Getting to the Heart of Human Resources

Human Resources 2012

contact your regional Hr adviser on 0845 250 7050

Getting to the Heart of Human Resources

2 inprintxtra | March/April 2012 | www.britishprint.com

inprintxtra | strategy

Leading HR

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Insights, strategy

and solutions

Performance and reward

Employeeengagement

Employeerelations

Service delivery and information

Organisation design

Organisation development

Resourcingand talentplanning

Learning and talent development

The HR Profession Map

Eight behaviours Ten professional areas Four bands of professional competence

Leading HR

© CIPD 2012

Businesses have probably never been under more

pressure than they are at the moment. Living through uncertain economic and financial times, organisations have downsized, and delayered, they have seen changing market demands, faced the impact of changing technology and new legislation, and a myriad of increasing materials and utility costs.

their suppliers for a degree of innovation - a demonstration that products and services represent value supported by data that gives them additional control. At an individual level they are often looking for empathy, personal understanding and rapport, and a commitment from you to help them achieve their own personal objectives.

It is important to look honestly at your organisation and consider how fit it is to deliver the expectations your customers are likely to have not only today but tomorrow.

The HR Profession Map (left) developed by the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development (CIPD) can be a useful guide here. Think of it, if you like, as a people power wheel - something that provides a structured way of looking at your organisation. It’s clearly designed for HR managers, and while the terms may seem a little like business school speak, it is still worth a look.

The circle split into eight around the side represents the eight behaviours anyone managing a team should have at their disposal. The four straight bands in the background are the four levels of input from administration through to strategic that anyone managing a team needs to operate to deliver effective people management. The segments in the middle are the areas you need to focus on to bring about change in your organisation. If we strip the terminology here back to basics we get a good starting point to overhaul your people plans.

Let’s look at some of the terms used in the model - moving in a clockwise direction around the wheel from the top.

Organisation designYou can establish the big picture relatively easily by looking at your organisation structure as a whole, drawing it out and thinking

THere’s always Time for sTraTeGyeven in the harshest economic climates, says Chief Executive of the BPIF Kathy Woodward, you need time to sit back and look at where your business is going

With the permission of the publisher, the chartered institute of Personnel and development, london (www.cipd.co.uk)

As it is often a challenge to keep up with day-to-day pressures in such circumstances, time for strategic thinking seems like a luxury.

But finding time to look strategically at your organisation is argued by many as the underpinner to your business success. You neglect it at your peril.

A good starting point is to ask if you have a vision of what you

would like your organisation to look like in the coming years. What are its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and how are you likely to be impacted by changes in your operating environment? What kind of values and behaviours will your organisation have to embrace to maximise market opportunities?

At an organisational level, most customers are looking to

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Statutesn Access to Medical Reports Act 1988n Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009n Bribery Act 2010n Companies Act 2006 n Data Protection Act 1998n Equal Pay Act 1970 n Equality Act 2010n Employment Rights Act 2006n Human Rights Act 1998n Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006n National Minimum Wage Act 1998n Pensions Act 2004n Pensions Act 2008n Pensions Act 2011n Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998n Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974n Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992

Regulationsn Agency Workers Regulations 2010n Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002n Flexible Working Regulations 2002n Information and Consultation of Employees 2004n Maternity, Parental, Adoption and Paternity Leave Regulationsn Maternity, Parental, Adoption and Paternity Pay Regulationsn Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000n Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982n Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (commonly known as TUPE)n Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 1999n Working Time Regulations 1998

legislation impacting on you:through what currently works and what could be improved, and how these demands could be different in the future.

Organisation developmentOnce you have identified some areas for change, it helps to think through what you might need to do to make your organisation more effective. This could include a mixture of any of the remaining sections of the wheel.

Resourcing and talent planningHave we got the right people and skills in the business? Are we using the skills that we have got fully? What do we need to do to answer yes to both questions?

Learning and talent developmentHow do we train and develop our employees to achieve the best results for both our organisation and our employees?

