A call centre and homeworking agency is taking drastic measures to retain its staff.
Holiday Discount Centre, based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, is seeking loyalty guarantees from staff before they accept familiarisation trips – a low-cost trip or tour offered to travel agents to familiarise them with their destination and services – or go to industry award ceremonies, in an effort to prevent them from being poached by rival firms.
Where the company pays for training or educationals, staff have been warned that they could be liable to pay for the cost should they leave soon after.
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Managing director Steve Campion said: “It’s always been competitive in the recruitment arena because good staff are valuable. Most owners and managers are careful they don’t unnecessarily expose staff to competitors.”
“If we send staff on a trip [attended by a competitor], we would try to encourage them to agree to pay back any money we put towards the trip if they leave [to join that competitor],” he added.
