ONLINE STAFF TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME LAUNCHES FOR STAR PUBS & BARS LESSEES
Tuesday, 07 May 2013
Star Pubs & Bars has appointed CPL Online to roll out an e-learning package for all its lessees encompassing 24 accredited staff training and personal development courses.
Star Pubs & Bars lessees are the first of any national leased pub operator to benefit from the e-learning programme which provides them with the high standards and scope of managed pub company training.
The pub operator has used its buying power to secure the package for its lessees at a fraction of the cost they would be able to purchase it for as individuals. For just £250 a year each pub's staff and lessees can access the interactive training from any internet connected computer 24 hours a day completing as many courses as they wish. The modules are grouped into three main areas: compliance (such as Age Verification, Food Hygiene and Health & Safety), soft skills ranging from ‘Up-selling’ to Cellar Management and personal development, including Interview Skills, Staff Appraisals and Time Management courses.
Research of Star Pubs & Bars' lessees has found that sourcing good, affordable staff training was a major challenge. Chris Moore, Star Pubs & Bars property and strategy director, stated: "E-learning is the perfect solution. Courses are designed to be used unsupervised and feature interactive animations, games and voiceovers to make the process easy, accessible and fun. Everyone can do it at a time and place that best suits them and can work at their own pace – ideal for pubs where employees work different shifts. Importantly, nobody is required to leave the pub, a real benefit in a busy customer facing business."
The training brings benefits to lessees on many levels. As well as improving customer service and therefore sales, the package enables them to continue their own personal development and helps with the recruitment and retention of staff.
Moore explains, "Applicants can be required to complete basic training before they are taken on, a great way of identifying committed, enthusiastic candidates. And, once employed, lessees can provide staff with a structured development programme tailored to their individual experience, needs and ambitions."
Star Pubs & Bars anticipates that e-learning will ultimately transform all of its training, enabling it to transfer much of the factual information lessees need to know on line, freeing up time to focus on coaching lessees to gain different skills.
Moore added, "The Star Pubs & Bars estate is built on quality, long term sustainable pub businesses. We believe the key to a thriving pub is excelling in every area. We want to help our lessees have the best pubs, which means they have got to have the best staff; our new e-learning training will enable them to go a long way to achieving this."