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Head massage? That will do nicely at Applied LanguageSolutions
How the Innovative HR policies at ALS keep energy, enthusiasm and commitmenthigh during rapid expansion.
A fortnightly 20-minute massage in works time and an annual “duvet “ day on which to stay at home and lie aroundin bed are among the unconventional ways in which an international translation agency ensures that its employeesremain energized, highly motivated and enthusiastic.Innovative human-resource management has helped Applied Language Solutions to grow, in less than three years,from a one-man operation to a multi-million-pound global enterprise with 60 employees located in six offices aroundthe world.
From the beginning
Gavin Wheeldon, CEO, was once responsible for every dimension of the business, from project management andmarketing through to sales and finance. Within the first year of trading he had employed his first two members of staff, including his brother, Paul, as Chief Operations Officer. He also moved his company to a small office inHuddersfield, West Yorkshire.The requirement for a larger team to take the company forward became ever more apparent. Gavin Wheeldonlearned early on that the dynamic element of his company made recruitment challenging. He needed to recruit thebest people for the jobs, at a sufficient speed to meet company expansion, without jeopardizing the passion andenthusiasm evident throughout the organization. Now Applied Language Solutions is a multi-million-pound globalenterprise with a 60-strong team owing to his innovative approach to HR.
Innovative incentives
Gavin Wheeldon is the first to acknowledge that the staff are the company’s greatest asset, and that the successenjoyed by Applied Language Solutions is testament to the hard work and dedication of its employees.The 30-year-old commented: “We work in a very competitive market and we have to earn the trust and respect of our customers to ensure they choose our service. This service is provided by our people, and therefore westrongly value each member of the team.”Above and beyond the benefits employers must offer by law, Applied Language Solutions employees benefit fromfree parking, lunches, fruit and corporate work wear. Everyone in the company is provided with a laptop and MP3player. The company also pays for staff to have broadband internet access in their homes. And one of the mostrewarding and unusual benefits is the fortnightly massage.Gavin Wheeldon acknowledges that working in the fast-pace translation industry can be stressful, andemphasises that supporting staff in dealing with this is essential. Relax’t, a local company run by Kath Atkins,now visits the UK office twice a month and offers Applied Language Solutions employees a range of relaxingmassage treatments.“I strongly believe that a relaxed workforce is a productive workforce,” said Gavin Wheeldon. “Deciding to bring inKath raised a few eyebrows at first, but everyone is feeling the benefits and appreciates the service immensely.”One team member views the massage as “a rejuvenating experience to brighten the day”. Another stated: “Itmakes me feel well looked after in the workplace.” A third enthused: “It shows that the company recognizes thateveryone needs to take a step back sometimes.”
Work-life balance
Applied Language Solutions also believes that a good work-life balance helps to maintain the focus and drive of theteam. This goes further than weekends off and statutory holidays. Each employee is entitled to a “duvet” day andhis or her birthday off each year.
 
The company also highlights the need to initiate excitement in the workplace. Some activities are partly influencedby driving sales, but the primary motive is always to inject fun into the office.One office wall is a giant snakes-and-ladders game board, containing each sales person’s counter. Whenever asales person secures a contract worth more than £4,000, he or she throws a large die. The first person to avoid thesnakes, climb the ladders and reach the top of the board isrewarded with a trip to Barcelona or Amsterdam. Theunderlying reason is to demonstrate that high rewards come with high achievement.Team building is also seen as significant to successful working relationships. Social activities are planned regularlyfor staff to enjoy. They include wine-tasting evenings, walks for charity and international bowling events, where allstaff members in every international office go bowling on the same evening and compete with one another.
The door is always open
Some visitors are surprised by the continuous background noise generated in the company’s open-plan office.Applied Language Solutions has purposely placed the bulk of its employees in an open-plan office to reflect theunderlying philosophy that a successful team derives from a sense of unity.The sales board is situated prominently on one wall in the UK office, with disco lights above it. Whenever a salesperson achieves a contract worth £1,000 or more, he or she presses a button to start the disco lights flashing. Quiteoften other employees respond by stopping what they are doing and applauding. If the sales team is successful inreaching a given target by Friday, lunch at the pub is on the company.Easy access to people in the different departments is also important to the efficient operation of the company asthere are many ways in which the staff are required to work together. Despite the greater part of the IT and projectsdepartments being located in Bulgaria and Guatemala and a portion of the sales team in the USA, regular communication between the different offices is part of everyday working life. Webcams increase the personalelement of communication between international staff. A daily e-mail, the Pulse, is also distributed to every member of staff, detailing the previous day’s sales, customer feedback, translation projects and website visitors.Gavin Wheeldon explained: “Applied Language Solutions’ success depends on everyone working as a team. Thetransparency of the company means that everyone is involved in everyone’s success, and all staff strive to achievethe highest of standards. People are aware of how much money they can make for themselves and the company,and how much money their colleagues are making. Obviously, this is a factor in motivating staff as they want todemonstrate their ability to perform by having big bucks next to their name on the board.”“Also, measuring the satisfaction of customers through obtaining feedback on their translation project and openlyshowing them to the rest of the company means people are suddenly put under the spotlight. As a result, we haveseen individuals’ performance improves as he or she wants to achieve an excellent reputation both amongcustomers and the rest of the company.”“Our open culture has also encouraged a supportive environment, with everyone eager to ensure that all areas of the company are performing well, and often taking the time out to assist colleagues.”The directors also favor the “open door” philosophy. Both Gavin and Paul Wheeldon operate from the main UKoffice, with transparent glass being the only division between themselves and the staff. “Despite being the CEOof the business, I still prefer to get my hands dirty and be a part of everything that’s going on. We are seen asapproachable by our staff, and are available at any time throughout the working day to answer questions andprovide input. We also socialise regularly. We are not above the team, we are part of the team,” said GavinWheeldon.
Ongoing support
Applied Language Solutions focuses on setting achievable but challenging goals. Key performance indicators for each individual are specified and reviewed every three months to evaluate the individual’s performance andgrowth. Continual learning methods and ongoing support are also tailored for each individual, and staff areprovided with access to appropriate training and development activities. In order to maintain the utmostdedication to this element of the business, a specific position was opened for a staff champion, Grace Chatten,who is responsible for the HR function. Nurturing staff development is a key part of her role.The company has worked hard to achieve the Investors in People standard. Gavin Wheeldon said: “Achievingthe Investor in People award makes all our efforts concrete. This accreditation gives us a great model and thedrive to constantly improve the skills of our staff. Each individual is instilled with the confidence that his or her progress will not go unnoticed, which enables staff to feel valued as individuals. Although sometimes trainingapplies collectively, the focus is on the individual needs of the staff, which is why we make a huge investment incontinual training and development.”
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bailarina

wow, sounds like an interesting business!

reply05 / 21 / 2007
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