Passionate Cleaners: Empowering & Strengthening Business Growth Through HR Training

Peggy Bareh started her cleaning business, Passionate Cleaners Ltd, in January 2023. As well as providing cleaning services to domestic and commercial clients, it gives abuse survivors, especially women, the opportunity to have flexible employment and to excel in a rewarding career. The business has grown rapidly and now has 15 working cleaners.

However, due to the expansion Peggy found that she was struggling to recruit people with the right skills. Also, by her own admission, HR was an area of the business that needed strengthening.

Through her membership of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Peggy heard about the opportunity of obtaining funded training, available through the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Skills Hub and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Matching training needs with trainers in specific fields of expertise.

Peggy Bareh said: “This training was so timely for the business as we were struggling to recruit. But thanks to the funding, three staff were trained in key areas of HR, particularly discrimination in the workplace; handling difficult conversations; interviewing best practice; performance appraisals, and recruitment best practice.

“The knowledge and skills learned from the training has been transformative and has enhanced our recruitment process and saved the cost of outsourcing our recruitment and HR. We now also have the appropriate policies in our staff handbook so that all employees are clear on conduct and legal rights from the start of their employment with us.

“Because we have staff, in addition to me, who now better understand HR processes, it has helped to build a positive, focused and collaborative team. This in turn has helped the business to grow its reputation and revenue because we ensure we recruit the right candidate, train them well and keep them happy.

The Training was delivered by Stafford based Evergreen HR, whose proprietor Sue Green said: “Given the Government’s imminent plans to increase worker rights, now more than ever is a time that managers need to be skilled in people management to minimise the risk of a tribunal claim. Not having safeguards in place is never an option, nor defence against prosecution.

“I am delighted to have been able to help Peggy and her team put procedures and policies in place which will help her business to comply with the law whilst getting on with what they do each day – offering a fantastic service to their clients.”

Suzanne Quinn, Project Manager at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce said: “I am pleased that we were able to match Peggy’s needs with Sue’s HR and employment law expertise. Constant changes to employment law can be a real headache for businesses but this training intervention shows that a modest investment in time and expense can help to safeguard a business against the disruption of an employment tribunal as well as increasing productivity and staff morale.”

To speak to the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Skills Hub about training and funding streams email: skillshub@staffordshirechambers.co.uk