Performance and rewardDoes every employee in our business know how their role fits into the big picture and what they have to do to impact their own and the business’s success? Do we reward our employees in ways that the business can afford and that they individually value? How effectively do we tackle performance issues?

Employee engagementHow do we make sure that everybody in the organisation understands and wants to contribute to developing the business?

Employee relationsHow well do we manage communication and consultation?

Service delivery and informationDoes the right information get to the right people in the right way to manage what we need to manage?

Having set off on the road to overhauling your organisation, the next stage is to write a plan. You can then identify what you need to do, who is going to do it, and what resources you might need to make sure it works. Last but not least, you can decide when and how you are going to review the plan to see if you are doing what you said you were going to.

In the end, human resource planning can be as simple or as sophisticated as you want to make it. But it should always be high on your agenda.

And if you are stuck on what to do now, let this guide be your leader. Over the next few pages, we will take you through all the major elements involved in ensuring your organisation is in tip-top form. We’ll first look at restructuring in detail, taking as examples two companies who have been through the process themselves. We’ll show you how you can avoid making recruitment a headache, and how to steer on the right side of the new laws about retirement.

We’ll look at learning and talent development and performance management – what it means and how you can improve it. And we’ll suggest ways you can improve your employees’ engagement in what the company is trying to achieve. Throughout we’ll let you know the key policies to take into account.

If you feel you’ve mastered it already, you might be interested in the final article about the BPIF HR Seal of Excellence. Even if you have some way to go, you can use the thought of getting the seal as something to inspire you. And don’t forget, we at the BPIF are always here to help you on your way, whether it be help shaping your administration, advising on individual operational issues, developing your policies, or providing strategic support.

➔ If you need some more help, your BPIF HR Advisers are there to give you support.


inprintxtra | organisation design and development

The current economic malaise, changing customer needs

and the introduction of new technology are all prompting many companies in our industry to reorganise, streamline management, increase efficiency and reduce costs.

But it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Many of our members struggle to implement major internal changes, for a variety of reasons.

Managing a restructuring programme, whatever size your business, can be a daunting task. But it can also be an extremely uplifting and motivating experience that in the end provides you with a clarity of vision and your employees with a feeling that they are contributing to the bottom line.

Reevaluating the effectiveness of frontline employees and managers is fundamental if you want to make sure you have the

right people in the right place at the right time - and at the right cost. Restructuring should ensure you maintain your market position without compromising your customers’ expectations.

Before you start restructuring, you need a vision that will focus frontline managers on where the business needs to be. You need managers’ and employees’ input into this to ensure they remain engaged – if they are not, this could seriously affect your ability to communicate with staff and your company’s performance post-restructure. Simple and regular updates outlining where the company is now and where it needs to be will keep everyone involved and aware of commercial reality.

It is also highly likely that as part of any restructure you will need to re-evaluate job roles and descriptions. That may not be your favourite occupation, but

you need to look at them and consider if, as they stand, they are going to provide the focus to deliver the strategy. If they don’t and you leave them as they are, it can lead to confusion. When you are reviewing job roles and descriptions make sure the business plan, team and individual objectives and detailed performance indicators all dove tail.

Finally, an ongoing training plan will ensure any gaps in skills, knowledge or behaviours are addressed. You also need to look at managing performance including target setting, appraisal systems and coaching.

Your HR Adviser can support you with such an exercise to ensure you do not fall foul of any employment legislation, particularly the Equality Act 2010.

➔ Please contact your local HR Adviser on 0845 250 7050.

No Time LikE nOw To REStRuctuREcurrent circumstances are forcing many companies to restructure. Before we look at two who have been through the process, we spell out what you need to consider

Key policies:n Dignity at Work Policyn Equality and Diversity Policyn Flexible Working Policyn Performance Review Policyn Recruitment and Selection Policyn Redundancy Policyn Stress at Work Policyn Sickness Absence Policyn Grievance Policyn Working Time Policyn Training Policy


Three years ago, Philip Dodd, Managing Director of Ipswich-based printing company Healeys, recognised that, while the business was doing fine, to remain competitive something needed to change to develop his company.

