Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the team had been furloughed and others were working from home. Because of this, it was necessary to develop training programmes to upskill the team, keep them engaged and motivated and ready to get back to work.

Education + Training Skills Ltd (ETS), one of the expert providers chosen to carry out the Skills Support for the Workforce programme, undertook a thorough staff training needs analysis with the business. The findings of this were used to form a comprehensive training plan for newly recruited staff, recently promoted staff, and existing members of staff. The training programme was designed to be flexible and meet the development needs of the business and individual staff members. 

As the Skills Support for the Workforce programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), Mystery Shoppers Ltd was able to access the training at no cost to the business.

ETS delivered the training via an online virtual learning environment. The training was designed to enable the team to acquire new theoretical knowledge and practical skills to improve performance in the workplace. 

A total of 40 employees have benefited and a wide range of training was completed including:

• Leadership and Management
• Networking
• Social Media
• Mental Health First Aid
• Train the Trainer
• Motivation for Performance
• Time Management

The employees were encouraged to think about how the training could be applied to their work and the business, which helped to embed new frameworks and methods.

The training has helped Mystery Shoppers Ltd to invest in their workforce and create a valued and empowered workforce. The flexible individualised learning programme has enabled the business to bridge the skills gaps for new and existing employees, which has helped to futureproof the workforce.