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Yes! Your Board of Directors has yet again agreed to keepthe annual subscription at the same level as it has been forthe last 3 years in light not only of the current financialuncertainty in the market place but also to reward you foryour continuing membership and your support for thisimportant industry Association.
The SSA UK continues to explore ways of enhancing thevalue of your membership, with directors leading on some
of the possible initiatives. Better communication between the Association andits members and, as important, between and among members remains at thetop of the list. But, carefully read through each edition of Focus, as there arepotential “goodies” in each one. On Page 30 of this edition, the new legalHelpline from Penningtons is highlighted. A possible electronic archivingsolution to the ever-increasing amount of information which we are all requiredto retain, is outlined by Cybersilo on Page 12. In a separate supplement, thereis an advertisement from Accept Cards, whose solution to the increasingly moreexpensive processing of credit and debit cards is presently being introduced intoHead Office. Then on Page 21 of the last edition, Colin Ablett introducedHealth Matters Ltd., which offers advice on health insurance. Clearly it is up toyou to decide the value of each idea, but we hope some may be helpful to yourbusiness at some time.
2011 continues to be a difficult year for the UK economy and trading,particularly outside the London area and some of the South, is very challenging.However, as our 2011 survey report indicated, our industry is weathering therecession. Furthermore, self storage continues to be covered favourably in thenational Press. We would encourage you all to play your parts in this campaign,to achieve better and positive visibility of the industry throughout the country.Every article helps and please do not forget that Louis Hill of Source PR is happyto assist.
Let us hope we have seen an end to the horrific disturbances this month in manyof our cities. Fortunately, our industry has escaped the worst of the attacks, butit should have been a strong wake-up call for all companies, large and small,to make sure that security is tight, that surveillance and protective systems aremaintained and operational at all times, and everyone remains vigilant. To thatend, we hope that you are finding the Security Bulletins an effective means ofdisseminating current and background information to all our Members, andhelping us to “keep alert”. Regular assessments of all the risks to your businessand your facilities are very important to our combined effort to keep troubleaway from self storage.
Since the last edition one of the Directors, Doug Perrins, has decided to leavethe Board so that he can concentrate on his new business in Bahrain. We wishhim well and thank him for the support he gave us during his short time on theBoard.
Hard on the heels of the successful European Conference (which is coveredseparately in a special insert in this magazine), a new programme of events isbeing prepared which will include a number of regional events, starting inScotland on Thursday the 15th of September. The Annual General Meetingand half day Members’ meeting takes place on the 17th of November at theChesford Grange Hotel at Kenilworth, Warwickshire. We hope many of youwill come and join us on that occasion, which will include a networking mealin the evening.
Rodney WalkerCEO, SSA UK
No change for the fourth year running!contents
SSA UK News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Company News . . . . . . . . . 10 to 15
• AS&D – 20 years in business
• Gliderol gains ISO 9001
• Box Clever’s new facility
• Storage King acquisition
• Lok’nStore acquisition
• Big Yellow’s strong growth
• Big Yellow – UK’s greenest
Community News . . . . . . . 16 to 18
• Safestore challenge
• Big Yellow supports Team 2012
• Stor-Age’s charity project
• HomeStore celebrates
Business News . . . . . . . . . . 23 to 27
• Safestore survey
• Free ACAS Advisory booklet
• Cheque guarantee scheme
• Tip of the week
• The National Crime Agency
• Health and Safety report
focus on…Peter Doman . . . . . . . 28
Company Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
• Fox Self Storage opens in Newport
Training Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
• What makes a good boss?
Employment Feature . . . . . . . . . .37
• The Bribery Act 2010
To subscribe to the Focus and Self Storage Europe magazine, please contact:
Self Storage Association, Priestley House, The Gullet,Nantwich, Cheshire. CW5 5SZ
Tel: + 44 (0)1270 623 150Fax: + 44 (0)1270 623 471
e-mail: [email protected]
EditorialNews items and articles on all aspects of the self storageindustry are welcomed, and should be sent, together withphotographs if appropriate, to the editor, Stan McKerron:
e-mail: [email protected]
The SSA UK and FEDESSA, or any of itsagents/representatives/staff, cannot accept any legal
liability for the accuracy of the news items and articlescontained in the magazine, which have been obtained
and are reproduced in good faith.
AdvertisingPlease contact Stan McKerron:
48 Talbot Way, Stapeley, Nantwich, CW5 7RQ.Tel: + 44 (0)1270 624 622e-mail: [email protected]
7
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8
Self Storage Focus
8th September
Board Meeting
15th September
Scottish Regional Meeting
Skye Suite, Menzies Glasgow Hotel, 6 - 9 pm
Operators & suppliers welcome to attend
Sept/Oct
Midlands Regional Meeting
17 November
Board Meeting
17 November
AGM, Members’ Meeting & Networking Supper:
Chesford Grange, Kenilworth,
Nr. Warwick, Warwickshire – J15 M40
2011 DatesNew SSA UK Members
On behalf of the Directors and Members of the Self Storage
Association, we would like to extend a warm welcome to:
Associate Provisional Operator Members
• BWI Storage – London.
• The Self Storage Company Ltd. – Waltham Abbey.