Following a SWOT analysis of his business and subsequent discussion with his team, Philip concluded the management structure was the main issue. “I told everybody what to do,” he says, “and everybody was over 40 people”.

He admits that such a flat style of management was “fun” at times, but it could be chaotic.

He recognised his team lacked the accountability and autonomy that they needed to develop themselves and the business. “My management style was too directive, it was getting in the way of our progress.” he says.

Dodd believed it would particularly get in the way when he began to take forward the plans he had to build the company up to over £5m turnover. Which included investing in a new 5 colour press.

So to bring about change, Philip has since recruited three new managers: customer services manager Gill Robinson, production

manager Gary Aylmer and digital services manager Neil Oxborrow. All report directly to him.

Dodd knew that appointing these three would free up more time for him to work on business development. But he also knew from witnessing change in other companies that it was important to ensure good cultural fit. “I knew the one thing you have to get right in order to get the business right is the culture,” he says. “The sales side will come in time with an engaged and focused team.”

As a result he has made sure both new recruits and existing employees are involved in developing the company’s values including a commitment to honesty and integrity. These are not just words pinned up on a notice board – he took his management team offsite, spent time talking through his business plan and invested in training and development interventions to support their understanding of the tasks ahead. Via his management team, he then ensured each employee was updated accordingly.

Dodd remains very conscious the whole team should be regularly kept abreast of any changes whether that is regarding working practices or future business initiatives.

To support business development, the company is simultaneously going through a Vision in Print programme, and he is already convinced that the KPIs and balanced score card style of management that is being introduced into the company for the first time will help considerably. “People like to be able to check progress and understand how the business is achieving operationally and financially,” he says.

Two press operators who will be working the new press when it arrives will visit the factory to try it out for themselves. “This is their trip, and they can decide how to manage it,” he says.

Looking back, he says, the changes have been worth it. “If we had carried on in the direction we were going and waited for the good old days to come back, we would not have made as much progress.” he says. “But now we are really moving forward.” The joint company vision of where they want the business to be in the future is certainly within reach and with the business focus, tenacity and people strategy in place it will not only become more achievable but a more enjoyable and engaging experience for all.

The importance of structure

The Newcastle-based UK branch of a Swedish printing multinational has made a concerted effort to embrace digital production more forcefully. Elanders has a plan to be turning over £20 million on a profit of between 8 and 10 per cent within five years.

Elanders is a global player with operations in 10 countries on four continents. As an international printing group it has a broad spectrum of services in offset, digital and special print. It often acts as a problem solver for customers who need to communicate on one or several markets simultaneously.

Creating such a strong service platform has not only been about investing in equipment and systems. Its foundations have been about developing a comprehensive organisational development strategy. Kevin Rogers, UK MD, outlined the journey that the company has taken. ‘’We knew that we had to accelerate

our transition into the digital world; a skills analysis identified those areas where we had gaps in our knowledge and expertise base. We embarked on a combined strategy of both external recruitment and current employee development and we committed to a leadership development program for all managers’’ he says. ‘’ There was training in the areas of lean manufacturing, new technology and workflow.”

Having employed its first full-time HR manager, the company also set about making sure both management and staff were regularly appraised and rewarded. Management meetings are conducted each month to drive the strategy, annual and interim appraisals as well as skills matrices and personal development programmes for every employee. The company also achieved Investors in People certification to maintain

this progress.The hardest challenge has been getting all

staff on board. “We have a lot of long serving employees that have worked in the traditional print industry and this can prove a challenge to persuade them that there is a need for change,” says Rogers.

To help overcome this problem the company communicates through monthly team briefs and has established work groups who have a direct input in establishing the strategy. It also carries out regular employee engagement surveys.

