SweetTree retain Investment of People Gold

Strong recruitment, training and career development practices have seen SweetTree Home Care Services retain its position as an Investors In People Gold Standard company – an accolade achieved by just 7% of accredited organisations and only 1,000 organisations nationwide.

Since SweetTree first achieved the Gold standard in 2012, it has continued to enhance and improve its offering. Now, as the company enters the next stage of its development, managing director Barry Sweetbaum explains why people have always been at the heart of SweetTree’s success.

Going for gold

“Achieving the Gold standard is not easy,” commented Barry.  “It is underpinned by a rigorous assessment methodology and the figures for the number of firms achieving Gold really speak for themselves.”

He added: “Having the opportunity to receive an external appraisal of this quality is fantastic and the feedback we have received is reinforcement of all that is good within the company.

“One of the things we are most proud of is that all of the tools and techniques in our operational toolbox that have been praised by Investors in People were home grown. By that I mean that they -have been created in-house, becoming the foundation of the business and will remain a key driver for maintaining quality standards moving forward.”

The feedback

Assessors praised SweetTree for its people, culture, systems and training. They highlighted the team’s ability to consistently recruit the right individuals at all levels of the organisation, along with the company’s commitment to supporting them to grow and develop in their roles – both as team members and care professionals.

On the recruitment, training and development front, many elements of SweetTree’s operations were commended, including:

• The multi-level nature of the recruitment process and the fact that it results in a very high standard of individual being recruited
• The consistently excellent training the team is given that is industry-leading in both its content and comprehensiveness
• The management induction standards that are hugely important in maintaining consistency and standards as the company continues to grow
• The 360 degree feedback process and more widely the facilitations which help ensure that personal growth and development is maintained and in a direction which is also in line with the objectives of the business
• The Departmental Strategic Development Plan structure and meetings which have helped to ensure that departments and the company as a whole keep one eye on the here and now and the other on planning for the future.

Barry added: “A key challenge now as we move forward is going to be maintaining the high standard of team member recruitment, training, support and management as we grow, as well as ensuring that our standards of customer service and focus on quality are always upheld.

“We have the systems and structures in place to ensure that we achieve this, however as a team we need to use and continually develop them to keep the company moving forward with the quality focus we all value so much.”

He concluded: “From a personal perspective, holding Investors in People Gold is a very proud achievement as it reinforces  all that is good within the company.  It is fantastic recognition for the hard work and dedication of both our office-based staff and care team members.

“To receive such wonderful feedback, especially from such a highly regarded external body, just reinforces what a wonderful, unique and special company and team we have here at SweetTree.”

SweetTree supports individuals with a wide range of needs, including care for those experiencing age related frailty and specialist programmes for those with dementia, mental health related illness, learning disabilities, brain injuries, neurological conditions and palliative care needs.

For more information about career opportunities at SweetTree, please get in touch.