Milford Williams, Gleaner Writer
Earl Moore, president and CEO of Guardian Life (Ja) Ltd. - IAN ALLEN /STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
GUARDIAN LIFE Limited will be using the services of the more qualified employees to teach their less qualified co-workers during working hours.
To ease concerns of after-work stress and travel time to get to classes, company president, Mr. Earl Moore, says learners will be able to go to classes at their branches between the hours of 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Classes will start next week Monday and will include mathematics, English and principles of accounting at the CXC level.
Mr. Moore made the declaration last Friday at Blast Off 2006, an annual conference held by the company to announce plans for the year ahead. Over 560 employees and directors, including designate chief executive officer of Guardian Holdings Limited, Rory O'Brien, were present at the Jamaica Conference Centre for the proceedings.
This declaration came on the heels of a presentation by businessman Aubyn Hill who implored the company's managers to invest substantial funds in formal and practical education of its staff.
Mr. Hill said Jamaican managers often sought popularity, being afraid to take hard decisions while companies languish and "good managers avoid the blame game but take responsibility for his or her behaviour."
This move to improve educational qualifications is part of an initiative to reach a sales target of J$1billion at the end of the 2006 financial year. Guardian Life reported sales of over $700 million for 2005.
TOP-CLASS SERVICE
Mr. Moore said, "I know this is not an easy task but they have to do it." The former insurance salesman noted that, "Important to achieving this goal is the administrative team who must provide policyholders and salesmen with top-class service."
As an incentive towards achieving the sales target, the company has announced the implementation of gratuity commission to reward more sales staff with higher sales levels.
Guardian recently relocated two branches from Premier Plaza in Half-Way Tree to a new branch at Harbour Street, downtown Kingston. Mr. Moore said that the move was done to capitalise on the cheaper property prices in downtown Kingston. Uptown prices can be up to five times more expensive.
The company is also looking at other revenue streams to increase profitability. Mr. Moore said, "We are also looking at mortgages which can increase cash flow along with maximising asset utilisation."
He said any assets owned by the company must earn money, giving this as the reason for the recent sale of properties on Haining Road and another at the corner of Trafalgar Road and Lady Musgrave Drive. Guardian had also sold the Terra Nova Hotel two years ago in an effort to concentrate on its core business.