“Change is always a challenge but on the whole they have embraced the changes well because we communicated this effectively,” says Rogers. He now feels much more confident that “we are working on a plan to make our company secure for everyone in it, for the long term”.

embracing change


inprintxtra | learning and talent development

The CIPD says: ‘ Learning and talent development

ensures that people at all levels of the organisation possess and develop the skills, knowledge and experiences to fulfil the short and long term ambitions of the organisation and that they are motivated to learn, grow and perform.’ Managers at all levels require an understanding of the different learning styles of individuals within their teams and the wide range of training and development activities that they can employ to enhance both team and individual competence. Development activities can

involve both on and off the job activities and a range of coaching and mentoring support. Within the printing industry there is a range of qualifications that have been developed as national standards which include both technical, service, professional and managerial competencies. These provide an excellent framework for creating training and development plans. On the opposite page we look at a specific example of mentoring that is being used to develop both the AGI Shorewood organisation as a whole and also create individual development opportunities.

learNiNG aNd TaleNT DEvELOPmEnt

Key policies:n Training and Development Policyn Mentoring Policyn Career Planning Policyn Long-Term Internal Secondment Policy

n Short-Term Internal Secondment Policyn Equality and Diversity Policyn Dignity at Work Policyn Recruitment Policy


Getting serious about mentoring

A few months ago Tanya Fisher, European HR director for multidisciplinary media firm AGI Shorewood, had a plan. The company was growing fast, and management had decided that the best way to try and deal with the new opportunities such growth brings was to promote ideally from within.

“Employee development is not something we had brought a lot of time and attention to before,” she says, “but we wanted to raise people’s awareness of what is possible and of the opportunities out there.

She says there was also something of a departmental mentality within the firm. Which is not surprising, really, as it has been through a number of mergers and now includes not just AGI World, but also packaging producer Shorewood and AGI Amaray, Europe’s largest DVD box manufacturer.

To progress employee development then, she wanted to introduce a mentoring

scheme, where people who wanted to progress within the organisation and were aware of the opportunities could be nurtured by someone perhaps further up the management chain. “We would now be saying: ‘We will support you but you need to drive your development yourself,’” she says. “That way we are empowering people only if they really want it.”

She thought this would only work best if individuals were only allowed to be mentored by someone from outside of their own area of the group. That would get around the department silo issue too.

It was all very good coming up with such a scheme, much more difficult to put it into reality. So Tanya contacted the training and HR department within the BPIF, particularly Training Director Kay Smith, who has much experience of running these sorts of programmes and understands the issues to cover in putting together such a multi-departmental programme.

For example, the middle managers who have now applied to be mentors will all be trained in making sure they do not step on the toes of the line managers their mentees would normally report to. The mentees themselves are not allowed to use the fact that they are being mentored to claim some kind of authority within their original department. And there is also confidentiality. Both mentor and mentee have to be confident that their discussions will not be relayed elsewhere. “Anything really serious that gets raised can only be reported to me,” says Fisher.

The results so far have been promising. AGI has put together pairs of 12 mentors and mentees, who are all encouraged to meet at least once every six weeks for at least six months.

“We are not making any promises to the mentees as a result of their participation,” she says. But now the possibilities within the company are really open.

agi shorewood’s new mentoring scheme, devised with help from the BPiF, should empower people and improve communications


inprintxtra | resourcing and talent planning

RecRuiting

witHout RegRets


How often does your recruitment and selection

process get it right? Have you ever thought to yourself: “My life would be a lot easier if we’d never taken this one on’?” You probably have, at least once in your career.

Recruitment and selection is the foundation of all other HR activity. Get it wrong and you are always making up for that one bad decision. But get it right and you get to improve your organisation’s performance by improving the quality of the people you’re asking to deliver that performance.

Recruiting people who are wrong for the organisation can lead to increased labour turnover and lowering of morale in the existing workforce. Managers will have to spend extra time on further recruitment exercises, when what is needed in the first place is a systematic process to

assess the role to be filled and the type of skills needed to fill it.