If you would like to place an advertisement in the next edition of the Focus magazine, please request an
Advertising Pack by sending an e-mail to the editor, Stan McKerron, at: [email protected]
SSA UK NEWS
Focus Magazine Deadlines
The deadline for submitting Advertising Booking Forms,
news items and articles for the next edition of the Focus
magazine is Friday the 23rd of September, 2011.
Focus V3 2011_Layout 1 25/08/2011 15:33 Page 8
Active celebrates 20 years in business
Active Supply & Design (CDM) Ltd. recently hosted a party tocelebrate its 20th year in business. The black tie event wasattended by more than 100 guests, many of whom had beenclients of Active since the company’s formative years in the early1990s.Active’s CEO, Andrew Donaldson, presented the staff with a giftto commemorate the special occasion and thanked them all fortheir hard work and loyalty over the years. The company haswon many awards during its 20-year history, and is an avidsupporter of The Princes Trust, regularly participating in fundraising events for its selected charity. Guests from all over the country, many of whom have beeninvolved in the self storage industry since its early days,converged on the prestigious venue in the Cheshire countryside.Active Director, Scott Woodcock, said: “Everyone at Active wouldlike to thank all our clients for their continued support as we lookforward to another successful twenty years servicing the industry.”
Gliderol gains ISO 9001 quality assurance accreditation
Gliderol Self Storage Solutions is proud to announce that it hasbeen accredited with the internationally recognised QualityManagement System Standard, ISO 9001: 2008.Peter O’Loughlin, Gliderol’s MD, said: “We are very pleased toachieve the accreditation, which recognises our commitment toquality and continuous improvement. We are proud to join over500,000 organisations across the world that have establishedISO 9001 as their preferred quality assurance standard.” Peter went on to say: “Although Gliderol Garage Doors has heldthe Certification for over 15 years, we are particularly pleasedthat the audit result in May, 2011 demonstrated that GliderolSelf Storage Solutions is now fully accredited in its own right.This Certification highlights and confirms how we have alwaysworked. We are proud to say that we look after our clients in apersonal and efficient manner, by giving excellent customerservice and ensuring that our clients have complete confidence
that their orders will be manufactured and delivered on time,and to the expected standard.”
Gliderol Self Storage Solutions is a joint venture between JanusInternational and Gliderol UK. Janus is the leading USmanufacturer of roll-up doors and partitioning systems for thecommercial and self storage markets, and Gliderol is a marketleader in the manufacture of residential and industrial rollerdoors. The joint venture brings together two best-of-breedmanufacturers to provide customers with the very best quality ofproducts and services available to the self storage industry today;with a convenient UK location.In addition to producing superior door and hallway partitioningsystems, Gliderol Self Storage Solutions offers a full mezzaninefloor design and installation service, along with the required fireprotection. The company is happy to provide a full internallayout design service, full professional turnkey projectmanagement, or simply supply-only services. It is the customer’schoice.Sales Director, Graham Lomax, said: “As a supplier, designer,manufacturer and contractor for the global self storage industry,it is vital to showcase and qualify our services through thisefficient and trustworthy Certification process. We are a forwardthinking company and are very much looking forward to thefuture in this exciting industry, where there are manyopportunities for development and change. This Certificationgives us an acknowledged base to work and grow from,confirming that we are a high quality business within the selfstorage industry.”
Self Storage Focus
10
Directors and staff of Active Supply & Design on the evening of their 20th year celebrations
Peter O’Loughlin, MD Gliderol Self Storage Solutions
Do you have any Company News?If you have any news items about your company, such as awards won, new
appointments, retirements, results, new builds or openings, please e-mail them
to Stan McKerron at: [email protected]
COMPANY NEWS
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Volume 3, 2011
12
Advertorial
Box Clever opens new facility in Carlisle
Box Clever has opened a new facility on the Kingstown IndustrialEstate, Carlisle. The company, which began life at a unit inEmbleton, near Cockermouth, moved into a 36,000 sq. ft.warehouse on Millbrook Road.Box Clever’s area business manager, Duncan McKeown, said:“Our base near Cockermouth has been a massive success sincewe opened there in February last year. It has proved extremelypopular with customers throughout west Cumbria and the Lakes.We believe there is a market for us in Carlisle, serving individualsand businesses throughout the city and across north Cumbriaand south west Scotland.”The firm, which is owned by the Caterite catering group, hastaken on two new staff members to run its Carlisle operation.And, the branch got off to a flying start, welcoming its firstcustomer before it had even officially opened.Duncan added: “We took a call at our Cockermouth facilityfrom a woman in Carlisle who had a family crisis. Shedesperately needed somewhere to store about 15 boxes for afew months. Although we weren’t actually open, we were ableto accommodate her at our new Carlisle facility.”Box Clever’s Carlisle branch boasts three floors of storagespace, split into dozens of lock-up units of different sizes. Therooms range from the equivalent of a small garden shed up to200 sq. ft. The area also includes 12,000 sq. ft. of bulk storagefor commercial use, enough room for more than 2,000 pallets,as well as a garage forecourt for vehicles.There is also a meeting room with Internet access and individuallockers of just one cubic metre.Box Clever also sells fold-away storage boxes, along with bubblewrap and tape to secure goods.Among those who regularly use Box Clever to store goods aretraders, students, eBay dealers, repossession companies,shopkeepers, archivists and market traders, as well as domesticcustomers, who are moving home, renovating, splitting up orjust needing long or short-term overflow storage space.
