As promised, we are hosting our first free seminar on 21st February 2012.
We will be talking about Loyalty and Employee Engagement, very fitting with Valentines Day just around the corner.
So if you are interested in doscivering the secrets to a loyal and engaged team, without having to increase your salary budget, why not book your free place now.
In my grandfathers time you went to school, got a job and pretty much stayed in it as long as you could. If you were really lucky you stayed there 35-40 years, got a good pension and a watch and retired to a garden and went down the pub or played with your grandchildren. In my father’s time things had changed quite a bit; it wasn’t unusual to change your job a little more frequently, but in reality you were still looking for the job for life. Fast forward to today and things have changed dramatically. It’s almost like the fast cuts of the MTV generation – the job for life is almost a thing of the past. The only people who seem to be in the same place for a long time are the self employed, or is it?
I was at a recent presentation for a member of staff who had worked for a company for 20 years and had been there when there were just 3 of them and now there are over 90.? The MD who founded the business was actually quite emotional when he gave the presentation and it was great to watch, hardly a dry eye in the house. So what drives people these days? Is it loyalty? Feeling valued? Believing in the company? Good money? The perfect pension?
The companies that are recognised at the best in the world: Google, Apple, Pixar, Ultima and Innocent, amongst them, are about a lot more than money. It’s about the whole package. It’s about the experience of working in these places. At Innocent the work style is relaxed and creative, the same can be said of Google, Apple and Pixar. At Ultima creativity is also highly prized, but Michelle Monaghan (the MD) is renowned for her tidiness and attention to detail. The fact is that people fit places of work and vice versa. Someone who likes the relaxed approach at Innocent probably couldn’t could cope with a boss as hands on as Ms Monaghan. So loyalty must be a two way street then. We are loyal to an idea as well as a place to work. The most committed employees are the ones who ‘get’ the company and want to do their best for it. Equally, the boss who cherishes his employees is the one who keeps the best ones, as in the example I saw recently and mentioned above.
In this transient world then, it’s important to recognise that work is a relationship. It’s about feeling valued, doing things of value ie that work has a purpose, it’s about trust and reward. In other words the best companies know how to get the best out of their employees and the work force respond accordingly, they want to remain employed there. Those jobs for life of our grandfather’s had a different set of values back then: security being the main one. In today’s work place it’s about being valued to work hard to build growth to keep your job and the company growing. Get this right and more companies will be holding 20 year ceremonies in the future.
At this time of year thoughts are turning to last minute Christmas shopping, writing cards and of course the all important work “Christmas Do”. Having worked in HR for over 10 years now I have seen and heard stories surrounding Christmas parties, some publishable some not, which have had HR implications.
This article is written not to put a dampner on your Christmas Festivities or to cry “Bah Humbug” but is simply meant as some guidance and things to consider if you are responsible for a Christmas Party of any kind.
A survey of 2,000 employees by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed that one in ten workers know of someone from their organisation who has either been disciplined or dismissed for inappropriate behaviour at the staff Christmas party. Of these, over a quarter (29%) said that the reason for the disciplinary action or dismissal was fighting and one-fifth (19%) said that threatening behaviour was to blame. The next most commonly reported reasons for disciplinary action or dismissal were sexual harassment (17%), bullying (12%) and other forms of discrimination (8%), for example on the grounds of disability or religion. Almost half (46%) said the reason was for ‘other inappropriate behaviour’, which could include unorthodox use of the office photocopier, extra curricular activity in the stationary cupboard or insulting the boss. The most worrying is the harassment issue and this is a real issue and if an incident at the party triggers or is part of a serious harassment claim then you will be vicariously liable and need to take steps to protect yourself as below. Another good solution here is to have a party to which partners are invited – this seems to keep things a bit more in control (and many companies have adopted this approach as a consequence).
So what does this tell us? The important point is to find a way of reminding staff that inappropriate behaviour will be dealt with in the same way as it would be during normal work time. Ben Willmott from the CIPD said: “People should feel able to relax and let their hair down, however it is a good idea for employers to remind their staff that inappropriate behaviour could land them in serious trouble and even lead to them losing their job in the case of serious misconduct. In the current economic environment with people under increasing pressure at work there is an added risk that people will drink too much, let off steam and do something they might regret in the sober light of the next morning.”