To make life simple, you could follow this six step best practice guide, and adapt it in the light of experience:

The vacancy: consider whether this vacancy presents an opportunity to reassess the requirements of the job or even to restructure.

The application: application forms should include a job description and a person specification and should avoid asking for any information that may later suggest discriminatory practices.

Shortlisting: shortlisting for interviews should be done objectively, measuring the candidates against the job and person specification.

The interview: interviews should be planned, with specific competency-based

questions used to score all potential candidates to avoid any potentially discriminatory questions. Take notes – but be aware the interviewee can ask to see them later.

The offer: ensure the successful candidate is sent an offer letter setting out the main terms and conditions, together with a contract and initial particulars so that any queries can be sorted out at this stage.

Induction: this may not be an elaborate exercise, but should include a brief introduction to the staff handbook, health and safety information, training and an explanation of the company’s structure, vision and values.

➔ Please contact your local HR Adviser on 0845 250 7050 who can help with any recruitment processes.

Follow a simple process in recruiting and there should be no reason to regret your decision later

John Cadman is a field HR Adviser for the BPIF. But redundancy isn’t the main issue he has coming across his desk at the moment.

He is much more vexed about how print companies may be adapting to changes on the law on retirement which have effectively made it impossible for an employer to dictate when an employee should have to retire.

Why is this an issue? The recession is partly to blame. “Fred Bloggs may have been perfectly happy about wanting to retire at 65 in years gone by,” he says, “but he may now have discovered that he can’t afford to retire. So he changes his mind about retiring after all.”

Such scenarios are going to be increasingly common, Cadman believes, in an industry where the average age is 48 and probably rising still further.

It is still technically possible to force someone to retire, but the employer has

to show that it is objectively justified for employees, or more likely for specific roles within a company, and that it is a “proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”. This could be very hard to prove.

But there is another catch. “Since the introduction of age discrimination legislation,” says Cadman, “we are seeing more and more tribunals where a claim of age discrimination is added to an unfair dismissal claim, because if they can prove age discrimination then the penalties are unlimited.”

So there’s a potential fine to worry about, not to mention the prospect of seeing your relationship with a formerly trusted member of staff come to a sour end. So what should an employer do?

The first thing is to ensure decent performance management of all your staff, regardless of their age. “The crucial test is no

longer a case of whether the person is under or over 65 but whether that person can do that job,” says Cadman.

If, despite appropriate training and support, a person continues to perform poorly they can be dismissed fairly because the necessary improvements have not taken place. Equally, an employee suffering from ill health may be dismissed fairly if he/she is unfit to carry out his/her duties and there are no reasonable adjustments that the company can make. But in either scenario, the age of the employee should not be a consideration.

Of course, if a worker is no longer required to retire at 65, then they are perfectly justified in applying for a job after that age as well. So make sure you do not use age as a reason for turning down an applicant who is over 65.

➔ For advice on retirement, consult your local BPIF HR Adviser on 0845 250 7050.

No limits to age

Key policies:n General Conduct Policyn Alcohol and Drugs Policyn Dignity at Work Policyn Disciplinary Policyn Electronic Communications Policyn Equality and Diversity Policyn Family Related Events Policiesn Flexible Working Policyn Grievance Policyn Maternity Leave and Pay Policyn Sickness Absence Policyn Stress at Work Policyn Working Time Regulations Policy - including Employment of Young Workersn Whistleblowing Policyn Bribery at Work Policy


inprintxtra | Performance and reward

Performance management is the new buzz word in HR, and

there is much discussion about what it means in theory.

In practice, and in laymen’s terms, it means making sure that everyone is doing their part to contribute to the overall success of the business. This can be done informally through managing staff on a day-to-day basis, or formally through regular meetings to set and review personal goals and work towards improved performance.

