Recruitment and Retention Policy

Greenleaf House Co. Ltd seek to recruit the best people for the tasks we require them to do and we follow any related codes of practice, for example:

Safer Recruitment For Safer Services (Care Inspectorate)
Disclosure Scotland – Code of Conduct
Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice
As part of our recruitment process our clear Job descriptions and person specifications for each role in our organisation will help us match applicants to roles in a methodical and consistent way.

It must be understood that recruiting for Practitioners is a continual cycle within our organisation. Conversely office-based roles come up periodically and they are advertised separately as and when we need to recruit.

Greenleaf are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Scottish Business Pledge and a member of the Living Wage Foundation.

Initial Contact with Applicants

Often people who are interested in working for us will initially call us or email us to find out more about the role.

Upon receiving a call we will aim to have a general chat with them involving a discussion of the candidate’s experience, whether life experience or professional experience. It is also of interest to us to establish if they have worked in childcare or a similar environment before. Typical question that might be asked at this stage include us gaining more details

on the following:

Why do you want to work for Greenleaf House Co.?
What’s your understanding of what we do her at Greenleaf House Co.?
Have you worked in childcare or education before, if so what age groups?
How many hours are you looking to work – part time or full time?
Availability?
We refer to this process as pre-screening and following this conversation the candidate will be better informed as to whether they would like to formally apply to work for us.

Handling Employment Applications for Practitioner Positions

Upon an enquiry from someone seeking employment in our business for the role of Practitioner or Teacher, we will ask the prospect to fill out our online application on form which is found on our website, www.greenleafhouse.co.uk. The candidate must complete this form and submit it electronically. The application form asks candidates to fill in their full employment history, ensuring that any gaps in employment are explained. The application also asks candidates to declare any convictions they may hold and if there are any health or other issues they may wish to disclose which could affect their ability to perform the work being asked of them. The application form also has a few questions asking them about why they wish to work for us and what they feel they can bring to the role.

When an application form is returned, we will shortlist suitable candidates for interview by checking through the application form looking at what skills, experience and qualifications the candidate holds and cross referencing it against the essential and desirable requirements we have laid out for the role applied for. We will also look at the reason(s) the applicant has given for wishing to work for Greenleaf House Co. and ensure they are in line with the ethos of our organisation.

Sometimes at this stage, we might need to speak to potential candidates on the phone, if we have any further questions for them or would like to gain a little more insight into what they have put in their application form before deciding if we will be taking them forward to interview.

Those not shortlisted for interview will be emailed immediately, thanking them for their interest and wishing them every success in finding suitable employment in the future.

Those shortlisted will be contacted and an interview arranged confirming time, date and location. Greenleaf House Co. interviews all candidates in person.

Handling Employment Applications for Office Based Positions

Our process for handling applications for office-based positions follows the same process as Practitioners, but we do not use our online application form when recruiting for these roles. Instead we ask potential candidates to write to us with a cover letter explaining what they feel they would bring to the company and why they would like to work for us along with an up to date CV.

Following this, candidates will be shortlisted as above and invited for interview accordingly.

Interviewing Candidates

It is important to understand that research has shown that panel style interviews are not always the most reliable predictor of performance within a job, as such Greenleaf House Co. Ltd does not lean solely on this method for determining the suitability of a candidate. Greenleaf House Co. will also use a behavioural/personality test to ensure compatibility with our ethos.

Greenleaf House Co. Ltd ensures that proper training is provided to interviewers and that the interview itself is prepared for and carried out in a thorough and structured manner.

The interview consists of a candidate being interviewed privately typically by one or two interviewers following a pre-agreed set of questions.

Greenleaf House Co. Ltd acknowledges that it is better to have a minimum of two interviewers at each interview, and in some cases, e.g. for senior or specialist posts, a larger panel might be appropriate. This is because a panel of at least two people allows one interviewer to observe and assess the candidate, and make notes, while the candidate is talking to the other. It also reduces the possibility of any dispute about what was said or asked during the interview. However, it is perfectly possible for interviews to be conducted by one person and sometimes, due to the various everyday pressures of running our business it will be necessary.

Managers will conduct the arranged interviews using pre-set interview questions and the job specification for the role to help make interviewing as consistent and objective as possible.

Interviews for more senior roles in the organisation will conducted by more senior staff. All Interviewers will have the necessary authority to make decisions about appointment.

The panel will agree a set of questions they will ask all candidates relating to the requirements of the post, and the issues they will explore with each candidate based on the information provided in the candidate’s application.

A candidate’s response to a question about an issue will determine whether and how that is followed up.

Within Greenleaf House Co. Ltd’s Interview questions, we ask a range of competency-based questions that ask a candidate to relate how they have responded to, or dealt with, an actual situation. We also ask questions which test a candidate’s attitudes and understanding of issues and what ‘makes them tick. Greenleaf House Co. Ltd knows that past behaviour is often the best predictor of future behaviour.

During interviews, we maintain careful notes in order that we can demonstrate any decisions made were in accordance with the job/person specification on should any challenge to our decision be made for any reason.

If the candidate is not suitable, we will contact them advising them of this and thanking them for their interest wishing them the best in finding suitable employment in the future.

We may ask our shortlist of candidates to complete an online psychometric test.

