Spotlight on…Lisa Collins

Daisy and Jake Day Nurseries was named Independent Employer of the Year at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards

What is fundamental to your approach with your employees?

One of the main things I say to my managers is that staff have to feel supported, but also safe in their environment. That is why we take a similar approach with our employees as we do with the children in our care – recognising good work and providing support. We offer a number of staff incentives; for example, as part of our WOW programme any member of staff can nominate anybody else that has gone above and beyond in their job.

What do you look for when hiring?

We look for that spark of enthusiasm – someone who can sprinkle a little bit of magic. It doesn’t matter if you are loud or quiet, or how far you want to progress, but you’ve got to have a genuine interest and passion.

Why do you work so closely with your local community?

We are building on our corporate social responsibility but we are also trying to actively engage with parents in a holistic way. We take account of their interests and try and bring parents and staff together through community events. For example, we have recently hosted a session on paediatric first aid. We also promote local businesses in exchange for incentives, as a way of giving back to the people who use our services.

What are your hopes for the future?

We have our sixth setting opening soon, which will mean a lot of internal promotions. We also are looking into setting up our own training academy – we support staff right from their early days through professional development and training. There is a clear progression route through the company.