Under the Weather

Despite the heading, this is not a post about health or well-being.  It is inspired by my getting fog-bound in Jersey on Friday afternoon (a bizarre occurrence given the blazing sunshine elsewhere in western Europe this weekend).  

The experience itself was like a farcical B-movie, where you knew at each stage what was going to happen, but were helpless to prevent the ensuing catastrophes.  My mid afternoon flight was initially delayed because the plane coming to collect us was unable to land and hence was diverted to Southampton until such time as the fog lifted.  Slowly, during the course of the afternoon passengers for both mine and other flights came and joined me in the airport lounge, much of human life was there: 

• a nurse trying to get back to the UK in time for her shift at Southampton Hospital;
• a worried daughter desperate to see her mother (just diagnosed with cancer);
• a girlfriend keen to fly to Bristol to join her boyfriend and friends at Glastonbury; 
• a wife’s birthday treat - being taken by her husband to enjoy centre court tickets at Wimbledon on Saturday;
• grandparents-to-be hoping to reach Gloucester in time for an imminent arrival;
• a man off on vacation, salmon fishing in Russia (clearly his longed-for treat for the year), provided that he made his connecting flight;
• a delightful retired couple, who had enjoyed a week’s holiday on the Island, but who now were each looking forward to a cup of tea in their favourite mugs and a good night’s sleep in their own beds;
• a small group of bankers and businessmen en route to their homes in Guernsey, after busy weeks in Paris and New York; and
• me, trying to get home to be with my family, after a productive week with my team (it was our annual offsite, followed by two days with technical colleagues to decide our priorities and scope the enhanced  IT system we need to support us).

I am in no way a weather girl, but, back in the airport and looking out of the window, it was clear from the swirling tendrils of mist, (or rather, looking out of the window it was not clear, due to the swirling tendrils of mist), we had a problem.  Like an Agatha Christie murder mystery, slowly each flight was killed off.  The two Bristol-bound aircraft were initially amalgamated into a single journey on “a larger plane” - although where it was to materialise from was not clear, (the lady trying to get to Glastonbury retained her spark of hope) - before being cancelled at half six (her crushing disappointment was almost palpable).  The gentlemen bankers, trying to get home to Guernsey, spotted the problem before most of us (they were veterans of island weather) and they surreptitiously departed to secure places on the ferry that was due to leave for Guernsey at 8.00pm.  The tennis fans (a headhunter and his wife) also demonstrated their superior knowledge by hot-footing it to the ferry terminal to catch the overnight ship to Plymouth, which I subsequently learned docks at 6.30 am and hence would allow them sufficient time to reach Wimbledon.  Neither party shared their knowledge or plans with other beleaguered travellers - they simply grasped the opportunity and departed.  I only know because I was sent a message by one of them, shortly before their ferry docked, to tell me what they’d done and the headhunter emailed me just after 9.00 pm.  On being told about "the great escape", some less charitable than myself, observed to me that, you can always rely on bankers and recruitment specialists to look after their own interests before considering others.  I just wish I’d had their knowledge and foresight and then perhaps a few more could have reached the UK early on Saturday.  The worried woman with the sick mother would have appreciated knowing about the opportunity to take alternative transport; she could have done with the support.  Like the Glastonbury idealist, I clung to the hope that the airline would deliver what they cheerfully stated was probable - the plane in Southampton making the crossing and delivering us to London that night.  

Most of the scheduled flights were initially delayed for one or two hours before being reclassified as cancelled.  On being told that they would not be flying, groups of frustrated travellers were lead to Duty Free to return their purchases, before being notified of the date and time of the next flight available to them.  The nurse managed to locate a colleague able to take on her shift and so decided to return to her family and take up a different shift schedule.  The grand-parents-to-be opted for as soon a flight as they could get.  In many ways the most adversely impacted was the fisherman.  No tight lines for him.  He remained calm, but was clearly upset - by failing to get to the UK, he had missed his connecting flight to Russia, the earliest flight available was on Sunday and by then he would be unable to get to his destination in time to enjoy his vacation.  If only he had taken the Portsmouth ferry his situation might have been different.

