The History of Key Performance Training

The History of Key Performance Training

by | Jul 15, 2021 | Employment & skills, Our News, RTITB, Training courses

About Bob Hayward- The Managing Director and owner of Key Performance Training

Bob has had quite a journey from humble beginnings near Broad-water Farm in Tottenham (yes, he is a Spurs fan) failing his A levels and even the entrance exam for a Postman. Then a bad motor bike accident changed the course of his life forever. The six-week stay in hospital and the one year on crutches it took to recover led him to become a nurse. First a Registered General Nurse, then a spell in Intensive Care before taking a second-degree course in Psychiatric Nursing. After a 12-year career in nursing he took up selling and built a nursing agency from scratch to a 5.6 million turnover in five years. In his business career, Bob has started four businesses from scratch and built each of them to 1M turnover or more.

Bob actually hit the national headlines in 2001, but not for his business or consultancy skills, this was when he ran 33 marathons in only 40 days to get from Lands End to John O’groats in aid of a burns victim called ‘Podge’. He continues to raise money for charities close to his heart through marathon running and completed a further major test of endurance in October 2005 by running 6 marathons over 6 days across one of the hottest places in the world~ Death Valley~ this time in aid of Swindon food bank, tackling issues of poverty and deprivation.

How Key Performance Training started:

In 2017 Bob was involved in one of his many business ventures throughout his life; a recruitment firm recruiting pickers and packers for warehouses. He became aware that there was a huge demand for Forklift Truck Drivers in general but specifically in Swindon and the surrounding areas. As the business minded man he is, he decided to try and meet this demand by setting up a FLT training company to get as many people their license as possible and also to upskill pickers and packers.

The next stage? He needed to find a warehouse. After searching, he found a suitable location in Upper Stratton Headlands Unit trading estate where ‘Mr Shifter’ a local house moving and storage company were located and had enough room to rent out half of the warehouse for KPT. Bob and the 3 owners of Mr Shifter came to an agreement that they would all co-own the business and after months of finalisations on the 19th December 2017 Key Performance Training was born.

Although Bob had expertise and business knowledge behind him, he had no idea how to operate, let alone teach people how to operate Forklift Trucks. This was where the expert came in – David Gearon.

David had years of FLT training experience behind him from working as a trainer at Honda for 5 years, being a subcontractor for a company called Mentor for a further 2 years and then going on to turn around a company with a particularly bad reputation of their safety around FLT and getting them to do things the proper way. Whilst Bob was creating KPT, David was working in a job that he wasn’t enjoying and wanted to get back into training. By chance, as his contract was coming to an end, he saw advertised a job as a FLT trainer for a new company Key Performance Training and applied instantly. The recruiters knew how amazing David was at what he does and was surprised that he was out of training work. He was invited in for an interview at the warehouse which solidified that he would be the perfect man for the job.

Now , 4 years later and with Bob now as the sole owner and David as the head trainer. KPT is still surviving; even through a pandemic where nobody could be trained!

The 5 main benefits of cross training employees.

The 5 main benefits of cross training employees.

by | Jun 10, 2021 | Employment & skills, RTITB, Training courses

Cross- training employees can be a catalyst to a huge improvement in workforce productivity of any business. Here are the 5 main benefits of cross-training in the warehouse sector, however the advantages do not stop here, they are endless!

What does it mean to cross train an employee?

Cross-training is building the skills of your employees so that they can work in several different roles and carry out tasks even if they aren’t part of their main daily responsibilities. As a result, you, as the employer, can increase productivity in the workplace by making the maximum use out of the latent talents and skillsets of your employees. 

For example, when summer is approaching and people are rushing into travel agents to book their last-minute holidays, if employees who usually handle telephone customer service enquiries are also trained to handle walk-in customers, then the travel agency will be more able to handle the increased demand.

Similarly, in the warehouse sector if someone in your team who usually works in production work could also operate forklift trucks you could move them temporarily to the loading team if there is a spike in demand. This prevents orders falling behind and increases the overall efficiency and effectiveness of your team.

Cross-training, specifically in the warehouse sector, is something that gets spoken about more than it is actually implemented. What is the main reason for that? Because people are simply unaware of the multitude of gain generated from this method. Hopefully after reading this blog post, you will be part of the percentage who are aware of the benefits, and will be tempted to use that knowledge to your advantage!

1. Great return on investment

The key to cross-training making a great return on investment is realising that the talent you are trying to outsource is most likely already within your business. Once you’ve had this realisation and act upon it, you are likely to see ways to boost to your bottom line.

2. Improved employee retention

A study conducted at the university of Warwick via Forbes found that on average, happy and engaged employees are 12% more productive than their unhappy counterparts. Cross-training has a significant effect on individual employee happiness because with a broader range of skills employees will feel as though they are being invested in and in return will become more engaged. Continuously focusing on the skillset of your existing employees rather than trying to recruit new employees with prior qualifications, will keep long term employees more committed to stick around.

