MOUNT Charles, the food service and business support services giant, has announced the launch of a new division to recruit, train and place people into a diverse range of roles within the group.
With excess of 2,100 employees and almost 250 customers throughout the UK and Ireland, Mount Charles created the new division to ensure each of the company’s growing number of contracts will be serviced by highly trained individuals.
Cathal Geoghegan, managing director of Mount Charles said: "We’re proud to be one of Ireland’s biggest locally-owned companies and one that delivers wide-ranging and cost-effective business support services to many businesses and organisations, with contracts spanning our catering, cleaning, vending and security divisions.
"Operating in the service industry, Mount Charles is a 'people' business, and we’re well aware that the skill and talent of the people we employ is our most important asset."
The company serves thousands of people in workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities and universities every day, supporting clients by "putting the right people in the right place, at the right time".
But, doing that isn’t as simple as it sounds, according to Mr Geoghegan, who said said a lack of suitably skilled candidates was an obstacle for the sector.
"There is a definite lack of suitably skilled candidates in our sector and secondly, we are growing so quickly that we don’t always have time to go through a lengthy recruitment process," he added.
"With a current turnover in excess of £30m and a target to hit £50m by 2020, we often need to scale up in numbers with little notice to mobilise new contracts, meaning significant annual spend with recruitment agencies.
"Mount Charles Talent was born as a result and we’re now managing ongoing recruitment and training in house to ensure we have a bank of skilled people ready to hit the ground running at a moment’s notice.
"It’s already creating efficiencies of scale and the next step will be to look at offering that recruitment and training service to external organisations."
Mount Charles became, for the first time in 2017, a business partner of the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr Geoghegan said: "We’re delighted to lend our support to this unique awards programme that celebrates leadership, diversity and inclusion in business. As a people-focused organisation, there’s great synergy in this partnership.
"It is so important to recognise the efforts not only of employees, but of the progressive companies that strive to create a positive and nurturing working environment – something that can only be a good thing for Northern Ireland collectively as we tackle skills shortages and attempt to attract and retain the best people.
"I’d like to take this opportunity to urge businesses to get involved and consider entering. Winning an award of this calibre, or even just reaching the short-list, is a tremendous accolade and one that says a lot about the type of company you are."
In 2017 Mount Charles was named one of Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies in Ireland for the seventh consecutive year, achieving platinum status.
:: The 2017 Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards take place in Titanic Belfast on Thursday June 8. For entry pack and awards information visit www.irishnews.com/wea.
