Testimonials

Zenith Hospitality Staffing Solutions

Recruiter uses technology to deliver a safety message to a young workforce

Zenith Hospitality Staffing Solutions supports the fast-paced hospitality industry with a talent pool of experienced and professional Chefs, Food and Beverage Service Staff, Bar Staff and Kitchen Hands.

Background

Hospitality employs hundreds of thousands of individuals annually. Its volatility demands short ‘time to hire’ recruitment responses. Individuals need to be screened, inducted and ready to go at a moment’s notice to meet immediate workforce gaps, so the industry demands recruitment partners who are able to provide ‘work ready’ staff, competently able to jump in to the role very shortly after arriving on site.

“We realise that a fair percentage of our roles will be filled by young inexperienced workers, so a key focus for us during engagement is providing a thorough induction program to reduce the risk of injury on site. The challenge for us was that the young candidates didn’t want to sit in large formal groups and be ‘spoken at’ about work health and safety.” said William Rule, Managing Director of Zenith.

Solution

“We adopted WorkPro because it offers a specific hospitality module, and its web-based delivery means the candidates can complete their requirements in their own time, on a device that suits them. With instant email alerts of completion, and the ability for them to then share their safety induction with other employers in the future, we have found a greater take-up rate and acceptance of the completion of these fundamental requirements.

It’s certainly comforting for us that our staff are going on to site with a firm understanding of work health and safety in the hospitality industry, which statistically, has high injury rates.”

Cost Savings by using WorkPro

MTC WORK SOLUTIONS (MTC)

Web-based solution enhances workforce induction program

MTC WORK SOLUTIONS (MTC) has been operating in the Sydney community since 1992. MTC are a not-for-profit community-based organisation committed to assisting job seekers gain employment, skills training, personal development, work experience and career planning.

MTC delivers a large suite of government funded programs and is dedicated to generating opportunities which empower and encourage marginalised community members to complete relevant training and work experience, and find meaningful employment to make a positive contribution to their community.

Background

MTC operates in a complex and fast paced environment, servicing 24,000 job seekers annually and 3,000 students per day across 32 Sydney sites. MTC are a rapidly growing organisation that need to comply with a myriad of government and contract legislation obligations. Rob Ashton, Talent Acquisition Specialist at MTC has the challenging role of securing the best people and developing the MTC workforce, to meet the service expectations of their clients and stake holders.

“Legislatively, it is mandatory to conduct a police check and deliver a work health and safety induction to our employees, volunteers, job service seekers and contractors. Additionally, we aspire to ensuring that all of our new employees are provided with timely education about their role and responsibilities, clearly understand the values and culture that MTC is respected for, and are supported to develop to their full potential whist with MTC.”

Solution

“As a leading not for profit organisation, we strive to partner with organisations that understand the key fundamentals of our business, share our passion for creating great communities and enhance the value that we provide to our clients. In our current growth phase, it is important that we access the best people and technology to help us reduce our operating costs, simplify our management systems and increase the knowledge that we can provide to our employees.”

“After conducting a thorough search of the market, WorkPro was the only solution we could find that offered an integrated instant national police check service , a broad course library of work health & safety inductions, an instant Work rights or visa check and the opportunity to tailor the solution to meet our unique business needs. “

“Through our use of WorkPro, we have been able to better engage with our people. The ability to deliver a safety induction to our staff that is relevant to the role they are undertaking through WorkPro’s broad course library, coupled with the on-line delivery of our employee and volunteer handbook has truly enabled us to deliver a tailored induction for all employees, volunteers, job seekers, and contractors across the diverse range of roles and industries that we are involved in. Having branded the solution as an MTC solution further enhances our people’s level of engagement and improves the professional appearance of our corporate systems.”

“The ability to centrally manage and ensure people have completed legislated compliance requirements allows me to focus on other areas of the business as I am comfortable that we are providing an industry leading screening and induction program to our people.”

“WorkPro has succeeded in reducing costs and ensuring high workforce standards,” stated Mr. Ashton

WorkPro is proud of its relationships with a range of leading not for profit organisations such as MTC, and combined with our personal experience as board directors and committee members of not for profit organisations, we understand and are committed to helping communities to simplify workforce engagement and management

Adecco Australia

A more streamlined induction methodology leads to more meaningful candidate conversations

With such a large volume of candidates and new placements to fill everyday, leading Australian recruiter, Adecco Australia, puts a heavy emphasis on efficient operations and streamlined training.

Cameron Knox, Team Leader at the Customer Care Centre Adecco Australia, said the implementation of WorkPro’s web-based induction system two years ago greatly increased both the number of people recruited and the efficiency with which they’re trained and workready. “Previously we used an online assessment, video and paper based OH&S induction– all of which were owned and operated in-house by Adecco. Not only was this an ineffective system, cost-wise, but we also experienced obstacles across the entire process. We continuously had trouble getting people to show up for induction, and if they did we struggled to keep them engaged to the video. Some candidates also had difficulty understanding certain questions.