3. Reduced impacts when employees are absent

This is a fairly straightforward benefit but often people do not realise the extent of a positive impact having cross-trained employees can have when absence occurs. For example, if your business has 10 employees and each of them have a total of 25 holidays per year that would be a total of 250 days a year where at least 1 person’s list of responsibilities are not getting completed. Does that sound efficient to you?

When your work-force is “cross-fit”, you will be able to substitute somebody from a less busy shift or a different sector who has the knowledge to cover for the absent employee. As a result, a significant increase to the number of responsbilities and tasks that are being completed will arise and the productiveness\output of the company will expand.

Ideally, even in a small company, you would have three people or more who could do any single job – even if only to ‘hold the fort’ professionally for a shift or a day. There is a direct link between the competency of your people and the confidence your customers have in you as a supplier.

4. Better employee collaboration

There are two types of employees. Those who have just expertise in one area (not cross-trained) and those who have expertise in one particular aspect but also still have a broad knowledge of other aspects in the company (cross-trained). When you are the non-cross trained type of employee you are hyper-focused to that one particular area and therefore find it difficult to collaborate with those in other sectors of your company.

Good collaboration is crucial within a company as it allows you and a team to solve problems together, speeding up the process of finishing a task and avoiding breakdowns in communication.

5. Makes your company more agile

The actual process of cross-training employees may reveal areas of strengths and weaknesses in employees. Throughout the on-the-job-training hidden talents and strengths may be revealed that means people would work better in another area or field of the business. You can then change people around accordingly. This makes your company more agile and responsive to change as-well as increasing flexibility when needing to fill last minute absences.

Being an agile company has a range of benefits such as more resilience, quicker decision making, more collaborative and also quick mobilization.

How Key Performance Training can help your business with cross-training

Key Performance Training based in Swindon and RTITB Approved, can unlock your potential with novice, refresher, experienced courses in Forklift Training, First Aid, Health and Safety and Fire Marshall Training, amongst others, at regular times throughout the year in a specifically designed training centre or on-site at your own location , amongst others, at regular times throughout the year in a specifically designed training centre or on-site at your own location if you prefer. From individual training to large scale corporate roll outs.

Email now for enquiries

david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk

These beasts are of great assistance and dangerous

These beasts are of great assistance and dangerous

by | Mar 12, 2021 | Employment & skills, Training courses

Know where the Hazards Are to Avoid Them:

It’s important that all operators know the area they will be driving in well, as an unseen bump in the road can cause the vehicle to tip and result in, as well as damage to the vehicle.

  • Be aware of ramps, lumps, bumps, slippery ground and uneven surfaces
  • Avoid any loose materials, objects or flooring
  • Know the layout, the designated routes, the junctions, the narrow sections, low ceilings, the ways in and out of loading bays, any special racking, and all exclusion zones
  • Operators must be reminded of site rules, speed limits and safety guidelines frequently

High Quality Training

This is not just a sensible choice, but a legal obligation. As an employer you must ensure that their team are given all the training they need to safely and legally operate a forklift and keep themselves, their workmates and visitors to your site safe and protected from harm.

Operators who have received a training certificate, like that from the RTITB, and have been trained to operate each specific type of forklift should only be allowed to operate one.

Trained forklift operators will know how to do the job safely. They will have had to demonstrate that in a workplace or training arena evaluation by an accredited instructor.

Know the Common Forklift Hazards

Know the Stats. It’s important to know the dangers that come with using forklifts on loading docks and in warehouses. Keep these statistics in the forefront of everyone’s mind by discussing some of them in team meetings or daily huddles occasionally.

Remind operators of the most common hazards associated with forklifts.

  • Unsecured loads may fall, crushing pedestrians or drivers.
  • Forklifts may tip over, due to excessive speed, tight cornering or imbalanced loads
  • Workers may fall if they stand on the forks
  • Drivers may not see pedestrians, leading to collisions and fatal accidents
  • Improper or missing floor marking may lead to accidents between forklifts and pedestrians

Stay Safe While Using A Forklift

Workers should do the following while behind the wheel to protect themselves and co-workers:

  • Make sure the load is balanced and fully secure to prevent a forklift from tipping over
  • Ensure both forks are as far under the load as possible before lifting
  • Check for any overhead obstacles before stacking upwards
  • Use ropes, straps and bindings to properly secure loads
  • Do not overload the forklift
  • Do not push a load with the forks
  • Never exceed the maximum capacity of your forklift or attachments
  • Always check the load carefully before moving off
  • Drive with the load as low as safely possible
  • Pay attention to posted speed limits and warning signs
  • Always look in the direction you’re traveling; if a load blocks the view ahead, travel in reverse
  • Steer clear of areas where forklifts are prohibited or restricted
  • Keep an eye out for signs, floor marking, and other warnings for pedestrians and forklifts
  • Use the horn at intersections and in areas where pedestrians may be present
  • Facilities of any size should have clear forklift safety rules
  • Provide high-viz workwear and the proper PPE for all staff entering the warehouse and wherever forklifts operate

These are just a few tips that will help you keep your workforce safe and ensure you get the most from your equipment.

