Driving Growth Through Support
Ritu Nargas joined Top Tubes in February 2021, bringing with her extensive HR experience and a degree in Human Resources from the University of Wolverhampton. With a background as an HR Officer in various companies, Ritu quickly put her expertise to work, introducing and improving procedures and processes that have benefitted the entire company. One of her primary goals was to upskill both employees and managers, an area she identified as needing improvement from the outset.
Ritu has been instrumental in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development. She implemented important procedures like Drug and Alcohol testing, which not only improved workplace safety but also reinforced our commitment to employee well-being. What sets Ritu apart is her dedication to empowering managers to lead effectively, promoting positive attitudes and a supportive work environment that helps employees feel secure and valued.
Her enthusiasm for her role is evident in her proactive approach to identifying and nurturing new talent, especially those eager to learn and grow. Ritu’s contributions have significantly strengthened our team, shaping a positive and productive work environment at Top Tubes.
“We have goals, we have challenges and we work together to achieve them. Working in HR allows me to guide others through employment regulations we must all work with, while also giving people every chance to triumph professionally”
Ritu’s Day-to-Day in Human Resources
Our people strategy forms the basis of Ritu’s role at Top Tubes. This strategy aims to enhance the relationship between employer and employee, creating an environment where both can thrive. We believe in treating everyone with fairness, respect, and consistency while valuing the diversity that makes our team unique. Ritu has been essential in ensuring these values are part of our daily operations, promoting an atmosphere of open-mindedness where new ideas and perspectives are welcomed.
Ritu’s commitment to employee wellbeing is evident in the various events and reward systems she organises to recognise and motivate our team. She also oversees all employee training, ensuring that training plans are effectively implemented to meet the needs of our workforce.
One of Ritu’s major contributions has been the development of our Core Values, which form the foundation of our company culture:
TRUST: Builds strong relationships and fosters a dependable work environment, enhancing collaboration and reducing conflict.
OPEN-MINDEDNESS: Encourages innovation and adaptability, allowing the business to embrace new ideas and remain competitive.
PERFORMANCE: Drives productivity and excellence, ensuring the company meets its goals and maintains high standards.
TEAMWORK: Promotes collaboration and unity, leading to more effective problem-solving and a cohesive work culture.
UNDERSTANDING: Enhances communication and empathy, improving employee relations and customer satisfaction.
BELIEF: Drives productivity and excellence, ensuring the company meets its goals and maintains high standards.
EMPOWERMENT: Drives productivity and excellence, ensuring the company meets its goals and maintains high standards.
RESPECT: Drives productivity and excellence, ensuring the company meets its goals and maintains high standards.
These values guide everything we do, they are more than just words—they are principles we live by every day.
Employee ‘Rewards and Benefits Trolley’
At Top Tubes, we firmly believe in recognising and rewarding our team for their hard work. That's why we invest in comprehensive employee rewards programmes. The health of our employees is a top priority, which is why we offer a 24-hour GP helpline. This service ensures that our employees and their families can book appointments and receive medical care at any time, day or night.
To promote a healthier lifestyle, we also provide discounted memberships at local gyms. Additionally, our "Feel Good Fridays" have become a popular tradition where we treat our team to free food from local food trucks, creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere. It is also important to help the team feel appreciated which in terms improves the performance of our amazing team!
We also offer a network discounts programme, giving our employees access to a wide range of discounts on products and services, helping them save money on their purchases. Furthermore, we provide financial and legal advice for our employees and their families, offering support with some of life's more challenging aspects.
Lastly, we offer a "Death in Service" package as a safety net for our employees' families. While we hope it's never needed, it provides peace of mind, knowing that their loved ones would be taken care of in the event of a tragedy.
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Since Ritu joined us, she has been instrumental in implementing a new system that has significantly reduced accident rates and staff absences. These procedures have greatly improved both the safety and well-being of our team members and the overall productivity of the business.
Leveraging her previous experience, Ritu introduced new Drug and Alcohol testing protocols. Now, all potential candidates who apply to Top Tubes undergo drug and alcohol testing before their interview. This ensures we hire individuals who align with our values and who won’t pose a risk to our workforce.
