As part of the Optimum Skills monthly Employee Voice meetings, one member from each team is given one of our core values to reflect on how this fits into their job role and our overall culture.
Embrace Diversity
“It means understanding that everyone is unique and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It’s something that helps businesses to embrace new ideas and accommodate different styles of thinking. The way that I would embrace this as a tutor would be to ensure that the lessons have resources available to help guide learners into embracing diversity and accepting each other. As a tutor, providing a safe space for learner to be who they want to be is really important!” – Rhianne (Learning and Development Tutor)
Demonstrate Professionalism Always
“Professionalism has to do with the way a person conducts themselves in the workplace. Someone who shows consideration and respect for others they work alongside and demonstrates a commitment to professionalism. It is also a person who keeps to their word, demonstrates loyalty, and exceeds expectations in demonstrating professionalism. I believe everyone I have met and worked with throughout the business exceeds themselves throughout their day to day duties whether it’s delivering courses, teaching, sales calls and recruiting we all work hard and show loyalty throughout the business.” – Sammy-Jo (Recruitment Officer)
Challenge Constructively
“My understanding of challenge constructively at Optimum Skills is being able to express my views and ideas with all staff members regardless of their roles. It’s being comfortable to do this and knowing views will be respected and positive feedback will be given. Issues should be addressed and solutions put forward in a calm environment to improve processes & communication.” – Mel (MIS Team Leader)
Innovate Through Learning
“I always encourage my learners to think outside the box and be creative in their work. I support them to come up with new idea’s they can put forward to their employer, through research and trying new things within their job role and learning. I take this approach in my own teaching and learning to better myself to help and support my learners to the best of their ability and achieve greatness at EPA.” – Fran (Learning and Development Tutor / Internal Quality Assurer)
Act with Honesty and Integrity
“Honesty and integrity are often always associated together. There is a distinctive difference between honesty and integrity – Honesty refers to being free of deceit whereas integrity has a much broader meaning, including honesty as well as moral soundness. Both are imperative qualities that must be introduced into everything surrounding the recruitment process, from start to finish. The way in which I embrace honesty and integrity within my day to day recruitment process is to ensure that from the initial phone call with potential learners they are informed of what we are able and unable to offer and to ensure that no false hope is provided when it comes to ‘guaranteed jobs’.” – Nicole (Recruitment Officer)
Achieve the Highest Quality
“I believe everyone at Optimum Skills strives to achieve the highest quality in everything they do. This is done by everyone putting in the best effort and working together as a team to ensure everything is carried out to the highest standard.
As a company having this core value builds a culture of, the team working to their best abilities and asking for support when needed to be able to achieve the highest quality.” – Kayleigh (Digital Marketing Executive)
Be Accountable and Own It
“What springs to mind when it relates to being accountable is taking full ownership of the workload that is within my remit – recording data is very important in recruitment, from the point of first contact with a prospective learner to the point in which they start, it is important not to cut any corners. I am the sole recruiter in construction, so I am content in the fact that the blame for any missing or incorrect details rests squarely on my shoulders, on the other side of the coin, it’s good to feel partly responsible for kicking off a process that may change a number of young people’s lives.” – Jack (Recruitment Officer)
“To me that means either if make a mistake hold your hands up, accept your mistake and learn from it or equally if you do something well/make a good suggestion etc own it and be proud.” – Christine (Auditor)
