NSL Services Group, which operates civil parking enforcement contracts nationwide, was particularly concerned about ‘code red’ incidents. A code red is where a physical assault is imminent or racial or verbal abuse is taking place. Code yellows are incidents that could escalate and that civil enforcement officers (CEOs) may not be able to manage. As an employer with a duty of care, NSL decided that front line staff required additional development when handling difficult situations.

 

The NSL Learning and Development (L&D) team wanted to ensue that CEOs had the tools necessary to diffuse potentially hostile situations.

 

A decision was taken to use Maybo, conflict management specialists, who would train nine NSL trainers to run a conflict management course which would City & Guilds accredited. The project required the five-day course for the trainers and 160 one-day programmes for NSL staff.

 

Working with the Learning and Development team Maybo built into its programme: training scenarios based around the CEO work, incident reporting procedures, and details of the NSL’s employee support programme.

 

During the past two years over 2,000 front line CEOs have participated in the training, which is credited with helping reduce code reds, improve performance and confidence while reducing staff turnover.

 

NSL monitored the number of incidents in one of the busiest locations in the UK, the City of Westminster. After the introduction of the conflict management programme there was an initial increase in code red/yellow activity as CEOs were made aware of the importance of reporting incidents. Incidents dropped from 16 at the start of the year down to just five in December 2009. 

 

Tim Cowan, communications director says: “These findings were remarkable considering the run up to Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year.”

NSL has seen a significant drop in CEO staff turnover, with an impressive improvement of over 30%.

 

The group’s employee satisfaction survey results from the CEOs clearly demonstrate the following:

• 66% overall satisfaction

• 65% satisfaction score for the impact of learning programmes on my role

• 66% satisfaction score for the relevance of content of programmes on role