For our existing team, we conduct random drug tests to help build trust among colleagues and maintain a safe workplace. Additionally, drug and alcohol testing is carried out whenever there are near-misses or accidents, ensuring we take every measure to keep our team as safe as possible. Should anyone be found violating our values through these tests, appropriate disciplinary action is taken.
Training At Top Tubes
When Ritu joined Top Tubes, she identified a significant opportunity within our training processes. Previously, we relied on an external company to handle our employee training. However, with Ritu’s guidance, we developed a more effective internal training system. Today, we proudly manage 95% of our training in-house by employing our very own Trainer / Assessor – Victor Winchester. We can now carry out over 20 different types of training in-house.
Mental Health Training
Mental health is a vital aspect of workplace well-being, and it’s an area where Ritu’s passion truly stands out. She has led the implementation of Top Tubes's comprehensive mental health support systems, recognising that a healthy mind is crucial for a productive and positive work environment.
As a certified Mental Health First Aider, Ritu is often the first point of contact for employees facing mental health challenges. Her ability to provide immediate support and direct individuals to professional services has made a significant difference in the lives of many within our workforce.
Why is Internal Training Important to Us?
By providing in-house training, our employees are taught by an individual who is familiar with our specific processes and procedures. This personal approach ensures that training covers not only equipment used but also company-specific protocols. Ritu & Victor have developed a training portal that allows management real-time access to employee training records. Managers can easily track when a team member’s training license is due to expire and schedule renewal training well in advance. This system has significantly improved our operational efficiency.
Training extends beyond our factory team and includes our management as well. Ritu has focused on empowering management with the confidence to handle disciplinary actions. This started by supporting senior leaders in managing disciplinary processes in a way that promotes employee growth rather than detriment.
Apprenticeship
At Top Tubes, we are committed to actively training and educating the next generation of our workforce. Ritu has played a key role in overseeing and enhancing our apprenticeship programme. Since joining, she has managed three apprentices, providing them with comprehensive training that covers all aspects of the business, rather than focusing narrowly on one area. Ritu also offers mentoring and close support to the apprentices, including:
- Arranging younger worker inductions
- Regular catch-up sessions to identify areas where support is needed
- Coordinating with training providers and colleges to ensure clear communication between the apprentice, Top Tubes, and the training institutions
Aaron - Planning Apprentice
Aaron, one of our planning apprentices, is a great example of how we approach apprenticeship at Top Tubes. While his future lies in the planning department, Aaron has been gaining experience across various departments in the factory. This holistic approach gives him a comprehensive understanding of the business, which will ultimately help him become more effective in his planning role.
Testimonial from Aaron
"Since joining Top Tubes I have undergone different experiences throughout the whole business and seen different aspects of the company, this was through Ritu making an exceptional plan on how my first few months would undergo; through different situations and how they were handled. Ritu has also set me up on an excel course to make sure that I am able to understand the key knowledge of how to use excel as I would now use that every day. Many people in the business have made me feel incredibly welcome from the start to now without any hesitation if I needed help, from different obstacles within the business to even my college work, Ritu would always make sure I was okay and if there was anything she could do to help. In my opinion working here the past year has been the best experience of my life working with the best people and being able to know if I was ever stuck Ritu or someone else from the business would be there to help"
Charity Events
We take pride in our commitment to giving back to the local community through various charity partnerships. Every year, our employees vote on three charities that we will support. We encourage our team to choose charities that are personally meaningful to them or their families. Throughout the year, we organise a range of charity events, such as bake sales, raffles, foodbank donations, and other fundraising activities. These events are tailored to the needs of the chosen charities, and we are always looking for new ways to support our community.
Future Plans
At Top Tubes, we are continually seeking ways to improve and build on our current initiatives. One of Ritu’s upcoming projects is the implementation of an intranet system for employees. This new system, accessible via an app, will serve as a central hub for information, including the employee handbook (which is being updated this year), company updates, policies, health and safety guidelines, and upcoming company events.
Ritu is passionate about prioritising a proactive value-added service, by providing best practice, and legal frameworks and adopting a coaching and collaborative style to support Top Tubes.