Oakman Inns
Oakman Inns & Restaurants Ltd was founded in 2007, embodied by its first venture, The Akeman in Tring, Hertfordshire. Oakman Inns established the unique concept of the ‘modern public house’, and the company’s success has been founded on this market niche.
Years awarded: 2017, 2020, 2023
Region: Various locations
Size: 1000+ employees
Sector: Hospitality
Implementing an innovative approach to improve staff retention
Theme: Onboarding
Topics: Coaching and mentoring; Customer service / Customer experience
The Oakman Group faced a retention challenge with new employees. The business decided to implement a new induction training strategy which included onboarding and coaching delivered by internal ‘training ninjas’. Trainees progress through the ninja belt progression process and it has also been embedded into leadership pathways. Employee retention has increased and the knock on effect includes increased spend per customer and higher guest opinion ratings.
‘A development business that runs pubs’
Themes: Upskilling
This organisation comprises 28 country inns and developed Oakmanology 2020, a company-wide programme based on the changing needs of its learners. A wide variety of learning opportunities are offered to enable participants to shape their own careers, supported by training ‘ninjas’. Staff turnover has fallen by 16% and internally promoted chef numbers have increased by 34% as a result of the training strategy.
Delivering accessible training
Themes: Upskilling
Topics: People with barriers
This hospitality company, comprising of 18 contemporary inns, recognised that 100% levels of staff turnover was blocking the business from becoming a sector leader. It devised an online training academy ensuring that the training was inclusive and accessible and reduced staff turnover down to 57%.
News and case studies featuring Oakman Inns:
Celebrating the very best training and development programmes in the UK and Ireland
Last week, 53 recipients from the UK and Ireland were warmly welcomed to St James’s Palace, in London, to receive their Princess Royal Training Award from Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. Now in their eighth year, the Princess Royal Training Awards were set...
53 Princess Royal Training Awards across UK and Ireland for achieving positive impact through skills development
HRH The Princess Royal, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, has approved 53 Awards to a range of organisations across the UK and Ireland, for their outstanding training and skills development programmes, all of which have shown a significant...
Celebrating the Award class of 2020
On 15 December, we celebrated the innovative training and development successes of the 43 recipients who achieved a Princess Royal Training Award in 2020. By necessity the ceremony was a little different this year. Whilst it needed to take place virtually rather...
39 UK businesses receive excellence in training Award commended by HRH The Princess Royal in 2020
HRH The Princess Royal, President of City & Guilds Group, recognises organisations whose training has delivered measurable business impact 39 businesses celebrated at virtual ceremony for their innovative training programmes in the Princess Royal Training...
Oakman Inns’ training scheme gets royal approval for second time
Oakman Inns is to be presented with the annual Princess Royal Training Award, receiving the accolade for the second time in the programme’s five-year history. The City and Guilds Group announced that the pub group will be one of 43 recipients from 39 organisations...
Oakman Inns to receive royal accolade
Multiple operator Oakman Inns will be presented with an annual Princess Royal Training Award in November. Read more on the Morning Advertiser website: https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2020/08/20/Oakman-Inns-Princess-Royal-award and the Rugby Advertiser...
Oakman Inns’ training is recognised by HRH The Princess Royal on her 70th birthday
On 14th August 2020, The City and Guilds Group announced that pub group, Oakman Inns, will be one of just 43 recipients from 39 organisations who will be presented with the annual Princess Royal Training Award in November. This is the second time that the...
UK businesses’ training is recognised by HRH The Princess Royal on her 70th birthday
HRH The Princess Royal, President of City & Guilds Group, recognises organisations whose training has delivered measurable business impact Businesses continue to deliver excellent training programmes in the Princess Royal Training Award’s fifth year, despite...
A royal seal of approval for businesses that put employee development first
On Thursday 2 November, we celebrated 40 organisations who were recognised after being commended for their commitment to training and skills excellence by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at a ceremony at St James’s Palace in London. The Princess Royal...
40 organisations to receive royal recognition at this year’s Princess Royal Training Awards
Major UK businesses including RBS, Barclays, and Waitrose have been joined by a women’s refuge and an ambulance trust in being commended by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne for their commitment to training and skills development. The Haven Wolverhampton, which...