Storage King acquires Safebox Self Storage’s Cambridge facility
Storage King Self Storage is pleased to announce the purchaseof Safebox Self Storage in Cambridge.This freehold property currently comprises 36,000 sq. ft. of netlettable space, which is at an occupancy level of 92%. Theintention is to build an additional 28,000 sq. ft. towards the endof this year, making a total of 64,000 sq. ft. of net lettable space.Storage King CEO, Robin Greenwood, said: “We are verypleased with the acquisition of Safebox Self Storage inCambridge. It is a well located and operated business, whichwill add tremendous value to our portfolio. This acquisitiondemonstrates our commitment to purchasing high quality,freehold, self storage assets, at all stages of maturity. The strongfinancial backing provided by Cabot Square Capital will allow
us to continue our strategy of expansion as an owner operatorbusiness.”
The Safebox group of companies, which operates Document &Data Management services and Self Storage facilities, alsospecialises in new start up and investment/asset creation, as wellas property portfolio management. Mark Holme, MD of the Safebox group of companies, said:“This acquisition by Storage King demonstrates that our strategyof developing quality investments, backed by freehold assets andstrong income streams is the key to the Self Storage Industry. Welook forward to bringing more quality operations to market overthe next few years.”Storage King now has 24 self storage facilities in the UK.
Lok’nStore acquires Saracen Datastore
Lok’nStore Group plc, a leading company in the UK self storagemarket, has acquired Saracen Datastore Ltd. for £4m using itsexisting revolving credit facility. Saracen’s MD, Leo Kane, whohas been with the business since 1995, retains a 9.4% stake inSaracen and will continue in his current role.Saracen, which was established in 1991 and is headquarteredin Leatherhead, has four sites across the South East of England,providing over 100,000 sq. ft. of off-site records storage anddocument archiving. For the year ended 31st of December,2010 Saracen achieved a turnover of £1.6m and an adjustedEBITDA of £0.4m.Lok’nStore’s CEO, Andrew Jacobs, said: “We have been lookingto broaden our offering to clients and the acquisition of Saracenis an excellent entry point to a wide market segmentcomplementing our existing self storage activities. Thisacquisition extends our existing self-serve archive service, whichwe provide to around 500 customers. The acquisition will addover 300 customers and the Directors believe that this willenhance our focus on increasing cash generation from thebusiness and value to shareholders.”Leo Kane, commented: “Saracen has created a strong base forfuture growth and joining the Lok’nStore Group will providefurther impetus to the business. I am excited about working withLok’nStore to achieve the full potential of this business.”
Storage King’s new facility in Cambridge
COMPANY NEWSTECHNOLOGY FEATURE Self Storage Focus
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Volume 3, 2011
Big Yellow delivers strong occupancy growth
Big Yellow, the UK’s leading self storage brand, reported strongresults for the year to 31st of March, 2011 driven by an increasein occupancy of 215,000 sq. ft. across its 62 facilities in theyear, representing growth of 3,468 sq. ft. per facility.Big Yellow’s revenue for the year increased by 7%, from £58.0mto £61.9m. The Group reported an adjusted pre-tax profit of£20.2m for the year, up 22% from £16.5m in 2010.
The Group opened two stores in its financial year, at HighWycombe and Camberley and opened a store in Eltham in April.Big Yellow has a further seven stores in its development pipeline,which will provide a further 0.5m sq. ft. of self storage spacewhen completed, taking the Group’s total capacity to 4.4m sq. ft. It has commenced construction activity on Stockport(opening September, 2011), New Cross (opening April, 2012)and Chiswick (opening May, 2012).
Executive Chairman, Nicholas Vetch, said: “I reported last yearthat the Group was enjoying a recovery in line with the slowlyimproving economic picture. This recovery has continued in thecurrent year.” He added: “It is of no surprise to us that therecovery in the UK economy is so muted, given the combinedeffects of the fiscal consolidation, the pressure on disposableincomes, and the constrained lending to businesses andindividuals. The next step change in the recovery of the wider
economy, and hence self storage, is unlikely to occur until someof these pressures are alleviated.”A final dividend of 5p has been proposed.
Big Yellow is one of the UK’s greenest companies
Big Yellow has achieved a position in The Sunday Times GreenList, which awards the top 60 UK companies who act in the mostenvironmentally responsible manner.The “Best Green Companies” list, now in its fourth year, hasbecome the standard against which companies can measuretheir environmental performance. Companies that appear inthe list must also demonstrate that their employees are engagedand committed to protecting the environment.Big Yellow is the only self storage company to appear in the list.The self storage company has always operated in a responsibleway by investing in green buildings and operations. Over one third of Big Yellow’s facilities have on-site renewabletechnology, such as solar panel roofs and it has increased itsrenewable energy generation by 11.5% in the past year alone.
Other “green” initiatives, such as motion sensor lighting, rainwater harvesting and green roof insulation also feature in someBig Yellow facilities. As a result, carbon emissions havedecreased in recent years.Most of the packing material Big Yellow sells is made from ahigh recycled content and both staff and customers areencouraged to recycle where possible.
Word PuzzleClue: “h i j k l m n o”
Answer: a five letter word (across)
The Big Yellow facility at Camberley
A typical solar panel roof
The Big Yellow facility at High Wycombe
NEWS
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COMMUNITY NEWS Self Storage Focus
16
“Dash to Donate” challenge yields£35,000 in stock
Staff and customers of Safestore, the UK’s largest self storagecompany, have donated more than 1,700 bags of quality items,valued at £35,000, for disability charity Scope to sell at itsnetwork of shops.
