Company: The Poplars Lincoln Ltd
Onboarding Survey
How many students does your business currently employ?
one
How does your business employ students?
We use both
On average, how many hours do your student-workers work for your business per week?
21-30 hours
On average, how long do your students-workers stay with your business?
7-12 months
What are your motivations for signing up to the Good Student Employer Charter?
To show we are a good employer who takes our responsibilities seriously and understands the challenges students have juggling work and studies.
What do you feel will be the benefits of joining the Charter?
Encourage Students to apply for vacancies who are interested in working for a good employer whilst being a good employee
In your experience, what are the main advantages of hiring students?
Keen to learn, quick to learn, quick to adapt,
In your experience, what are the main challenges of hiring students?
Students being unaware of the challenges of balancing work and study, not communicating they struggling and leaving with little or no notice.
In your experience of hiring students, how could universities better prepare students for working in hospitality?
A charter similar to this which would show employers that they had thought about their and prospective employers challenges employing them.
What are your top tips for other employers who hire students?
Be completely clear on what your/their job entails and never to be in a position where you totally rely on them
How does your business allocate shifts for student-workers?
Part time where we also have full time members of staff
How much advance notice of their shifts do your student-workers receive?
We like to give a monthly rota with some flexibility built in
What remuneration do you offer for student-workers (per hour)?
Above minimum wage
Do your student workers generally have:
Stable weekly hours
What induction do your student-workers receive and what training opportunities does your business offer for them?
We give a full staff induction including our mission and vision and health and safety training.
We set on job training in set modules. Once completed our members of staff should be capable of working in any section of hotel hospitality.
Are student workers included in existing employee reward schemes?
Yes
If not, do you have any reward schemes in place for student-workers (e.g. bonuses)?
Generally, are your student-workers included in work socials and team-building activities?
Yes
How does your business ensure students feel part of the team at work?
It’s a small team in which communication is key. All the staff are aware of goals and standards and that they rely on each other to be the best
How does your business ensure your workers feel safe at work? Do you have any policies to protect your workers from sexual harassment and anti-social behaviour?
Yes this is part of the induction training
What opportunities does your business offer students to give you feedback on their work experiences?
There is a daily briefing 1st thing and a whatsapp group for anything work related. However the owners are involved in the day to day and encourage feedback and we actively ask for it.
How often do team leaders/managers catch up with students about their progress, aspirations, challenges and needs?
Weekly
What, if any, promotion and development opportunities does your business offer for students?
We would only look to promote if a vacancy became available after their studies had been completed.
8F Framework Responses
Question 1
This is something we already do, however when the teaching faculties fail to give good notice when students lesson times and assignments deadline are, we struggle fitting their shifts around other non student staffs shifts and holidays.
This can also build up bad feeling when “regular” staff shifts have to changed to accommodate student shift changes when teaching establishments have last minute changes. There can seem to be a feeling that academia isn’t aware students need to work.
Question 2
We for all employees make sure they have a fixed rota and discourage shift swaps as an anxious member of staff may feel they have no choice to swap to be part of the team, especially students who are normally the most junior member of staff.
Question 3
There’s always room for improvement and after 15 years of tweaking we are at a place that is good for all employees.
Question 4
No we treat all employees fairly infact we can be accused of being more accommodating to students when they have unexpected lesson changes.
Question 5
We could give our guidance more prominence within our staff handbook
Question 6
We could introduce a section for suggestions in their formal review rather than or as well as the ad hoc conversations
Question 7
Our small team have a good working relationship however re-introducing a monthly social meal out would be a good idea
