Developing Future-Focused Skills

18 Sep 2024

Developing Future-Focused Skills

Developing Skills for Today and Tomorrow

We are clear on the areas where we want to grow and progress as a business. And we are clear on the skills and capabilities that we need to support this growth and progress. These include not just professional skills but also the experience, agility and resilience needed to anticipate and respond to evolving market conditions.

Building a Culture of Continuous Development

We also strive to foster a culture of continuous development for our people generally, ensuring we have the talent and capabilities we need, now and in the future. We aim to offer a comprehensive and evolving suite of leadership and management programmes, designed to complement our tailored business development programmes that support the varied requirements of our workforce across different business sectors.

Tailored Training for Targeted Skills

We provide targeted training programmes that address the unique needs of colleagues in specific roles. We have a number of leadership and management programmes in place. A leading example of this is our Business Leadership Programme, operated in partnership with Hult Ashridge Business School in the UK. This programme is designed to support individual development as well as deepening and broadening the strategic perspectives that stimulate growth and innovation. It targets experienced leaders who are identified during our annual talent processes. 117 senior colleagues from across the Group have participated in this programme over the last five years.

Empowering Career Progression

Employee growth is linked to career progression. We prioritise active career management through regular performance reviews coupled with open discussions about career aspirations. This approach fosters communication, empowers our employees to take ownership of their professional development, and allows them to chart their path within the Group.

The development of future-focused skills is one of the enablers of our strategy. We continue to invest in improvements in this area to ensure that our people – our greatest asset – are enabled to grow and progress.

Investing in People, Securing the Future

Through our commitment to continuous learning, our coaching culture, and active career management, we are cultivating a future-focused workforce. This investment ensures we remain equipped to navigate future challenges and capitalise on new opportunities.

Creating a Coaching Culture

Building a feedback culture starts with better conversations at all levels within the Group. To support this, we have rolled out a coaching programme to enhance the coaching and feedback culture across our businesses. Over the last 12 months, over 120 people from across the Group have joined this programme.