Safestore, which has chosen Scope as its charity of the year,urged its staff and customers across the country to “Dash toDonate” quality clothes, books, toys and household goods.Donors could pick up donation bags and drop off items at anyof Safestore’s 94 outlets or 250 Scope branches. Safestore’sEastbourne facility won the challenge to see which store couldfill the largest amount of storage space with donated stock, with150 bags collected.
Anita Lemon, Safestore’s Customer Services Manager,commented: “We are delighted that so many people supportedthe “Dash to Donate” challenge. Seeing the huge pile of bagswe were able to send to Scope shops highlights how much effortwas put into helping raise money for this important cause. Weare proud of our association with Scope and look forward tocontinuing working together in the future.”
Rachel Farrow, fundraiser for Scope, said: “I’d like to thank allof Safestore’s staff and customers for their generosity. Theamount of goods we received was unprecedented and will make
a huge difference to the lives of the thousands of disabledpeople and their families who we support.”
17
Volume 3, 2011
Do you have any Community News?If you have any news items about your company,
such as charity events, fund raising, sponsorship or
supporting the community, please e-mail them to
Stan McKerron at: [email protected]
L to R - Chris Young (Safestore); Michael Owen,Karen Dyas & Steve Hughes (Scope)
COMMUNITY NEWS
Big Yellow supports Team 2012
Big Yellow is supporting Team 2012, a programme designed toprovide UK athletes with the tools and support to reach their fullpotential, culminating in their journey to London 2012 in bothOlympic and Paralympic sports.The funding builds on what has already been raised from TheNational Lottery and the Government and will help deliver bettertraining facilities, coaching and equipment to our UK athletes. In June, staff from the Big Yellow and Armadillo stores inSheffield visited the English Institute of Sport in the city, to meetand watch some of our UK hopefuls in training. The staff members were extremely impressed with the venue andits state-of-the-art facilities. They also learnt how the Institute ishelping to build the awareness and participation of sports liketable tennis and boxing into local communities to help reducelocal crime.
Stor-Age Self Storage’s charity project
Stor-Age Self Storage and Round Table Cape Town 9 enteredinto an alliance for a charity project in South Africa. The alliance was formed to gather items that people no longeruse at home and distribute them to those who really need them.Essentially, Stor-Age encouraged people to drop off items at fourof its Stor-Age facilities. Round Table then found an appropriatecharity or area and distributed the items. While awaitingdistribution, the items were securely stored in one of the unitsthat Stor-Age provided for the duration of the project. Inaddition, Stor-Age distributed thousands of leaflets throughoutthe City of Cape Town and the surrounding areas to promote theproject, which was a massive success.
Over R40,000 (more than £3,500) worth of items was collectedbetween November, 2010 and January, 2011 with the RadissonBlu Hotel being the single biggest contributor of aroundR20,000 worth of bedding. Items were also distributed to thegreater Western Cape area by other Round Table clubs.The two major beneficiaries of Round Table Cape Town 9 wereDementia SA’s Zonnekus Old Age Home and Alnoor Children’s
Home. Various other communities benefited because otherRound Table clubs in the Western Cape also collected items. Itwas an amazing experience for members to be able to assistand it was obvious that the need for these items was great.There were some wonderful people involved in this project andRound Table Cape Town 9 would like to thank Stor-Age for itshelp, support and kindness. It is hoped that everyone involvedwill work together again on the next Stor-Age/Round Table CapeTown 9 RDP project later in 2011.
Stor-Age offers total solutions, which are instantly accessible,convenient, flexible, and hassle free, for household, student andbusiness self storage customers. Its purpose-built, public selfstorage facilities are equipped with clean, secure self storageunits, available in all shapes and sizes, enabling customers tostore as little or as much as they require.
Michael Swanepoel (Round Table) and ChrisOosthuizen (Stor-Age and Round Table)
Some of the people involved in the project
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COMMUNITY NEWS Self Storage Focus
HomeStore has a lot to celebrate
It’s been a busy year for HomeStore’s Suffolk facilities. Inaddition to its Valentine’s success in the national Best of Awards,mentioned in the last edition of Focus, HomeStore has beenactive on the charity front.
Focus readers will know that the two HomeStore facilities in BurySt Edmunds and Ipswich, are committed supporters of localcharities.
HomeStore was pleased to sponsor a second race night at theNewmarket race course in May, 2011 in support of its chosencharity, the St Nicholas Hospice Care, Bury St Edmunds.
It was even more delighted with the total amount raised for thisadmirable organisation, which provides so much support andcomfort to terminally ill patients, and their relatives.
The event raised an impressive £30,383 and all present weredelighted when jockey, Lucy Barry, won her first ever race as anapprentice, on the horse nominated “best turned out” on thenight.
That’s not all! A few years ago, the Ipswich self storage facilitycame to the rescue of the Suffolk Academy of Dance andPerforming Arts, when it was given very short notice that itsarrangements for storing more than 15 years’ worth of lovinglymade props and costumes was to end. They are still withHomeStore and in June they put on a special show at the Ipswich
Regent Theatre to raise funds for another worthwhile charity,Camille’s Appeal.
