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QES business growth boosted by graduate
18.08.09
A business specialising in environmental hygiene - particularly Legionella compliance and swimming pools - has seen its turnover increase by almost 300 per cent after employing a graduate under the Unlocking Cornish Potential scheme.
A combination of the streamlined Human Resources (HR) systems introduced by Nicky Dines has freed up senior managements’ time to refocus on business growth. This has meant that QES is now playing to all the strengths of its team and boosting the capabilities of the company. Nicky has just finished her one year placement as Office Manager at QES, in Victoria. She is being retained by the company, and is now managing a second administrative employee.
Unlocking Cornish Potential is an ESF (European Social Fund) Convergence investment and part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall. It supports the placement of graduates with growth businesses – this includes an expert mentor who is relevant to the businesses specific needs.
QES Managing Director Mike Quest, who founded the company in 2005 with his wife Mel, said: "Before we took Nicky on we had lost a large contract and thought we could be facing our last year in business. But now we are realising our full growth potential and this is only possible because of the systems she has put in place."
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said, “I would like to congratulate QES on its intelligent use of the graduate placement scheme and expert support. This has allowed the company to realise its existing expertise and maximise growth opportunities whilst benefitting from the knowledge and expertise which Nicky and the college have brought to the business.”
Nicky graduated from Cornwall College with a BA in Business Administration and was immediately placed with QES. She said "UCP has enabled me to stay in Cornwall, and utilise the skills and knowledge gained from my degree, while providing support during my first year in my chosen field of work. The support has come from both my UCP Business Development Manager and my expert mentor Sue Hook from Sapience HR. Through them I have gained both confidence in my abilities and experience in what and how sound HR policies and practices work within a small but growing business.
She was tasked with implementing a range of HR policies in four, key areas - recruitment and selection; employment contracts; communication and time management and staff retention and development.
Since she began in July 2008 QES turnover has almost tripled and is forecast to increase even further in the coming months and staff numbers increased from six employees and two directors to 18 employees and three directors (Spencer Culley joined in 2008 as the third director).
Mike said: "We would not have got to this number of employees without utilising the work Nicky has done and we would now double that quite happily. Before Nicky came, what she was doing was taking up about 20 per cent of directors' time so we can now focus on business development."
The company has already branched out with an expert heating and plumbing team; moved to larger premises; rebranded including a new website and opened a second base, in Devon. The directors are now able to tender for larger, national contracts and have recently successfully tendered for a large NHS contract.
Louise Oldham from UCP said "Nicky's achievements for the business have been fantastic. The UCP project management and Leadership and Management (ILM) training has given her the confidence to push the boundaries and exceed her personal goals. Nicky came from the Complementary Consultancy Service managed by Dave Atfield at Cornwall College, giving HE business students vital experience while studying. She did a group project for several weeks and the company was so impressed they called her back to work on UCP for a year long project!"
Through the new appraisal system one member of staff who started as a trainee employee is now managing a very prestigious account.
Sue Hook, Nicky's mentor and owner of Sapience HR, said: "Nicky has put in place very sophisticated systems for a company of this size. They are sound processes which can stay in place however large the company becomes."
For further information:
Nicky Dines
Office Manager, Quest Environmental Solutions Limited
01726 891 981
www.qes-ltd.com
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager, Convergence Partnership Office
01872 241379 / 07973 813647.
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
Editors’ notes:
• Convergence helpline telephone: 0800 0280120.
• In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly the Convergence programmes are made up of European Regional Development Fund (£347 million) and European Social Fund (£153 million) Convergence Programmes will run until 2013 and follow the successful Objective One Programme and prior to that Objective 5b.
• The investment is intended to boost the region’s economy by providing focussed support for business creating better quality, higher paid jobs. This support includes training and access to higher education, strengthening links between academia and business, improved airport and IT infrastructure, additional high quality workspace and specialist support to boost business productivity.
• The European Social Fund Convergence Programme Managing Authority is the Department for Work and Pensions, supported by Government Office South West.
• The ESF Operational Programme is targeted at tackling barriers to work, improving workforce skills and research and graduate activity. It will be delivered primarily through co financing via the Learning and Skills Council and Jobcentre Plus.
