The Lincolnshire Business Awards aim to toast success, celebrate achievement and honour the innovative and resilient businesses doing great things in Lincolnshire.

The awards gives companies of all sizes, from pioneering start-ups to the powerhouses which drive the region’s economy – a chance to be recognised and proud of the work they do.

We caught up with Becky Hicks, Group HR Business Partner, as she explains more about Waldeck’s commitment to our people:

“I believe that Waldeck stand out as a committed workforce developer due to the consistent investment in nurturing and enhancing the professional growth of our team.

“We prioritise a culture of continuous learning, offering comprehensive in-house and external training, mentorship opportunities, and skill-building initiatives that empower our employees to thrive in their respective roles.

“Our commitment to workforce development will continue to be a business priority through our recognition of the ever-evolving demands of the market, which requires us to keep our team at the forefront of industry trends.

“Additionally, our emphasis on creating a supportive and collaborative work environment fosters a culture of innovation, where employees are encouraged to contribute ideas, further enriching their skill sets. As a result, our business not only invests in the professional development of individuals but also cultivates a dynamic and skilled workforce poised for long-term success.”

Our approach to learning and development

At Waldeck, our people are at the heart of everything we do, as a service-based organisation, we ensure we support our people to explore their passions and unlock their potential through their development and training. Across our network of offices, development is key in encouraging our team to reach the next level in their career and be the best they can be.

One key way we are committed to supporting the growth and development of the next generation of talent is through our Early Careers Development Programme. Our apprenticeships and graduate roles aim to support young professionals looking to pursue a successful career in industry. This internal programme also supports our mid-to-senior team members too by empowering them to mentor the Early Careers team through a structured framework as they progress in their own roles.

Image: Our Early Careers employees and Mentors attending our annual Early Careers Development Programme event, which included a day of team building, motivational talks and panel discussions.

Our commitment for training also spans beyond ‘young talent’ and we are committed to the learning and development of staff throughout the entirety of their career, including:

  • Annual Performance and Development Reviews (PDRs) with Line Managers
  • Promoting and rewarding employees on the basis of merit
  • Regular utilisation of external training providers for CPD’s
  • Investing in the skills and capabilities of our employees, with an emphasis on the responsibility of each employee to take ownership of their own development
  • Paying one professional membership for each employee (e.g ICE, IMechE, IStructE)
  • Supporting additional degrees, courses and Chartership routes.

From a formal training perspective, we also encourage all of our team members to continue their learning and development throughout their employee journey, with a headcount of 110, we’re proud to say that:

  • 53 members of staff completed training courses in 2023
  • 12 team members have been enrolled onto apprenticeships in the last 2 years
  • 20 junior employees enrolled on to the Early Careers Development Programme in 2023
  • 14 employees trained as mentors in 2023

Image: Two of our Engineering Directors and their Engineering colleagues presenting at a recent company conference.

Feedback from our people

Each year, Waldeck take part in the independent b-Heard survey. The b-Heard survey allows our business to gain honest and insightful feedback by asking our employees to submit their responses both confidentially and securely.

The survey invites employees to respond to statements about their professional development, wellbeing, pay and benefits and much more.

Having received two stars in 2022, we received our 2023 results in October, and we were awarded the highest score of three stars, which means that Waldeck is classed as a world-class organisation to work for by bHeard. This is measured against companies across the UK who use the same surveying tool, including brands such as ISG, Furniture Village, Hydrock, NHS and Card Factory.

A few stats we are extremely proud of include:

  • 88% – This job is good for my own personal growth
  • 76% – The training in this job is a great benefit to me personally
  • 86% – I feel proud to work for this organisation
  • 87% – I believe I can make a valuable contribution to the success of this organisation
  • 82% – I love working for this organisation

We look forward to seeing some familiar faces on Friday 15th March 2024 at the Lincolnshire Showground for the awards celebration!