Monday
Start the week with the monthly meeting of our Accession State Working Group, where we look at the best way to recruit staff from Eastern Europe. The Gangmaster’s Licensing Act has complicated industrial staff recruitment and we need to be certain we are fully compliant. Also we still have concerns as how best to verify driving licences from the region. Our plan is to visit a number of these countries and see how best to approach the issues.

Tuesday
I’m all suited and booted for a new business presentation to the distribution arm of a national food business. They have been exploring a neutral vendor solution but have decided against it. They are looking in particular for personal contact and reliable audit standards — I think we have a good chance! After work I decide to put in some serious training. I am doing the London-to-Paris bike ride in June and should be doing 20 miles each night. Unfortunately this is not always possible due to work and family commitments.

Wednesday
Meet up with a customer who is opening a driver training school and wants Protemp to partner them. This is a ’win win’ solution — we can help them to publicise the school and receive discounted training for our candidates. This client has special driver needs, so we can invest in upskilling our drivers at the training school and then place them with the client.

Thursday
Thursday is always number-crunching day as it’s when I get the previous week’s accounts for every trading location. Although we are ahead of budget this year so far, it is important to know where we are doing well and where we need some support. Big excitement when I got home as we went to collect the new puppy, Frosty the Jack Russell!

Friday
Fridays is training day. We have a national coaching programme across all our branches looking at areas such as audit standard, sales training and payroll efficiency. I am one of the designated trainers which means I get to spend some quality time out in the branches. The downside is that I could be sent anywhere in the branch network and today I am in Chesterfield — the opposite end of the country to where I live!