From a manager’s point of view,

a performaNce THaT’s worTH iTModern performance and reward management techniques can do wonders for your business

performance management entails:n Providing everyone in the organisation with the big picture of what the business is trying to achieven Making sure everyone knows their role in achieving this, and providing them with the skills to help them fulfil that rolen Encouraging employee feedback without fear of blamen Being able to identify performance problems and knowing what to do about them

On the reverse side, there are plenty of things that performance management is not. It is not primarily about pay, or an opportunity to bully and intimidate or even discipline. You shouldn’t use it as an excuse to concentrate on the negatives nor should it be something you should only concentrate on once a year. Performance management most certainly is not something you can implement in the hope that it will let you abdicate your duties as a manager. They are still there.

So why implement it? For many reasons. Here are just some of them:

n To evaluate: organisational performance data and benchmarking can be used to analyse individual and team performance, establish best practice and question cost-effectiveness.n To motivate: giving people significant goals to achieve and then using performance measures to assess their progress towards them can provide a periodic sense of accomplishment. Performance targets may also encourage creativity as people look for better ways to achieve their goals more quickly.n To celebrate: organisations need to commemorate accomplishment. This helps to tie people together and give them a sense of their individual and collective relevance.n To promote: effective performance measures can help you identify high achievers within the business who could make significant contributions in the future.n To learn: only when problem areas are identified can you then go about addressing the issue, often by providing some form of training.


Traditionally, salaries were thought to be what attracted individuals to a company, benefits helped to keep them there, and bonus and incentive schemes motivated them in their work.

But there are many factors that influence pay structures. Market trends, for example, tend to be more influential in the private sector while the views of the owner or managing director

can be more important in smaller firms than in larger. There is also a debate over whether the pay should be related to performance on an individual or collective basis.

Generally speaking, an employer needs to find out what attracts, retains and engages individuals and explore how best they can meet these needs – and the business’s requirements. Employers must also meet legislative requirements for example on equal pay and the National Minimum Wage (NMW).

Equal pay is an aspect of sex discrimination law giving the right for men and women to be paid the same for the same, or equivalent, work. The NMW applies to all workers age 16 and over.

There are currently three main rates for workers aged under 18, those aged 18 to 20, and those aged 21 or over, together with an apprentice rate. You should continually assess your pay structure to ensure there are no discrepancies.

Most companies review salaries on an annual basis. When determining any pay increases, you should usually consider:

n Ability to payn Inflationn Movement in market ratesn The ‘going rate’ of pay awards elsewheren Recruitment and retention issues

what pay is about

remembered or already know that you cannot afford to give them an increase. Show that you have given the matter serious consideration, and tell them what your decision is and why you have reached it. If you don’t, you open the door to the rumour mill and employee disengagement.

As a compromise when times are tough, some companies have considered ‘one off’ bonus payments to reward staff for their hard work. Such a payment is generally not pensionable, so there are no additional on-costs. But an employee is not likely to welcome this reward method in the longer term.

Other non-financial rewards can be just as important in keeping your staff engaged, and include:

n opportunities for career developmentn flexible workingn being involved in decisions that affect how and when employees do their workn being given projects to managen recognition, such as through an ‘employee of the month’ award or team-based events

If you are actually presented with a claim for a pay increase from your workforce and are faced with a situation where you may have to negotiate, contact your BPIF HR Adviser for some more information on the BPIF Negotiation Toolkit.

➔ Speak to your BPIF HR Adviser on 0845 250 7050 for guidance with poor performance issues.

Key policies:n Dignity at Work Policyn Equality and Diversity Policy n Flexible Working Policy n Performance Review Policy n Recruitment and Selection Policy n Sickness Absence Policy n Stress at Work Policy n Working Time Policy n Bribery at Work Policy

n To improve: a review must take place for continuous performance improvement to happen - do it, review it and improve it.

Remember that you can only manage what you measure. So when setting targets you need to make sure that they are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound.

You need to set up internal processes to monitor your expectations against actual achievments.

So when all your data is in, in performance management terms how do you deal with an individual who is performing poorly?

Your first step is to investigate the underlying cause of the employee’s unsatisfactory performance through discussion with the employee themselves. The solution to the problem will usually flow on from the cause, and may involve a variety of approaches some aimed at the individual, and some at management processes.