For further information about high quality training – please contact us on 01793 975 353

In support of International Women’s Day 2020

In support of International Women’s Day 2020

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Employment & skills, Our News, RTITB, Training courses

The International Women’s Day 2020 campaign theme is #EachforEqual. An equal world is an enabled world.

At Key Performance, we are choosing to challenge stereotypes and broaden perceptions. We seek to be a pathway to better equal employment opportunities.

Anyone over 16 can drive a forklift truck. As the career employment opportunities are plentiful and earnings above average for warehouse and logistic roles. At £21,000 to £23,000 forklift driving can be a great pathway into better employment.

In the last two years, only five of our 80 trainees were ladies. These 80 delegates became qualified forklift operators through Key Performance Training and the vast majority went straight into paid work. This number, five from 80, is obviously not proportional to the population of people working in the logistics and warehousing industry. And yet there is no reason for forklift operating to be the preserve of our male colleagues. There is no reason that anyone, male or female, must be big, strong or bulky to operate a forklift. The fact is that Forklift Trucks are just as suitable for men and women to drive as are cars.

Job expansion in the manufacturing, warehousing and logistics sector looks promising for the economy. What does this news mean for the women out of work? Male workers have dominated the industrial workforce and have naturally gravitated towards these types of jobs, while women can easily take advantage of these job opportunities. 

 A career as a Forklift driver is an underrated profession and often overlooked by women. Many do not realise there is a high demand for Forklift operators. Operators drive Forklifts and use them carry heavy loads and stack pallets onto warehouse shelving or trucks.  One can earn a respectable salary, opportunities for promotion. and enjoy flexible shifts as a Forklift operator. In order to secure employment, a training course and certification is mandatory but easy to obtain. A novice course takes only five days and you could be working the very next week…

So, to challenge that false assumption and in support of International Women’s Day Key Performance Training are putting on a LADIES ONLY forklift taster session. Friday 6th March at Unit 1 Headlands Trading Estate, Swindon, SN2 7JQ.

The free two-hour session has been designed to help people decide if they could operate a forklift truck and whether they could earn more as a forklift driver. We invite all ladies to come and try out some simple moves of both a Reach and Counterbalance Truck as well as to meet an Employment Agency to discuss the job opportunities locally right now.

For more information contact Bob Hayward or David Gearon at Key Performance Training #IWD2020 #EachforEquality

Could you be the Business Development Apprentice we are looking for?

Could you be the Business Development Apprentice we are looking for?

by | Aug 30, 2019 | Employment & skills, Our News

Our Background

Key Performance Training (KPT) opened in February 2018 with a mission to be “A Pathway to Employment” initially using Forklift Truck Operator training. The idea is simple, either to enable someone who is not working to qualify with a much-needed skill and get “A Job” or enable someone on minimum wage as an unskilled worker to get a “Better Job” or help someone change “Career” KPT operates from a purpose-built high forklift training arena with two classrooms. The only such training arena in Swindon. Having established itself initially with forklift trucks KPT went on to run HGV Driver classroom training and now wishes to extend further into certificated training for the workplace; for instance, Manual Handling Equipment Training, First Aid Training and Health & Safety Training.

Business Development Executive Apprentice Job Description

The company is seeking to add a talented college-leaver as an apprentice to their sales team, to work closely with and learn from two serial entrepreneurs. The aim is to develop your potential so you can, once fully trained, lead the end-to-end sales interaction with prospects and customers as well as internally within KPT and its associated businesses. Provided you meet the standards you will achieve an NVQ Level 4 Sales Certification with the Association of Professional Sales (APS); a highly sort after qualifications in the sales industry Remuneration will be a basic of £8,500pa plus commission, during the 18-month apprenticeship. With the sales commission and bonuses paid for achieving pre-agreed targets, the On Target Earnings (OTE) should be £20,000 to £25,000 in your first year.

Ideal Person Profile – Does this describe you?

