Food Lover’s Market’s Colleague Show broadcasts every Friday morning at 07h30 (and is repeated on the following Monday morning) over the in-store radio. You won’t have heard it as it plays before our doors open and it is for the Food Lover’s Market staff complement exclusively.
Kate Marais’ is the host of Food Lover’s Market’s Colleague Show. She is the lady with the British accent and our CSI Manager, who as part of the Earth Lovers team works with many community organisations that the company supports. She says she it brings her joy to connect with all our people and that she gets a kick out of it when colleagues recognise her voice when she is in a store. We spoke to Kate Marais to her role and to find out more about the radio show.
- When did the FLM Colleague Show start and why?
The show was first aired in October 2019 and it was created as a platform for discussion and to share with everyone what is happening in the business. It’s a great way to speak to all of our people around topics that affect us all every day.
- What value does the radio show bring to the business?
I think that Food Lover’s is an organisation that really cares about its people and this is another way of showing that. We share all sorts of information that is important for our colleagues to know about, as well as some tips and hints for our lives, at home and at work. We also speak a lot about our values, and I believe that the more we speak about values, the more they become part of our lives and our work environment.
- What is your programming about? What kind of things do you broadcast / talk about?
We talk about so many things. Obviously, at the moment it has been very much COVID-19 focused but we also chat about personal growth, Food Lover’s Market’s community involvement, and special occasions such as Christmas. We see what is happening in the business as well as in the world around us and the producer, Terri Harris, and I then pull the show together from that. - What role has it played during lockdown (COVID-19 pandemic)?
This has been an especially crazy time and many people have been feeling overwhelmed and confused about all the information out there. I feel that the Colleague Show has been a perfect platform for sharing reliable, responsible facts as well as the company’s response to the crisis. As a group, we have done phenomenally well in handling the crisis and we should all be really proud of how it has been managed. - How can colleagues get in touch / contribute to the show?
We really want to know what our colleagues would like to hear us chat about, so we accept ideas for topics and shoutouts or song dedications via our colleague WhatsApp line. We love to hear from everybody! - What has been the best aspect of the radio show for you?
The reaction to the show has really been a highlight for me. Just this morning, I was chatting to a manager in Gauteng and he was telling me that he loves the show and that his whole team listens to it. I think that it is becoming a trusted source of information and that our colleagues see that it is really a show built around them. - What have been the most impactful shows for you?
I think the most impactful shows were the ones when we spoke to Bogadi Kopong, our National Food Safety Manager, who had COVID-19. It really made the pandemic real to many people, that someone that we all know had been infected. Bogadi explained all her symptoms and how she was feeling and was very honest and human. We then followed up with an all-recovered Bogadi, which was great to share with our colleagues. I also love talking to Brian Coppin as his passion for his people and his brand is palpable. - How often and when does the radio show play? And where do you broadcast from?
The show airs for the first time on a Friday morning at 07h30 and replays the following Monday morning. Pre-COVID, we broadcast from a studio in Woodstock, but nowadays, we work either from home or in-store.
“I would like to say thanks to everyone who listens to the show. Thanks for the support and love shown to us in store! Food Lover’s people rock!!!” adds Kate.