Ultimately you will need to assess whether the poor performance is due to issues relating to the employee’s capability or conduct, so that a more formal approach to solving the problem can begin.

managing payOf course, many of the most difficult discussions about bad news centre around pay. In the current climate many companies are having to forego a wage increase because they cannot afford it.

If that is your situation, don’t skip or delay the pay reviews without communicating this to your employees. Never shy away from discussions with your employees on the subject of pay, or keep quiet until someone mentions it and hope that you get off lightly. Don’t be fooled into thinking that if no one mentions it, it is because they have not


inprintxtra | employee engagement

Key hurdles on engaging with employees are not as tricky as they first sound


Everyone likes to bask in the glory of being a manager.

But with that glory comes some difficult situations that you have a responsibility to address. The issue of handing pay is an obvious one, but so too is the broader issue of letting employees know how the company is doing. It’s fine when the company is doing well, but not so good when there’s a bit of a downer. Let’s start there.

Delivering bad newsMost owners and managers rate delivering bad news as the worst part of their job, not necessarily because of the news itself, but because of the possibility of handling such communication poorly. Getting it wrong can worsen the impact on your employees, their productivity and your whole company.

While there is no completely harm-free way of passing off such an announcement, there are ways that will treat your employees fairly and make sure they still respect your leadership.

1) Consider first how the message will be relayed. It’s never easy receiving bad news, but hearing it from someone in person can soften the blow. No one wants to hear bad news from a boss via an

Key policies:n Dignity at Work Policyn Equality and Diversity Policyn Flexible Working Policyn General Conduct at Work Policyn Performance Review Policyn Working Time Policyn Stress at Work Policy

Leadershipn Do employees understand the purpose of the business? How is this communicated, especially if the nature of the business changes?n Does the organisation have simple and clearly understood values?n Are these values shared throughout the organisation? Do employees believe in them?n Do employees understand how their individual role contributes to that vision?n Is there a thorough induction process that helps employees to understand how their role fits with the organisation’s values?

Engaging managersn Do employees have clearly defined and agreed performance standards?n Are procedures just and fair?n Do managers always treat employees with respect, and are they concerned about their wellbeing?n Are work-life balance issues considered seriously?n Do managers seek to integrate teams and encourage teamwork?n Are employees encouraged to enjoy their work and have fun?

Employee voicen Are employees’ views actively sought out and listened to?n Are views that challenge ‘perceived wisdom’ welcomed?n Are employees made to feel their opinions count by being genuinely involved in decision-making?

integrityn Is there a sense of trust in the organisation?n Are remuneration systems transparent and do employees sense that there is internal equity with regards to pay?

issues to check on engagement

email. It may seem like the easy way out, because you don’t have to look in their eyes and hear the disappointment in their voice. But it is unlikely to get the best result.

2) Make sure too that the seniority of the bearer of the bad news is commensurate with the ‘weight’ of that bad news. If you have been tasked with delivering this bad news you need to be comfortable in explaining it to your employees, and answering any questions.

3) The size of your company and the need to maintain production may dictate whether any announcement is made across the company at the same time or delivered in smaller groups. Employees can feel more connected in smaller groups and feel more comfortable to ask questions. But if everyone hears the same message at once, rumours or false information are less likely to spread throughout your company.

4) Keep the message brief and direct. And do not sugar-coat it: if you try to wrap the news in soft language that attempts to lessen the impact, your employees may not understand the full weight of what you are saying.

After you’ve broken the news, go back and explain exactly how you arrived at this difficult decision. The more employees understand and empathise with how a decision was arrived at, the more they’ll support it, even if they don’t like it. Explain the situation realistically but portray the future in a positive light so that they will want to remain in your employment.

5) Show consideration as well: if you are telling an employee news that will have a big impact on them, do not make light of the situation. It’s an uncomfortable situation for you giving the news and sometimes it’s tempting to make the atmosphere seem less unpleasant. If the news is bad for the person then it is unpleasant, and making light of the situation may make them feel resentful at a lack of understanding.

