Vicky Quin, Nando’s
"Nando’s began in Rossentenville, South Africa in 1987 and was a brand born out of a passion for food and the taste of PERI-PERI chicken. Nando’s was brought to the UK in 1992 by Robby Enthoven, who wanted to create a different place to work.
Now with over 300 restaurants in the UK and 25 stunning new Nando’s opening each year, our people (better known as Nandocas) are still the heart of our business. We put as much passion and pride into our people as we do our food, as we truly believe “it’s the people that make the chicken”.
Although every role within Nando’s demands slightly different skills, we have five values that all our Nandocas live and breathe. When recruiting, we look for people who have the courage to stick to their principles, to face up to daily challenges and make bold, brave decisions when required. We want individuals who have the integrity to do what they say and think it’s the right thing to do for both themselves and Nando’s; and those who have a visible passion for people — a passion that is contagious and that we can embrace. And finally, we look for people who will treasure our family values.
So what makes Nando’s a different kind of place to work? It’s our approach to business. We believe that making money and being profitable should be fun. Nando’s is a very positive company with a serious ambition — a serious business with a playful side. To us, recognition isn’t just financial; it’s about rewarding our Nandocas day in, day out for a doing a fantastic job. This could include our annual conference, annual family days, regional social events, four weeks sabbatical after five years’ service, a free meal every shift, 20% discount when not working, and so the list goes on…
We value feedback from our Nando’s family, so twice a year every Nandoca gets the chance to voice their opinion in our staff survey. We also hold Nandoca Forums where a representative from each restaurant can speak directly to the board of directors.
Our philosophy is simple and hasn’t changed since our first restaurant opened: happy staff = happy customers = happy bank manager. Everything we do is, and always has been, built around this."
