Things to do before you start

• 1. Log into your MyPGL account

  MyPGL is the place to find all your onboarding tasks, important documents and information about working at PGL, such as your employment contract, colleague handbook and lots of useful and important policies

  🌐 Sign in link: my-pgl.csod.com

   

  
• 2. Order your uniform

  How to order your uniform

  Around 3 weeks before you start you’ll receive a link to order your uniform. Which items you receive depend on the role you’ll be doing. PGL uniform is durable and comfy, and will hopefully last many seasons!*

  Jewellery and nails

  Only wedding bands and sleeper earrings can be worn in catering and social hubs, and any nail polish or extensions needs to be removed

  More guidance on uniform and appearance can be found in your Colleague Handbook

  *If your faith restricts you from wearing any items of your uniform or personal protective equipment, please let the People & Culture Officer know when you arrive on centre.

   

  
• 3. Organise your travel

  If you are living on centre, one of your onboarding tasks in MyPGL will be to confirm your travel arrangement and time/date of arrival. It is important that you let us know this information, especially if you are planning to travel by train or arriving early. If you’re travelling by train, then we can arrange a free transfer to your centre. If anything changes, call your centre so the management team can have someone ready to welcome you.

  Bringing a car?

  You must ensure your vehicle:

  ✅ Is taxed

  ✅ Is insured

  ✅ Has a valid MOT

  Going to Little Canada?

  SAVE 25% on ferry travel using this link: https://book.wightlink.co.uk/book/journey/journeySearch/

  (The discount will show in your basket from stage 3 onwards)

   

  
• 4. Start packing

  What to bring with you

  • Clothing for all weathers for when you are not working
  • Hardwearing trainers, shoes or boots
  • Toiletries and towels
  • Notepad and pen for induction/training
  • Tupperware for food storage
  • Travel mug and/or water bottle
  • Waterproof watch

  What about bedding?

  We’ll provide bedding, including a pillow, pillow case, bottom sheet, duvet and duvet cover. You’re welcome to bring your own if you. 

  Valuable items

  You’re welcome to bring home comforts with you such as a laptop or TV, but we highly recommend that you get insurance for any precious items as we cannot take responsibility for any loss or damage. Please check if you need a TV Licence!

  
• 5. Check your arrival times

  These are the times that you need to arrive on centre for your first day:

  Barton Hall / Bawdsey Manor / Caythorpe Court / Dalguise / Grosvenor Hall / Little Canada / Newby Wiske Hall / Osmington Bay / Overstrand Hall / Windmill Hill

  ⏰ Living on centre: Arrive between 3-5pm the day before.

  ⏰ Living off centre: Arrive at 8:30am on your start date.

  Boreatton Park / Marchants Hill / Winmarleigh Hall

  ⏰ Living on centre: Arrive between 2-3pm the day before.

  ⏰ Living off centre: Arrive at 8:30am on your start date.

  Ford Castle / Liddington

  ⏰ Living on centre: Arrive between 3-5pm the day before.

  ⏰ Living off centre: Arrive at 9am on your start date.

  Dearne Valley

  ⏰ Living on centre: Arrive between 12-4pm the day before.

  ⏰ Living off centre: Arrive at 9.30am on your start date.

   

• 6. Tell us about any additional learning requirements

  Support is available – tell us about any learning requirements by completing the UK Health Questionnaire in your MyPGL portal. Prefer to speak to someone? Email Charlotte.Loftus@pgl.co.uk (Resourcing Team Leader)

   

• 7. Understand our expectations of you

  Working for PGL is a big responsibility, acting as a role model to children and responsible for their comfort and happiness. It’s important to give your induction your full commitment.

  We expect you to:

  ✅  Actively participate and engage in all aspects of induction

  ✅ Be supportive, kind and encouraging to your colleagues

  ✅ Abide by the terms of your employment contract and the local rules of the centre

  ✅ Follow our policies on behaviour, phones, and substances (in the colleague handbook in MyPGLPortal)

  ❌ Smoking and vaping is permitted only in designated areas, and there is a zero-tolerance policy on illegal substances

   

• Download the Refuel App

  Before you start you need to set up and top-up a Refuel account – please read this guide to be shown how to do this

   

Living and working at PGL

• Your first few weeks

  Your induction period

  Your first two weeks will be your induction period, you’ll get to know your way around the centre, meet your buddy, get to know your manager and team, and complete further training to get you feeling confident and prepared. The next milestone is the end of your probation (4 weeks for most colleagues). You’ll have a review with your manager to confirm if everything is going well, identify any training needs or extend your probation if required. Please refer to your employment contract for full details on probation periods.

   

  
• Getting help on centre

  If you require advice or have a question regarding your accommodation, meals, uniform, annual leave, sickness/absence, or centre facilities, in the first instance, please speak to your line manager

   

• Creating your home away from home

  Whatever accommodation you have, you’ll be surprised at how quickly it will feel like home. Add your personal touch to your living space, put up posters, fairy lights and decorations to make your room feel more homely.

  Keep your room clean and tidy, it’s good for your wellbeing – inspections are carried out regularly for health, safety and maintenance reasons. You can order parcels to be delivered to centre, but remember your accommodation at PGL is temporary and should not be listed as your main address to third parties for personal/financial matters (unless you are on a permanent contract).

  Decorating your room:

  ✅ Posters with blu-tac

  ✅Pictures

  ✅Fairy lights

  ✅ Decorations

  ❌ Candles or flames

  ❌ Painting walls

  ❌ Smoking/vaping

  ❌ Pets

   

  
• On-site social hubs

  Most our centres have social areas which are used by colleagues and guests. If you visit during free time, remember that you are always representing PGL, even when not in uniform so your behaviour needs to reflect our values as much as when you are working. Drinking alcohol before or during shifts is strictly forbidden.

   

• Mobile phone use

  Mobile phone use will be restricted during working hours. Outside working hours you can use your phone in communal areas such as the dining room, colleague lounges and the social hubs. Taking videos or photos of any of our guests or in the vicinity of any guests is also restricted unless you have permission from their parents, teacher or carers.

   

• Colleague Wi-Fi

  To get connected to the colleague wi-fi, ask the centre office team for the log-in details. Due to the nature of our business, access to certain web sites is blocked and monitoring of all web browsing, in order to protect you and us. You will be asked to sign to say you have read and accepted our policy before you receive access to the centre wi-fi.

   

• Pets and animals

  Sorry, pets aren’t allowed on centre. In some special circumstances, permission may be granted by the General Manager for permanent colleagues living in self-contained accommodation.

   

• Having visitors

  Visitors are welcome during the day as long as you have completed a CENTRE VISITOR REQUEST FORM (available from reception) and they are supervised at all times. Overnight visitors must have an enhanced DBS check (PVG Scotland or bulletin No3 France) when guests are on centre. The overnight charge for guests is £15 per adult, £5 per child in the UK (€15 and €5 in France)**. Your visitors can pay for their food by downloading the Refuel app and creating an account. It is your responsibility to ensure your visitors are accompanied at all times and follow the centre rules (If they don’t they’ll be asked to leave the centre). Please refer to your Colleague Handbook for further details.

  ** subject to change

   

• Smoking, vaping and drugs

  All centres have designated areas for smoking and vaping. There is strictly no smoking or vaping in your accommodation, inside any of the centre buildings or PGL vehicles. Absolutely no illegal substances permitted on centre.