In June, 2009 a little Ipswich girl, Camille, was diagnosed witha brain tumour. Her parents set up Camille’s Appeal to helpchildren under the age of five who are suffering from a braintumour. Its main focus is to find ways to ensure that the long-term, negative effects of treatment are minimised, to allow thechildren to lead a normal life.
L to R - Mark Halls (Fine and Country estate agents), Bill Flynn (Finance Director, HomeStore), Lucy Barry (winning jockey),
Martin Tuck (MD, HomeStore), John Taylor (HomeStore manager)
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Volume 3, 2011
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BUSINESS NEWS
78% of people in the UK believe that renovating or improving a property is abetter bet than moving in the current market, according to the second biannual“Safestore Moving and Improving Index”. The implication is that people wouldrather invest in their home now, so they can reap the financial rewards whenthey sell in the future. The second Safestore Moving and Improving Index, which was conducted byYouGov for Safestore, the UK’s leading self storage company, has shown thatspring signalled a 3% upswing in people’s inclination to move house, as the firstindex, conducted in November, 2010 showed 81% of people favouredimproving over moving. This demonstrates the “spring effect” on the housemoving market.The index demonstrates that people are still cautious about the property market.58% described themselves as having mixed feelings about the stability of thehousing market. Also, 58% of respondents hadn’t changed how optimistic orpessimistic they felt about the market in six months. Nevertheless, 14% said theyfelt more optimistic about the housing market than they did at the time of the lastMoving and Improving Index in November, 2010. However, the index found that more home owners planned to move in the nextsix months; in November, 2010 5% said they intended to move in the next sixmonths, but that percentage had risen to 6% by May, 2011. This is still inmarked contrast to the numbers who planned to conduct renovations or DIY toimprove their properties, with 51% of home owner respondents saying theyplanned to invest in improving their properties over the next six months. The financial plight of wannabe first time buyers is still evident; in November,2010 69% of 25 to 34 year olds were unable to buy a house due to the lack ofan adequate deposit. In May, 2011 the percentage of 25 to 34 year olds whowanted to buy a house and couldn’t due to lack of a deposit had fallen slightlyto 67%, which may indicate that people are becoming more focused on savingfor a deposit and that banks are starting to lend again (in accordance with theCouncil of Mortgage Lenders latest forecast).
Safestore Moving and Improving Index - Key Statistics:• 36% of respondents thought that the most stressful aspect of moving house
was being in a chain and the thought of it collapsing. This was followed bythe actual move itself (packing and unpacking) at 14% and moving costs at11%.
• 80% of those questioned had no plans to move in the next six months. • 38% of respondents bought their home with a mortgage and 29% of
respondents owned their homes outright.• Lack of a deposit came out as the biggest factor preventing non home owners
from buying a property, with 37% stating this as a reason. This was followedby 28% saying they were unable to get a mortgage.
• Nearly half of respondents (46%) thought that selling and moving into otheraccommodation (e.g. rented or with friends and family) before they boughttheir next house, to avoid being in a chain scenario, was a good idea.
• 90% of people would de-clutter their homes of unwanted items before theymoved.
Peter Gowers, Safestore’s CEO, said: “This research shows that people still feelreticent about selling and prefer to improve their current property. Homeownersseem to be thinking strategically; investing in their home now could reap rewardswhen they sold in the future. Self storage is continuing to act as a bellwether fortrends in the property market, as Safestore is witnessing more customers puttingtheir possessions into storage while they make home improvements.”
78% say improve before moving
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The 24 bank and building society members of the UK Domestic ChequeGuarantee Card Scheme closed the scheme on the 30th of June, 2011. It is nowno longer possible to guarantee a cheque under the scheme. The decision toclose the scheme was taken by the Payments Council in June this year, asguaranteed cheque use is in terminal decline.
The Payments Council concluded that it was in all parties’ interests to manage thescheme’s demise in a co-ordinated fashion, following extensive consultation withguaranteed cheque users and acceptors. This announcement does not mean theend of cheques, as businesses will continue to be able to accept them andcustomers will still be able to write them.
During the next two years, those banks and building societies that provided chequeguarantee services will ensure that businesses who still accept cheques, andcustomers who still write them, are made aware that the scheme has ended andare given information about the available alternatives.
Cheque guarantee scheme
The People Factor - engage your employees for business success.
Good employment relations are about understanding what motivates andengages employees, and what part you play in making the employee-employerinteraction positive and productive.
Employee engagement describes the positive attitude or behaviour of someoneat work. ACAS believes that engagement is likely to be higher if you focus onthe four main drivers of employee engagement, identified by the MacleodReview in 2009, as follows:
• leadership which transmits vision and values how the individual contributes
• giving employees a voice to express their views and concerns
• line managers who empower rather than control their staff
• behaviour which is consistent with stated values leading to trust and integrity.
This booklet is illustrated throughout with real case studies of companies thathave managed to improve their performance by effective leadership and activeemployee involvement.
The booklet also shows you how you can get the most out of your staff, evenin difficult economic times.
For a free booklet, visit: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461and type “Advisory booklet - The People Factor” into the search box.
Free ACAS Advisory booklet
Volume 3, 2011BUSINESS NEWS
Promoting employment relations and HR excellence
Focus V3 2011_Layout 1 25/08/2011 15:33 Page 24
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Volume 3, 2011 BUSINESS NEWS
Tip of the week from the Real EstateAsset Management Group
When have you done enough to satisfy an “all reasonableendeavours” obligation? The High Court has recently examinedthis issue and once again the news is not good.