There has been talk of risk assessing Christmas parties but this may be extreme as any venue you go to should have done this but you may want to consider a form of risk assessment in terms of preventing or minimising the risk to your company's reputation, you could do this by simply reminding all staff of their obligations and responsibilities even on Christmas nights out - whether funded by the employer or not. Groups of staff at non-funded parties can also cause employer difficulties, if they are recognisable as your employees. You can do this verbally at the same time as publicising the date, or in writing to each person, or by posters, noticeboards, intranets etc. That way if anyone misbehaves, you are in a much clearer position if you were to take disciplinary action, as expectations have been set beforehand.?
Giving some of these things some thought beforehand can ensure that your Christmas event is what it should be; a fun event and a chance to let your hair down. From reading around various HR publications and forums here are some top tips:
Remember that your Christmas party is a work activity
As the employer, you are responsible for the safety and the actions of your staff at your Christmas party – just like with any other business activity. This applies whether you’re having a full-scale event or simply spending an evening at the local restaurant. A ‘works do’ is part of work life, and the same principles apply when it comes to looking after your staff.
Be careful what you promise
A couple of drinks and an informal chat with an employee at a party can easily lead to you promising things you didn’t really mean. It could be a new budget for a particular project or a hint at a promotion up the ladder. If these things do not materialize after the event you will have some disgruntled employees!
Make sure you take an ‘inclusive’ approach
As in everyday life, discrimination (whether intended or not) on the basis of sexual orientation, race, gender, disability, religion etc is a definite no-no. If you allow employees to bring partners to the annual party, you must include same-sex partners. If you use an outside venue, make sure the building – and the dance floor – is accessible to wheelchair users. If you hire entertainment, be sure that it will not cause offence to members of your staff. Its details like these that can save or sink your reputation as an employer.
Have an observer
Choose one of your managers to act as a discreet ‘nanny’. If they observe someone drinking in excess or beginning to harass other staff, the observer can have a quiet word and remind that person of their responsibility to the company and to their fellow employees. It’s far better to do that than have a raft of complaints from disgruntled employees when you get back to the office. And most staff will respect your intervention in this way, if not at the time but afterwards. Also, beware of the pitfalls of the free bar as an employer may be held responsible for drink-related disasters. For example, three employees from a well-known company, who were involved in an alcohol-induced fight, subsequently won their claim for unfair dismissal because the employer had provided the alcohol.
Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Emma Wynne and all the team at Gateway HR & Training Ltd
The material is not intended to provide, and does not constitute, legal or any other advice on any particular matter, and is provided for general information purposes only.
It’s finished – the video of our Birthday party and the launch of our lovely new branding is here and we love it. Please take a few moments to have a look and if you were there, see if you can spot yourself!
To celebrate our 4th year of business, we are holding an event to reveal our newly designed brand at Wicksteed park in Kettering. Meet the team and clients, guest speaker Jon Taylor from EMW Law and the team behind our new look; Create-a-Brand.
Pay Structure – Emma is working with a client to develop a fair, value-for-money pay structure that is also linked to career pathways and performance management. This includes developing job descriptions, job evaluation, communication to staff, and review of the structure’s success. Coaching – Emma has spent 6 months working with a senior healthcare sector employee facing increasing and changing role demands. A series of one-to-ones and coaching have helped alleviate stress and shown the employee how to use effective communication in making changes, whilst maintaining good team relationships and improving work/life balance.
Relocation and Redundancy – Lisa has been working with a relocating business, many of whose employees did not wish to relocate. This involves communication expertise, developing relocation packages, project management, redundancy consultation and ‘outplacement’ training for those being made redundant. Data Protection Training – Emma designed and delivered Data Protection Training to a client’s staff, to ensure awareness of their responsibilities and to get them thinking about areas for “tightening up” - so that they do not become one of the many featured companies in the press who get it wrong and lose important information.
Maria is studying at the University of Northampton for the Certificate in HRM. We are all really proud of Maria, who we know will do a great job and will in turn add more value to our clients.
In November 2011 Emma presented at the CIPD National Conference in Manchester in the Learning Zone with our friend Agnes Brown. Watch this space for a report on how it went!
At Gateway HR's core is the desire to make a difference. We do this not just with our clients but also in the community - whether locally of further afield. We are currently involved in:
In September 2011 Emma was appointed as a trustee on the board of the exciting new theatre in Corby – The Core. Emma will be offering her HR knowledge and experience, and also hopes to promote The Core in the business community.
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Plan UK is an international children's development agency working with children in 48 of the world's poorest countries. For every course you book with Gateway HR & Training limited we donate ?10 to Plan UK which goes towards training a teacher in Sierra Leone. In the past three and a half years Gateway is proud to have sponsored the training of three teachers. To find out more about Plan UK, visit www.plan-uk.org