“All these factors led to a grossly inefficient and resource-heavy induction process, and this made meeting the demand in placements an everyday challenge,” said Mr Knox. He said the new approach addressed these efficiency issues and brought with it benefits not only for Adecco, but for candidates as well.

“Nowadays, our entire induction process is conducted remotely via an online system. Candidates can complete the program from wherever is most convenient to them. For us, it means we have far greater volume of inductions being completed at a more efficient rate. The large majority of our candidates are from either office or industrial backgrounds. They join Adecco one day, and are placed the next, so it is important that they have access to a centralised, remote system.“

“The WorkPro program takes a lot less time to complete, and the questions cover a much broader content field, so our candidates are learning more, in less time. If there are any ongoing issues from candidates in relation to particular questions, the system will flag this so one of our consultants can be in touch and resolve the problem one-on-one.”

For Adecco, faster processes mean greater capacity for candidates.

“On average, we are recruiting around sixty applicants a day. Previously, it was all done manually so our figures were far lower. We are also able to track figures, in relation to recruitment and induction, through one centralised, online database. We can set goals based on those figures and map our progress.”

Adecco first used WorkPro’s induction program on a trial basis at one of the Adecco branches in Ringwood, Victoria in 2008. Over the eight month period of the trial, the system led to such a marked improvement in efficiency that it was then rolled out across Adecco’s bases Australia-wide.

Hallis

WorkPro provides Hallis with new innovative approach to OHS

For Australian recruitment services company Hallis, working across a range of industry sectors including banking, finance, engineering and government, the job of training its diverse pool of candidates in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) has traditionally presented various challenges.

Paris Fent, General Manager, Corporate Services at Hallis, said one of the company’s biggest challenges was to educate its significant number of white collar candidates about the importance of completing an OHS induction, and to make the training more relevant to its industry sectors.

“We needed to overcome the problem of candidates failing to complete their training prior to commencing a position, particularly those in remote areas, as well as our white collar workers who felt that OHS training was unnecessary. We also needed to find an easier way to be able to track and retrieve candidates’ records at a later date,” she said.

As a leading recruitment agency in Australia operating in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra with over 1000 candidates registered, the team at Hallis felt more needed to be done to mitigate risk and fulfil its OHS responsibility.

“In the past we used a CD-ROM package with limited network and no remote capability to train our candidates and employees, which resulted in lengthy delays. There were also issues with the material meeting WorkSafe legislative requirements as updates were irregular,” Ms Fent said.

“To demonstrate innovative and progressive recruitment methodologies, and to meet the challenges of employing a diverse workforce, our systems for training also had to change to reflect this,” she said.

Through liaison with the RCSA (Recruitment and Consulting Services Association), which recognised Hallis’ requirements and its need to adopt an innovative training approach to match its business goals, the Association highly recommended WorkPro, a centralised online induction program, which it endorses.

Ms Fent said after 12 months of using WorkPro the company is now reaping the benefits of the system and the change effectively supports the company’s growth in market share.

“We needed a system that was streamlined and flexible; one that could be customised for different sectors. WorkPro also has excellent administrative functions that support easy access to records,” Ms Fent said. “We also have the added benefit of knowing that once the assigned training modules are completed, the candidate’s assessment score is permanently stored on the database, providing the recruiter with easy access to results prior to them commencing work. Having access to the candidate’s ID / PIN code is another significant benefit as records can be made available from one agency to the next, eliminating the need for repetition across the industry,” she said.

Ms Fent is confident that Hallis’ candidates are now presented to employers with OHS training that meets industry standards and said employers and agencies are recognising that WorkPro is becoming synonymous with OHS training. The success of the WorkPro system at Hallis is also a result of the WorkPro team who were particularly helpful when suggestions for the system were put forward, Ms Fent added.

“WorkPro’s Business Manager is always willing to listen and take on board any comments we have. It’s particularly good having someone who also understands the technical side to the system. We believe with the addition of further modules to WorkPro in due course, will be an even greater tool,” Ms Fent concluded.

Horner

Pre-employment screening solution allows Horner to thoroughly and rapidly respond to client needs

For leading Australian recruitment agency, Horner Recruitment, delivering workplace safety training and conducting background checks on a diverse candidate base was a time consuming strain on resources.

However, the clever use of technology has solved this issue for the agency, as the web based WorkPro system enables it to manage large volumes of white and blue-collar candidates on a daily basis, reducing both the time and money spent on compliance.

Adele Last, Branch Manager at Horner Recruitment, said the company’s biggest challenge is ensuring all candidates are properly trained, inducted and work-ready from the ‘get go’. She says making the decision to switch from a manual paper-based system to a centralised online training facility, has been a significant turning point for the organisation and its recruiters.

