bartlett mitchell, one of the UK’s leading independent caterers, has today announced the appointment of Lauren Spencer as People Experience Director in a newly created role.

Lauren will be responsible for internal communication and engagement, training delivery methods, team experience, culture/brand protection, recruitment and retention, talent team support, succession planning, and the #bmfamily Yapster app.

She will act as the representative for bm teams across the country, working closely with all departments to ensure all communications are developed in language, formats and platforms which resonate. Spencer will also work closely with HR to ensure the training needs of team members are appropriate and tailored to their specific needs. She previously ran a digital hospitality business in Durban, South Africa.

The move comes as part of the company’s continued drive to enhance the working lives of its team members.

It has been investing heavily in the wellbeing and development of its teams in the last twelve months. In addition to the #bmfamily Yapster app, which enables communication between all team members, the company has also invested in new talent team recruitment processes. bartlett mitchell recently picked up the prestigious Princess Royal Training award presented to them by City and Guilds Group.

With the hospitality sector already facing a people shortage, bartlett mitchell is looking at numerous ways in which it can enhance the lives of its teams. Over the next two years, it is expected that the hospitality industry will need to recruit an extra 10% of staff.

Francois Gautreaux, managing director, bartlett mitchell, said: “Our bm family is really important to us and at the centre of every business decision we make. We know that the battle for talent is only going to intensify over the next few years, so it’s really important we are doing all we can to enhance the experience people have when working with us. This role will play an integral part in helping us to shape how we develop our teams in the future.”

Wendy Bartlett, founder, bartlett mitchell, said: “We are very pleased to create this new role as it demonstrates how committed we are to trying to do things differently to mitigate against some of the challenges the industry will face over the coming years. One of the core values of the business, when we first set it up 20 years ago, was to ensure that coming to work was fun. Our strapline (FUNdamentally food) was all about this.

“Our industry employs one in eight people in the UK. We make a huge contribution to the wider economy. We want people to be proud of working, not just for us, but also as part of a fantastic industry.

“As a business, we have never believed in standing still, so we are constantly looking at doing things differently. We’re delighted to welcome Lauren to the team. She will not only bring a fresh perspective, when it comes to how we do things, but she will also enable us to question why we do it.”

 

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