The Judge held that when compliance was in the control of theparty who was supposed to be using all reasonable endeavoursto comply, the phrase extended to that party doing somethingthat was not in its commercial interests. In this case it meantthat an airport had to be kept open for an operator outside itsnormal operating hours, even though it was losing money bydoing so.
So beware; when you are agreeing to use “all reasonableendeavours”, do you really mean this? A reasonableendeavours obligation should do the job just as well and protectyou from having to act against your own commercial interests.
The National Crime Agency
On the 8th of June, 2011 Theresa May, the Home Secretary,announced the creation of the National Crime Agency (NCA).The NCA plan, which sets the vision, scope and functionality ofthe new agency, can be viewed on the Home Office website at:www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/nca-creation-plan
The NCA will be the centrepiece of the reformed policinglandscape, representing a step change in the government’sfocus on serious and organised crime. It will tackle organisedcrime, defend our borders, fight fraud and cyber-crime, andprotect children and young people. The NCA will also have strong links to local forces and Policeand Crime Commissioners, and to law enforcement agencies,such as the UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs andthe Serious Fraud Office. The plan is the first step in thetransition programme.
Health and Safety report released
The government has unveiled a report into Health and Safetylaw, the compensation culture, common sense and safety.After consulting with industry, the report was produced by LordYoung, former trade and industry secretary, and now EnterpriseTsar. The document makes 36 recommendations, including asemi-compulsory system for safety consultants and simplified riskassessment forms for shops and offices.
It also proposes reforms including curbs on no-win, no-feepersonal injury advertising, and consolidation of health andsafety regulations into one document.Lord Young said the report’s recommendations would: “Freebusinesses from unnecessary bureaucratic burdens and the fearof having to pay out unjustified damages claims and legal fees.”He added: “I hope when people read the report it will be clearthat what we are really doing is stripping away the mystique thatapplies to health and safety.”Commentators say that central to the report is the belief that riskassessment and control has been over-zealously applied to safer,low hazard workplaces which do not have the same risks asconstruction sites or factories.To combat this, simpler on-line forms, including checklists ontopics such as slips and trips, and fire safety, would be suppliedfor low risk workplaces.Another key recommendation is membership of anOccupational Safety Consultants Register for safety consultants.The report says such consultants would only be able to trade ifthey have evidence of competence, which would include relevantqualifications and professional experience.The reporting of accidents at work is also to be overhauled, afterthe Health and Safety Executive reported that many accidentsfalling under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and DangerousOccurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) are never reported. LordYoung recommends a review of the regulations.Finally, the compensation culture is to be tackled with the reviewsuggesting claims management companies and personal injurylawyers should be restricted in the way they advertise theirservices.
So beware; when you are agreeing to use “all reasonable endeavours”,
do you really mean this?
A reasonable endeavours obligation should do the job just as well…
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Self Storage Focus
Peter DomanPeter Doman joined Basil Fry & Company in 2007 as an AccountExecutive, after a long career working as a multi-site OperationsManager and Corporate Training Consultant for McDonald’sRestaurants Limited. Peter joined Basil Fry after an approachfrom Greg and Philip Wildman, Directors at Basil Fry who were inthe process of completing a management buy out of theCompany and wanted to strengthen their team of AccountExecutives.Since then, Peter’s client base in the Removal and Self Storageindustries has grown significantly, through the consultative andpersonal approach he takes with each client. His experience intraining all levels of hierarchy within a large multi-nationalcompany, and the responsibilities associated with running agroup of stores across three counties, has undoubtedly helpedhim provide useful business advice to new start–up and existingcompanies.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing
the self storage industry today?
As there is still plenty of room for expansion within theindustry in the UK, the challenge is not primarily aboutgaining market share (although as competition increasesit is becoming increasingly so); instead it is aboutarranging funding or securing investors. Most investorscan see that with the right location a Self StorageOperation can prove a strong business model. However,for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, funding stillrepresents one of the biggest challenges.
What advice would you give to someone looking
to open their first facility?
The right location is paramount. You must take intoaccount visibility, signage opportunities, access, localcompetition and the density of domestic and commercialproperties locally. Look for large retail areas where theyrely on a high footfall. Dare I say it, look for a large drive-through, fast-food outlet; they will already have completedthe research!
What is your greatest achievement in business?
As an Operations Manager at McDonald’s, I was given thetask of opening two new sites in Southampton, West Quayshopping centre and Millbrook drive-through within fourweeks of each other. Apart from the usual openingconstruction issues, we needed to hire 170 staff for theseflagship restaurants at a time when 150 other retailers alsoneeded staff (and, all opening on the same day!) Thiswas a tough challenge, but come opening day in WestQuay we were fully staffed and sales exceededexpectations.In my present role as an Account Executive, personal
achievements are harder to measure. However, it hasbeen really rewarding seeing start-up companies that Ihave helped from the off-set grow over a number of years.It is great to know that sound insurance advice,introductions to other industry professionals and theirsharing of best practice can really help new businesses.
What do you believe is the secret to running a
successful business?
1. You need a “must have” product (or service) or be seento be adding more value to your customer than yourcompetitor.
2. You need a motivated, informed and trustworthy teamof individuals.
3. You need robust systems.
4. You must have the right attitude!
Do you feel optimistic about the future and why?