“Unlike previous methods, what we like about WorkPro is that it is recruitment-specific and the language used addresses the on-hire employer’s third party involvement. Importantly, adopting the system has assisted our resourcing for the high volume of temporary candidates we engage each week. At any time we now know where each candidate is at in meeting their compliance obligations, as the system keeps a profile on all candidates with a record on who’s been tested and who is due for a refresher. It means we can quickly and easily update their skills if we urgently require them to fill a position,” Ms Last said. Ms Last said WorkPro has helped the company to meet clients’ urgent staff needs.

“A client of ours has a site in Sydney and needed temporary candidates to be transitioned to Horner basically overnight. Using WorkPro, we were able to meet all of our compliance obligations such as workplace safety training, conducting background (criminal) checks and the mandatory provision of a Fair Work Statement, online. It allowed us to have the staff on our database and ready to arrive on-site within 48 hours,” she said.

“In the past, this process took more manpower, as we generally had candidates filling in forms after watching a video or completing programs via a CD-Rom. The process was labour intensive and had the potential to become out of date quickly,” she said.

Ms Last says having a training system that can be accessed remotely has helped them speed up the compliance process and minimise the manpower needed to manage and prepare such a large volume of candidates for work.

“Previously all candidates would have had to come through the door to be inducted. By allowing candidates to go through their training at home, all they need is a computer and internet connection and following our own interview process we are able to place them in a role in a quicker timeframe.”

“Nonetheless, a high standard of learning is guaranteed as WorkPro allows candidates to retest and offers constant trainability. This means that instead of just failing the program it forces candidates to keep trying until they get the answers right and they must reach a benchmark standard of 80% to pass. This gives us a sense of security as a recruitment firm that the people we are sending out into the workplace are well-trained,” she said.

Ms Last adds that Horner is in the process of implementing WorkPro’s new feature offering clients customised training.

“Different sectors and work sites have different safety requirements that candidates must adhere to and unique dangers they must be aware of. By customising workplace safety training programs to our clients’ site or workplace, our clients can be confident that their temp workforce is inducted just as thoroughly as their permanent workforce and this is a major selling point,” she concluded.

CQ Nurse

Nursing agency turns to online OHS training to drive efficiency

When Australian nursing agency CQ Nurse began to expand its niche recruitment agency, specialising in rural and remote areas, the effects of a growing skills shortage soon saw rural hospitals, clinics and health services placing greater demand on the company to place work-ready nurses, and at a much faster pace.

For CQ Nurse, streamlining its paper-based Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training system became a business priority and led the company to look for a centralised online induction program that could assist with the health and safety training of its nurses. After having implemented WorkPro’s online OHS induction program for 12 months, they are seeing a host of benefits for clients, candidates and the business.

CQ Nurse Education Coordinator, Katrina Caban, said that as a specialist recruitment agency working with over 800 registered nurses who are placed across Australia, keeping track of candidates completing OHS training has in the past been very difficult.

Ms Caban explained that when she joined the company in 2007, inducting nurses in remote areas via fax, mail, or trying to complete the induction over the phone, was always a very time-consuming process. As the company continued to grow, Ms Caban soon realised that traditional paper-based systems were no longer keeping up with the demand for nurses that were fully trained and ready to be placed in a role. “In the past, the process could take up to a couple of weeks, as we generally had candidates filling in forms and sending them back via fax. If the forms weren’t filled out correctly or candidates forgot, I needed to call and chase them up. To keep up with the demand for nurses, it’s essential that our employees are work ready,” Ms Caban said.

“WorkPro was an obvious choice as not only does it cut the time spent on OHS training in half, it is accredited by the RCSA (Recruitment Consulting Services Association); is in accordance with Australian OHS legislation; in line with the high professional standards of CQ Nurse; and provides candidates with tailored nursing modules, including: infection control, hazardous substances, manual handling and emergency management procedures.”

“One of the main reasons we chose to adopt WorkPro is because of its portability which has shed a new light on the ease of completing inductions for remote area nurses and for those travelling from different areas. All candidates need is a broadband connection and a computer or laptop. For example, two nurses travelled from Sydney to Richmond (QLD) and completed the OHS induction training on a laptop in the car.”

“Situations such as these prove to us that WorkPro is an ideal option,” she said. “Another nurse informed me that she completed two training modules whilst waiting for a flight connecting from Brisbane to a remote area where she was to commence work. The ease and accessibility to which nurses can conduct the training, makes it more possible for them to undertake training,” Ms Caban added.

CQ Nurse makes OHS training mandatory for every nurse on their books, which not only ensures everyone is aware of the issues relating to workplace safety, but employees’ assessment results are stored in a centralised database for future tracking and proof of training.

According to Ms Caban, WorkPro has helped the company to set a benchmark for employers who know the staff they’re hiring have had quality training that meets industry standards. After seeing results, CQ Nurse is now looking to work closely with WorkPro to assist in adding further modules to the system. “It’s not only the OHS training that is reliable and efficient, the staff at WorkPro are always interested in knowing how the system can be improved and designed to suit our needs. We are now in discussions regarding the addition of different modules and I’m confident WorkPro will meet our requirements,” Ms Caban concluded.