The ideal person will have plenty of drive and energy along with a strong desire to win and to lead. They want to come across as enthusiastic, dynamic, assured and opinionated as well as being firm in their convictions. They are quick to talk and act. They enjoy being at the heart of things, making decisions and organising people. They are likely to be able to influence others with a combination of a more powerful personality than most along with an ability to put forward convincing arguments in a verbally fluent way. Professional. Polished. Disciplined. Responsible. Self-critical. Formal. Logical. They will have high standards and be self-directed. They accept there is a right way to do things. Charming. Able to influence others and persuade others. They will have some natural commercial instincts, a nose for identifying commercial opportunities along with the collaborative mindset and the people skills develop ‘win-win’ partnerships. Naturally able to concentrate and perseveres with detail. Able to work toward objectives while remaining flexible. Someone who uses logic and objectivity in processing information Quick to make decisions. Does not worry much. Thick-skinned and down-to-earth.

Main Responsibilities

  • Assisting with marketing activities, including organising special promotions, displays, and events to generate leads. Helping with Social Media, Email-campaigns, Mailshots, and leaflet drops
  • Helping identify new prospects and learning to follow up leads generated by the marketing to land new clients
  • Accompanying one of the experienced team members to joint sales visits to both introduce the company and its services as well as to gain their agreement to run training programmes. After training and some months of experience, you will do much of this yourself with the MD in support.
  • Learn how to handle and resolve any customer complaints and feedback
  • Learn how to analyse sales figures and trends, forecasting future sales to facilitate planning
  • Maintaining awareness of market trends in the industry, understanding forthcoming customer initiatives, and monitoring competitors

Main Competencies Required

Apprentices without Level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.
  • Ability to network to reach the right decision-makers and to network through existing clients to gain new business
  • Strong two-way communication skills. Can ask questions as well as present ideas fluently. Can persuade, influence and build the need for change within a prospect’s mind
  • Excellent written communication skills
  • Able to sell value over price and can differentiate from the competition
  • Be resolute, bold and stubborn when required, focusing on results, tackling any problems or conflicts which get in the way, dealing with people professionally and effectively despite their feelings or importance
  • Be alert to changing situations, gathering intelligence and insights to gain competitive advantage, showing flexibility in approach, adaptability in difficult circumstances and continuously strive to achieve a result
  • Enjoy challenging situations and have the flexibility to work in an unstructured environment where there is freedom to act and the authority to make decisions
  • Solve customer problems and implement appropriate remedial measures
  • Actively participate in the internal company culture which dedicated to continuous improvement, challenging the status quo and developing best practice
  • Can prioritise and work smart by being well-prepared and doing the required preparation and practice

To Apply: Please email your CV to bob.hayward@keyperformancetraining.co.uk

ABC Any Job – Better Job – Career

ABC Any Job – Better Job – Career

by | May 22, 2019 | Employment & skills, Our News, RTITB, Training courses

At Key Performance Training, we are of course completely biased in our opinion, that a training course with us here will most certainly improve anyone’s life chances and ability to move forward. We consider that learning to be a Forklift Operator gets you onto the pathway to employment. It can be instrumental in getting to a job to start with. Any job for a new novice forklift truck driver is worth taking because it provides you with invaluable experience. Once you have six months or one year under your belt you can look for a better job because you know have a track record as a Forklift Driver. Once established in that better job you can start to build a career with further training and promotions. Any Job – Better Job – A Career; this ABC is the say of satisfying the need to improve self-worth which can only be got through a sense of achievement and personal growth. 

Achievement and personal growth in turn can be pushed forward in leaps and bounds by choosing the right training course specifically tailored to you, it doesn’t matter what stage of your life you are at and it doesn’t really matter if your life’s ambition is to be a forklift truck driver or even to go on with further training to eventually become the trainer yourself, the fact is that training is truly the only way to improve your lot in life.

Training and more importantly the right training package will also give you personal confidence and the satisfaction of knowing that you have got not only the qualification, the actual bit of paper that says you have done it, but you have also applied yourself, made a decision and stuck with it until you obtained the end result.

Success measured how we do here at Key Performance Training is that it’s not so much where you end up more what you do every day all those little baby steps that add up to one giant leap for the improvement of your life.

Key Performance Training as specialists in this area have the skill set and techniques available to truly draw out of you the best Forklift Driver out of you that you can imagine. With Key Performance Training, even though there at tough tests to pass; both theory and practical – with Key Performance Training you never fail. Why? Because if you do not pass the first time we will continue to train you for free until you do pass.

Training and development is of course a fundamental part of any profession, not only does it help you improve your performance but it will allow you to perform better within your organisation thus helping your employer meet its own goals.

Even when you take you tri-annual refresher programmes, Key Performance Training will give you new skills making you as an individual more efficient at your job, in fact, it will make you truly more capable of handling situations that you would not necessarily have been confident in prior to taking one of our training courses.

Developing new skills within your own repertoire will also make you a much more valuable proposition to any new potential employer, putting you in the driving seat, quite literally, turning that first “Any Job” into a Better Job and then on into a Career.