Yes. Being optimistic in both business and family life isessential to managing your stress levels! Top tip: whenyou’ve just finished one holiday, make sure you’ve gotanother one booked. It helps keep you positive on thatfirst day back at work!
What is your greatest achievement in your
personal life?
The birth of my gorgeous daughter, Scarlett, five yearsago.
What is your biggest regret?
Not taking a year off after “A” levels to go travellingoverseas, which resulted in a year of enjoyingBournemouth University for all the wrong reasons and notconcentrating on my studies!
What is your greatest luxury?
My daily Starbucks latte!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My weekends are split between spending time with mywife and daughter, visits to the gym (I have no excuse;there is a fence between our boundary and my localEsporta and I am running the Great South Run in October)and my new allotment (I must be getting old!) This keepsme busy, but the fruits of my labours are beginning toshow and so much better than the supermarket.
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PERSONAL PROFILE
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One of the UK’s leading removal and storage companies hasexpanded into Newport, with the opening of a new warehousecomplex close to the city centre.
The new facility, on Leeway Industrial Estate, was opened by theMayor of Newport, Councillor Bill Langsford, at a specialreception for customers, staff and friends of the business.
The 17,000 sq. ft. warehouse, which is spread over three floorsand serviced by a lift, offers a one stop shop for all customers’moving and storage needs. The facility is divided into space fortraditional container storage for the removals side of thebusiness, and 120 self storage units ranging in size from15 sq. ft. to 200 sq. ft.
Active Supply & Design assisted Managing Director, Paul Fox,with all elements of the internal fit-out, from original conceptthrough to completion. Active’s remit included the mezzaninefloor, self storage units, security and a full electrical package.Active ensured the work was delivered to perfection and on time,ready for the official opening by the Mayor.
Paul Fox said: “Our family has strong personal and businesslinks with Newport and has been looking for a suitable site in thecity for some time. We are delighted to be able to offer ourservices to local residents and businesses.
We secured the freehold site in August last year and haveinvested approximately £1million rebuilding the facility. Thebuilding was stripped back to its steel frame and rebuilt to thehighest modern standards, adding two metres to its height.”
The Mayor, Bill Langsford, added: “This opening is theculmination of years of hard work by Fox and the team atNewport County Council to bring the company into the city. Weare thrilled that Fox has chosen to open its new facility on LeewayIndustrial Estate and wish Fox every success with its new venture.
We believe that it is an exciting time for the area as a whole,with similar improvements being made by other tenants on theLeeway Estate contributing to its regeneration, which is in
keeping with the huge housing and infrastructure projects beingcompleted in this area of the city.”
Part of the family firm, which this year celebrates its 40thanniversary, the Fox Self Storage division was formed in 1995 inresponse to customer demand for secure, easy-access lock upunits. Fox now has self storage facilities in Cwmbran, Cardiffand Newport; offering unrivalled customer convenience in SouthEast Wales.
Paul continued: “Self storage was a natural evolution for us.Since opening our first facility in Cardiff we have seen a steadylevel of growth. Customers want to deal with a company that isan expert in its field and feel comfortable with a long establishedlocal business. After a considerable effort to refocus thebusiness, we have made a huge investment over the last tenyears to develop our self storage facilities to their current highstandard.
We are optimistic that our latest venture will be well receivedand hope to expand further in the near future.”
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Volume 3, 2011
Fox Self Storage opens in Newport
Advertorial
An outside view of the new Fox Self Storagefacility, on the Leeway Industrial Estate
L to R - Paul Fox, Stephen Denning (Director, Fox), Dan Fox, Councillor Bill Langsford (Mayor of Newport) and Roy Fox
In the photograph below, the Mayor of Newport celebrates the opening of the new Fox facility.
L to R - Roy Fox, Paul Fox and Dan Fox
In the photograph below, three generations of the Fox family celebratethe opening of the Newport facility.
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COMPANY FEATURE
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A recent workplace survey of employees in different businessesrevealed the top five most appreciated qualities in a good boss.So, what makes a good boss?
Approachability
Most employees (83%) consider approachability to be the mostimportant quality in a boss. Being even-tempered, not irascibleor unpredictable, are highly valued qualities. Such qualities area gift for some, but skills can be learned to make you moreapproachable to others. These include:
• creative listening - providing people with your full attentionwhile speaking to them.
• stress management - the physical effects of stress on thebody mastered with breathing and other relaxationtechniques.
If you suffer with stress symptoms, consider getting help. Suchproblems can be the result of inadequate training in the self-management aspects of effective leadership.
Good communications
The best bosses put time and effort into communicating withtheir staff and getting them involved in all parts of the business– 82% of employees valued this quality. Strategies such as:
• encouraging staff to think about the business as a whole.
• setting time aside for idea generation with staff.
• listening and genuinely consulting – remembering who saidwhat and registering the details.
• feeding back to staff that you have reflected on what theysaid and giving credit where it is due.
Being supportive
Each person has emotional needs, and 81% of employeesbelieve that being supportive is the most important quality in agood boss. Are you providing adequate praise? Can youdeliver criticism in a balanced way that will not trigger anegative response? Many bosses do not devote enough timeto this aspect of people management. A professional andstructured approach to appraisals is the best place to start.