When we find a suitable candidate, we will write to them (which may follow a verbal offer) confirming our offer of employment, subject to the following:

Receipt of a satisfactory disclosure from Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland (PVG Scheme).
Provide suitable references to the Company’s satisfaction from previous employers/school/ education establishment.
Produce several statutory documents and information such as a P45, national insurance number, bank account details, and proof of eligibility to work in the UK (passport).
An acceptable Enhanced Disclosure Security Clearance.
Declaration of any criminal convictions that are not spent.
Provide certificates of Degrees and qualifications as outlined in your CV/application form.
Sign and return a copy of the Contract of Employment which will be issued upon commencement of employment.
Provide a copy of original Driving Licence/current valid DVLA check code, MOT and Business
Insurance Certificate.
Confirmation and proof of your SSSC Registration (candidate responsible for the cost of this).

We keep a copy of all ID related documents of every new member of staff in their personal file. We seek written references but may accept verbal references in the interim depending upon the circumstances (more on references below).

All positions are offered on a three-month probationary period. If work performance and/or conduct standards are not met the probationary period may be extended or employment terminated.

Upon commencement of employment, we will complete an induction training program and we mutually sign our Contract of Employment with them.

Employment References

We always obtain at least two references for prospective employees. One must be from the current or most recent employer. If for any reason the most recent employer is unable to give a reference the reason for this will be fully investigated. It will be at the hiring manager’s sole discretion as to whether another referee can be used instead.

This should be recorded in the file with reasons for decision also being recorded. Further guidance on what might constitute a suitable reason for this can be obtained through discussion with the senior management.

Reference requests are sent to the referees by a nominated person in Greenleaf House Co. Ltd It is in the interests of all those concerned to encourage the quick return of those references in order that an evaluation of their satisfactory nature can be made by the hiring manager or their nominated person.

If the hiring manger considers the responses to the written references to be unsatisfactory, the new employee will be not be taken any further through the recruitment process unless the manager can be resolved to their satisfaction who will record such in the employee’s personal file.

A reference will not be accepted from a family member or relative.

Confirmation of Identification and Right to Work in the UK

During the set-up process of successful recruits, we ask for one form of photo ID and one proof of address. Suitable forms of photo ID include driving licence or passport. Suitable forms of proof of address include, driving licence bank statements, utility bills or council tax bills. ID should also include proof/confirmation of any name changes – a birth or marriage certificate would typically be suitable for this.

All successful candidates must provide documentation to prove that they have the right to work in the UK. This can either be a UK/EU/EEA passport. If they do not have a passport then they must provide a UK or Irish full birth certificate along with proof of National Insurance Number. If the candidate is from out with the EEA area, then they must provide their passport along with a valid visa that gives them the right to work in the UK.

From 31st March 2019 EU citizens will have to apply for Settled Status in order to continue to be able to reside and work in the UK. Proof of application for settled status must be provided.

Job Descriptions and Specifications

Every role within our organisation has a written job description and accompanying specification. This specifies the role of the employee as expected by the employer and the type of person it takes to do the role. This helps staff understand what their main duties are and allows performance to be measured against those duties there-by underpinning accountability.

Job Descriptions and Person Specifications may change occasionally and where they do, we make sure staff have the new descriptions and are given training and time on areas they need help with to fulfil those changes.

They do not specify every little detail of a role but the main and general duties. They also specify the reporting structure and have a summary of the main purpose of the role to which each job description relates.

Disclosure and Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Policy

This section details Greenleaf House Co. Ltd’s procedures relating to the Disclosure and PVG process. All applicants are expected to understand and adhere to this policy.

Greenleaf House Co. Ltd provides services to vulnerable people who are at risk of harm, so we are committed to implementing safe recruitment practices and have registered with Disclosure Scotland to provide the appropriate level of criminal record checks for successful practitioner applicants and office-based staff. Greenleaf House Co. Ltd is also committed to managing the secure handling, use, storage and retention of disclosure information in line with Disclosure Scotland’s Code of Practice and in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Since February 2011 individuals who have regular contact with children or protected adults have been required by the Scottish Government to become a PVG Scheme member.

Where an individual applies for a post and is already in receipt of a PVG Scheme Membership Statement, Greenleaf House Co. Ltd will apply for a PVG Scheme Record Update.

The PVG Scheme is a Scottish Government initiative and is managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. Under the scheme it is illegal for an individual who is barred from the PVG Scheme to work with protected vulnerable adults and children and it is illegal for Greenleaf House Co. Ltd to employ these individuals to work with these protected groups. For this reason, it is essential that individuals register with the scheme prior to commencing employment with us.

The content of an applicant’s PVG record will inform us about any criminal background they hold. We will use this knowledge to contribute to informing our recruitment decisions.

PVG Access Storage and Retention

Greenleaf House Co. Ltd does not keep Disclosure Scotland information on an individual’s file. It is kept separately and securely.

Retention Strategy

There are several strategies we have in place to assist and encourage high staff retention. Ultimately this is about looking after our staff and showing that we care about them too.

• Developing incentives for retention and career progression

• In order to ensure we retain a high-quality workforce there is a need to develop some

specific incentives that help people stay in the care sector. These will include:

Salary is higher than industry average
Holiday allocation is higher than industry average
We encourage continuous professional development
We part fund SVQs for committed staff who have shown a desire to pursue qualification to meet the SSSC requirements for childcare practitioners.
We have a remunerations framework which contains bands of pay for practitioner staff depending on their skills and qualifications
We give every employee a personal training budget they can access to pursue a personal interest, passion or hobby.
Mindfulness is practiced by all our team. All team members regularly take part in mindfulness training and have time throughout the day to practice.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