Why recruiting wrong-minded players leads to own goals

WORKERS with the attitude of former Liverpool and Manchester City footballer Mario Balotelli would not get a job at a Bury carpet maker, according to its boss.
 
Recruiting employees with the right mindset is key to the productivity of the 240-strong team at Cormar Carpets, says managing director David Judge, who is also a Liverpool supporter.

“To use a football analogy, a player like Mario Balotelli would never have got into Cormar Carpets,” said Judge.

“He might be a fabulous striker, but he wouldn’t have been recruited by us and even if he had, he would have been shown the door soon afterwards because you need people with great attitude and great commitment. If you get them, you can do anything.”

Judge continued: “About 15 years ago we started to look at what behavioural traits our best employers had. They were honest, respectable, trustworthy people who would listen and had enthusiasm.  

“These traits then became a template that enabled us to say ‘We will not recruit anyone who doesn’t have these traits’ because we are committed to only employing like-minded people who we can train in the skills of the job.”

Judge was speaking at an Investing to Grow event, staged by Barclays Bank at Ewood Park in Blackburn. Attendees also heard thoughts on recruitment and retention from Steve Ramsdale, finance director at the Swan Hotel in Newby Bridge in the Lake District.

Ramsdale emphasised the benefits of low staff turnover and promoting internally. “I have been at the Swan for ten years, the general manager eight years, and our operations manager joined us in 2008, since when she has been promoted from within,” he said.

“Our head chef, who is absolutely key to our business, started off as a pastry chef seven or eight years ago. Many people have the potential and the ability to move up, but the challenge is spotting that ability and trying to bring out the best in those individuals. If you do that I think you get a lot more loyalty than from staff who come in at the highest level, and don’t necessarily have that same long term investment in the business,” added Ramsdale.

Laila Remtulla, managing director and founder, Laila’s Fine Foods in Blackpool, said: “It is about trying to build a team around us who are as smart as we are and who are ready for change. Part of the challenge is trying to get the right people to move here and work with us, and this is happening.”

Mark Sears, managing director at Heritage Envelopes in Blackburn, said the £20m turnover business employed 135 staff and was fortunate to have a diverse labour pool on its doorstep.

“We are doing more and more to get local people to realise there is a future in envelope manufacturing. Once you get people through the door they see us in a completely different light,” said Sears.

“Our staff turnover is extremely low. We have been going for 30 years and we are now giving out 25-year service awards, which shows how we are getting long term, established people working in the company.”