Being a good leader
It’s surprising that this quality should be fourth (80%) on the listof what employees value in a boss, but this serves to emphasisethe importance of the three emotional intelligence factorsmentioned previously. The National Occupational Standardsfor Management and Leadership are measured by the followingcompetencies:
• managing self and personal skills
• providing direction
• facilitating change
• working with people
• using resources
• achieving results.
Respect
A result of the trend towards less hierarchical managementstructures is that individuals expect their views to be respected,and 76% put respect as a top quality in a boss. Businesses witha more collaborative culture have been proven to stimulatemore innovation as well as build greater engagement with staff.
Try to instil an approach where the views of employees arevalued. For example, remember that it’s not just your marketingor PR department that defines how your business is perceived,it’s people at the sharp end like customer service teams,receptionists and sales staff that interact with customers.
Make sure these people’s ideas are listened to and give themthe opportunity to share their important intelligence withmanagement and marketing teams. There shouldn’t be a gapbetween what the people in your business say and what theydo.
Support
It seems there is much scope for improvement in leadership inbusinesses. Under a third (31%) of employees surveyeddescribed their boss as a good leader and about one in four(28%) as a good communicator. Almost nine out of ten (88%)said their boss was not inspiring. Inspiring others in yourorganisation can be done when you can articulate a strongvision.
What makes a good boss?
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Volume 3, 2011
Bra
TRAINING FEATURE
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The Bribery Act 2010 (the Act) came into force on the 1st ofJuly, 2011 replacing the more limited and much criticisedexisting laws on bribery. The Act means that UK businesseshave to take anti-corruption measures seriously, as there is anew corporate offence which places an obligation oncommercial organisations to ensure that they have adequateand appropriate anti-bribery policies and procedures in place.The Ministry of Justice has published guidance on the Act, whichincludes advice in relation to the procedures that organisationscan put in place to prevent them breaching the Act. What is bribery?Bribery is defined generally in the guidance as “giving someonea financial or other advantage to encourage that person toperform their functions or activities improperly or to reward thatperson for having already done so”. This description is broadand will apply not only to cash inducements but also hospitalityand entertainment, gifts, sponsorship and political or charitabledonations.What are the penalties for breaching the Act?The consequences of a breach of the Act are severe.Individuals can face up to ten years in prison and an unlimitedfine if they are found guilty of committing bribery. Commercialorganisations can also face an unlimited fine if they are foundto have failed to prevent a bribe taking place.What are the offences?There are four offences under the Act:1. Bribing another person.
2. Being bribed.
3. Bribing a foreign public official.
4. Failure of a commercial organisation to prevent bribery.
These offences have extra-territorial effect, so in relation to thefirst three offences the UK Courts will have jurisdiction toprosecute under the Act if the offence is committed outside theUK, but the person committing them has a close connectionwith the UK; for example, as a British national or someoneordinarily resident in the UK or a company incorporated in theUK. Failure of a commercial organisation to prevent bribery A commercial organisation could be liable for the offence offailing to prevent bribery under the Act, if the organisation or aperson associated with the organisation (such as an employeeor agent) bribes another person intending to obtain or retainbusiness or intending to obtain or retain a business advantagefor that organisation. Again, this offence has extra-territorialapplication and, therefore, will apply to an organisation whichhas a business presence in the UK irrespective of where thebribe is paid or whether the procedures are controlled from theUK. However, there is a full defence to this offence if an organisationcan prove that it had adequate procedures in place to preventbribery. Whether or not the procedures are “adequate” willdepend on the risk of bribery in that organisation and the sizeand complexity of the business.
The PrinciplesThe guidance sets out six principles that organisations shouldlook at in order to decide whether they need to make anychanges to their current procedures or put new procedures inplace: 1. Proportionality: the procedures adopted by a commercial
organisation should be proportionate to the risk of briberyfaced by that organisation and to the nature, scale andcomplexity of its activities. They should be clear and easilyaccessible.
2. Top level commitment: there is an emphasis on the top-levelmanagement of a commercial organisation demonstratingtheir commitment to preventing bribery and ensuring thatthis translates into a culture within the organisation in whichbribery is held to be unacceptable.
3. Risk assessment: a commercial organisation needs toregularly assess and be aware of the nature and extent of itsexposure to bribery, both internally and externally.
4. Due diligence: an organisation should undertakereasonable due diligence in order to know and understandwith whom they are doing business.
5. Communication: an organisation needs to make sure thatits anti-bribery policies and procedures are embedded andunderstood within its workforce, which can be done throughinternal and external communication and specificallytraining.
6. Monitoring and review: any policies and proceduresdesigned to prevent bribery should be monitored andreviewed.
All UK businesses need to undertake a review of their policiesand procedures and carry out an assessment of the risk to theirorganisation to see what action if any they need to take.If you have any questions in relation to this or any other matter,please do not hesitate to contact Philippa Robbins or a memberof the Rooks Rider Employment Group.
The Bribery Act 2010
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us EMPLOYMENT FEATUREVolume 3, 2011
The content of this article is provided for general information purposesonly and does not constitute legal advice. It is not a substitute forobtaining legal advice on a specific query and is not intended as such.While every reasonable effort is taken to ensure it is up to date, noresponsibility is accepted by the author or Rooks Rider for anyconsequence of relying on it.
Philippa Robbins
Philippa Robbins, an employmentlaw specialist with SSA Supplier
Member Rooks Rider Solicitors LLPwrites about the Bribery Act 2010
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