DRIVERS

BT Technol J Vol 18 No 1 January 2000

16

Our People — Innovative and Creative

Margaret Fowler, Human Resource Manager for ACE

The key differentiator of any organisation is its people and BT’s AdvancedCommunications Engineering (ACE) is definitely no exception. ACE is at the heart ofthe New Wave BT, leading innovation and driving technological change.Understanding and harnessing individual potential is crucial to gain competitiveadvantage in our industry.

To achieve this we have developed a range of approaches and internal products.These range from career counselling to sophisticated assessment and developmentcentres, focusing on developing people’s technical and commercial skills andknowledge using psychometric, team and individual exercises. People are encouragedto increase their strategic knowledge through international exchange programmes,secondments within and outside BT and external post graduate study. Collaborative teamworking acrossboundaries stimulates creativity and innovation.

Continuous professional development is fundamental to our success. Our people are actively encouraged totake responsibility for their own development and self-managed life-long learning. We do this through a varietyof options such as NVQ attainment, mentoring and championing personal progression within professionalbodies. There are specific courses on creativity and innovation. Employee participation in community projectswith voluntary organisations brings a fresh approach to teamworking and problem solving.

Learning, continual refreshing of skills, and knowledge sharing is an intrinsic part of our culture. To harbourthis learning environment it is essential that we have the right culture. A culture which allows people’sinnovation and creativity to flourish. For the last two years we have been ‘Investing in our Future’, a culturechange campaign, where adding value, innovating instinctively, managing relationships, taking responsible risksand coaching have become embedded as key behaviours in everything we do and say.