About Employers-of-CHOICE

 

The Employers-of-CHOICE service is all about improving employee engagement and, through that, customer advocacy. Our values-based approach can transform your organisation's performance. It focuses on the research from occupational psychologists into what makes people tick, supported by recent discoveries from neuroscience and genetics.

Download the 'Employers-of-CHOICE service' booklet (12 pages)

The Employers-of-CHOICE service is provided by The Training Foundation, a performance improvement organisation formed in 1998 and based at the University of Warwick Science Park. The Foundation was awarded a Queen's Award for Innovation in 2005. It is currently assisting more than 700 employers across all sectors to improve organisational effectiveness.

 

What does it mean to be an 'employer of choice'?

Why do you want to be thought of as an 'employer of choice'? Because you know that if your employees genuinely choose to work for you, you will more easily attract and retain talented people, will experience low levels of attrition and sickness absence and will benefit from high levels of discretionary effort and performance. An engaged workforce is a major competitive advantage because it is the ONLY way to create engaged customers and that is now the key factor for success!

There is no agreed definition of an 'employer of choice'. It is often simply seen in terms of flexible working and work-life balance. Yet research shows there is a far more significant factor than these - an engaging workplace atmosphere - created largely by engaging managers - is the key to winning both hearts and minds.

What is more, research into successful, long-lived organisations is clear. Lasting success is only possible if the organisational persona is strongly identified with basic human values. The current engagement crisis is an indicator that work is not generally satisfying those human values.

The Employers-of-CHOICE concept has the underlying premise that a genuine 'employer of choice' has a culture
that espouses basic human values

 

 Who is the Employers-of-CHOICE initiative aimed at?

CHOICE is an acronym for Six Core Values (6CV's) - 'human givens'. Since these values reflect innate human needs, they are timeless and universal.

CHOICE is therefore relevant to every employer, and especially to those whose values are already broadly aligned with the 6CV's. 

 

 How is CHOICE relevant to employee engagement?

CHOICE offers a 'mental model' for all to apply in their everyday experience; application of the 6CV's benefits everyone's personal engagement and performance.

The 6CV's have particular impact for managers and supervisors. They remind them of the attitudes and behaviours fundamental to sustaining high performance.

Our experience is that amazing improvements in employee engagement can be achieved when managers' attitudes and behaviours are aligned with CHOICE.

 

 How were the Six CV's defined?

The 6CV's evolved from a two-year research project into the Key Drivers of employee engagement. Three complementary lines of enquiry were followed. First, analysis of a growing body of international research, eg by the Gallup, Jackson and Towers Perrin organisations and the Institute of Employment Studies.

Then, analysis of recent findings from genetics and neuroscience as to how our DNA and brains impose what are known as 'human givens'.

 

 "What's involved in us signing up?"

The first step is for you to review the six core values of CHOICE and agree that they reflect your own aspirations. This is not a 'rubber-stamp' service to which one pays only lip service so as to get a 'badge'!

Assuming you are still with us, you then book a one-day workshop to be facilitated by an EOC Consultant and held at your premises. Up to 10 people may attend and the ideal audience would comprise senior management, HR and operational managers and other senior employees. There is a charge of £1,500 plus vat and travelling expenses for this. This fee also includes access to our online questionnaire for your managers, IDEAL, which will provide you with an insight into their current awareness of engagement issues.

It is only after this workshop that your senior management makes a decision to proceed with an Application. There is no further charge made for this.

As you will see on the 'Registering' page, your application requires an overview of how your current HR and management practice supports the 6CV's and a commitment to communicate your support of CHOICE to your employees.

The workshop fee includes the processing of your Application and the use of the EOC Insignia for the initial year. Thereafter, an annual renewal fee (£600 plus vat) includes a half-day visit by an EOC Consultant to review your progress with the CHOICE model and offer advice on how you might benefit further.

There is no formal regulation of the service involved, although communicating your support of the 6CV's to your employees does exert a self-imposed discipline!