6) You are free to discuss the future, and whether there will be a review of the situation. But don’t make commitments you will not be able to keep.

➔ If you require help or more information please contact your regional HR Adviser on 0845 250 7050.


inprintxtra | awards

The BPIF Seal of Excellence was launched in 2011 to provide

an endorsement of best practice in three key areas of business success: HR, Health and Safety (H&S) and the Environment.

To win any of the three seals, member companies will have to have demonstrated that they are operating in these areas at the highest possible level in the printing industry.

The benefits of winning H&S and Environment seals are obvious, not least in way they could provide greater financial savings on your business insurance costs. But an even greater saving can be achieved by having your HR and management policies and procedures fully integrated with your overarching business plan – and thus winning a HR Seal of Excellence.

This will allow you to show off to your customers and suppliers just how much you have managed the integration of your HR policies and practices with the overarching business goals. You can also show them, as a consequence, how you have exceeded expectations on overall performance within the business.

The HR Seal also displays to your staff that you value their contribution to the overall business plan highly, and have recognised their need to develop their individual talents.

Having a clear vision for success in the business and communicating this to your managers and staff by including them in how they can make a difference should ensure your business will maximise its performance and profitability.

Involving your staff in key decision making allows them to feel supported and trusted, to see they are contributing to a programme of continuous improvement, and to understand that they are playing a vital role in the business.

Engaging staff this way, with the underpinning of robust and visible HR practices, should ensure that learning is an everyday event, that business benefits from everybody’s input, and that the outputs reveal themselves in increased profitability and market share.

The HR Seal of Excellence is the perfect way to celebrate your commitment to excellence.

➔ For more information please contact your regional HR Adviser on 0845 250 7050.

THe seal THaT works

fOR yOuthe BPiF Seal of Excellence in HR could transform your business

Key policies:n Recruitment and Selection Policyn Alcohol and Drugs Policyn Dignity at Work Policyn Disciplinary Policyn General Conduct at Work Policyn Electronic Communications Policyn Equality and Diversity Policyn Family Related Events Policiesn Flexible Working Policyn Grievance Policyn Maternity Leave and Pay Policyn Sickness Absence Policyn Stress at Work Policyn Working Time Regulations Policy - including Employment of Young Workersn Whistleblowing Policyn Bribery at Work Policyn Training and Development Policy


inprintxtra | BPiF Hr advisers

John cadman Hr adviser (south east)

Linda Harrison Hr adviser (North west)

Alison GreenHr adviser (east)

Alison Hoare Hr adviser / pensions administrator

theresa Latham Hr desk adviser (all regions)

Stacey Bromley Hr adviser (south west)

Judith Houston Hr adviser (midlands)

Jo Haigh Hr adviser (North east)

Anne copley Head of Hr

For more information on your HR Strategy and policies please have a look at the reading list below.Mullins, L.J. (2007)‘Management and Organisational Behaviour’, 8th edition. FT Prentice Hall.Kotter.J.(1990) A Force for change. Simon and Schuster.Northouse.P.G (2009) Leadership:Theory and Practice. 5th Edition. SAGE.Marchington.M and Wilkinson.A (2008). Human resource management at work: people management and development, 4th edition. CIPD.Schuler.R.S and Jackson.S.E (2007) Strategic Human Resource management, 2nd edition. Blackwell.Perkins.S.J & White.G (2008) Employee Reward. Alternatives, consequences and contexts. CIPDTaylor, Stephen, 2005. People Resourcing. CIPDThompson, John L., Martin, Frank (2005) Strategic management : awareness and change. Cengage Learning EMEA.

Inprintxtra 2012 all rights reserved. Inprintxtra is circulated to members of the BPIF. Reproduction in any form, or by any means, whole or in part without written permission from the British Printing Industries Federation is strictly prohibited.

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Getting to the Heart of Human Resources