28 Aug 2018
Astranti Response
7yHi,
I’m really sorry that things didn’t work out for you with us. I always want the best for all staff and it’s really disappointing when someone is unhappy when they leave.
As a business, our aim is to do all we can to help students to pass their professional exams and to achieve this, we do need to have high standards for the material we produce. We also have targets and deadlines which we recognise can create a sense of pressure and which we appreciate, doesn’t suit everyone, but our goal is always to support staff as best we can to achieve their targets including significant training and personal support.
We know some new recruits have found it a challenge to come into the business and produce the quality of material required. To try to eliminate the stress that this can cause, we have now introduced a 2-month training programme at the start of the employment of all new writers and producers. As well as training on how to produce our products the course includes fully funded training for the CIMA Certificate exams which then provides a base of business and finance knowledge to help people to get up to speed, particularly with the more technical aspects of the role.
In addition to this, new staff no longer have volume targets. Instead, the focus in their first few months is solely on learning and producing high quality materials. Once new staff have completed the 2 month training course and are fully integrated into the team, feedback is then provided on almost every piece of work produced, both in writing and during one-to-one meetings with a member of the proofing team, so that every member of staff is clear as to what they’re doing well and where they need to make improvements.
In addition we have weekly meetings with all staff individually to review progress and are always keen to listen to any problems or issues people have so we can resolve them. We also have appraisals every six months, where any issues that are raised can be discussed in an open and honest way. We have recently begun upward management reviews and are soon to have our first employee satisfaction survey, as a way for staff to make their feelings known so that wherever necessary/possible action can be taken and improvements made.
We are constantly reviewing and, hopefully, improving every aspect of the business. Whilst I appreciate that some of these programmes were not in place when you were with us, I have always taken the well being of staff very seriously and it saddens me that we weren’t able to make things work for you. However, I do wish you the very best of luck in the future.
Kind regards,
Nick Best
CEO Astranti