robinson tries to set staff salaries at least £2,000 higher than the going rate

The story so far
Artizian Catering Services opened in December 1996 with a £30,000 investment from Alison Robinson. Now the company has a turnover of £2.5m and 11 contracts. The two most recent openings, the Electronic Arts site and the Mynd contract, both in Chertsey, Surrey, saw a collective increase of 21 in staff numbers and another new contract gain, and the anticipation of continued growth in business means recruitment is ongoing.

Facts

Artizian Catering Services
4 Spring Meadows Business Centre, Wargrave, Berkshire RG10 8PZ

Managing director and owner: Alison Robinson
Joint managing director: Jayne Billam
Finance director: Jackie Brain
Executive chef: Simon Genduso
March turnover: £339,422
March labour costs: £71,860
Training budget to October: £9,500
Sample of salaries: head chef £20,000-£27,000; chef/manager £18,500-£26,000; general assistant from £5.50 per hour outside London