We, the London City Airport flight, were the last to be cancelled, long after the other passengers had departed (and, when doing so, claiming the few remaining Saturday flights and hotel rooms).  The airport was closing as we, a motley crew, paraded through Duty Free and on to the desk to make fresh arrangements and/or to hear our proposed fates.  I was late leaving the departure lounge, as I had by this stage anticipated the likely situation to come.  Swiftly I made contact with a friend who was able to book me onto a flight online for Saturday morning, whilst I  and the others were being marched through the deserted departure hall.  There my forethought and good fortune ran out - I called the hotel I had been staying at, expecting them to welcome me back, only to discover that it was already full, as were four others I knew of in St Helier.  I had been talking with the retired couple earlier and, by chance, found them again behind me in the queue.  As they had been on the island for a holiday and not for business, their hotel, in a secluded spot away from the commercial bustle, was not full - they had already called and reserved a room.  They gave me the number and I too was in luck.  

The process of securing a flight off the island was chaotic.  The airline offered all impacted passenegers flights on Sunday but no accommodation or compensation prior to then.  Last October an EU court judgement clarified the rights of passengers to claim compensation and be provided with accommodation, if their flights are delayed by three or more hours, under EC Regulation 261/2004.  However, Jersey is not part of the EU and hence the airlines are not subject to the ruling.  The best flights offered in lieu of the ones cancelled were late on Sunday - two days later.  No hotels or rooms were provided at all.  

None of us, who had yet to secure alternative flights, wished to lose what was potentially the only flight available to us (the majority of direct flights on Saturday and early Sunday having already been taken by earlier casualties), but at the same time people were being forced to use whatever means they could to make other arrangements in the short time available before the desk closed.  By the time my elderly companions and I reached the check-in desk to accept what was offered, book an alternative flight or request a refund, all the obvious flights were full.  The process was very strange - the airline did not suggest flights, despite having access to technology available to inform them, we were made to guess at flights and, if successful in naming one were then made to wait for agonising minutes whilst the airline staff assessed availability of seats.  It was one of the most disorganised experiences I have endured for a while.  

As you know, I had already secured my flight but the elderly couple with me were not as fortunate (and had no access to a useful friend miles away who could make a reservation on-line).  I am pleased to report that I was able to return the favour of the hotel room, by notifying them of a flight that most passengers were unaware of, as it only operates in the summer months.  I have recently been running a leadership development programme in Cambridge and when making arrangement for attendees had noticed that there was a direct flight between Jersey and Cambridge for a few months of the year.  Fortuitously, the couple lived just outside Cambridge and the flight, being unknown to many would-be-travellers, was not full.  We were a happy trio who toasted our good fortune, when we reached our destination for the night.  We had a wonderful fresh crab and Jersey Royal supper to celebrate.

I have learned much from the experience.  Just watching how people responded to the situation we found ourselves in was a lesson in human interactions and drivers and the same behaviours can be observed every day at work, namely:

• optimism in an outcome, that a simple assessment of the evidence available would prove to be unfounded;
• self interest, potentially to the detriment of the greater good;
• the need to keep abreast of developments or risk failure;
• the benefits of collaboration;
• the value of technology; and
• the pleasure to be gained from working together to achieve a goal and celebrating afterwards.

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead...I'm off to Jersey again on Wednesday.  I hope the weather is good.

Difficult Discussions

I often wonder why people in the corporate environment are so sensitive about feedback.  If we were athletes or sportsmen, we would welcome suggestions as to how we can enhance our performance.  However, many employees find “constructive criticism” difficult – in tough economic times it can make individuals feel that their position is insecure, the resultant worry reducing their contribution further  and potentially having a knock on effect on others.  When the market starts picking up, it is your disengaged employees (good performers as well as bad) who will be the first to take up opportunities elsewhere.

We all know that performance reviews are a crucial part of modern corporate life – if people don’t know how they are doing, how can they improve?  Without effective key performance indicators (KPIs) how can we measure how well employees and the business are doing and ensure that everything is on track?  Data is becoming increasingly important, but it is crucial to remember that the employees who make a business succeed are people and not just numbers in a spreadsheet or a formula.  Even when having “difficult conversations” – such as informing an employee that they have not met required levels of performance or behaviour, you should take care to be calm, professional and informative.  Here are a dozen simple actions and approaches that can make a meeting easier for both parties:

• Don’t delegate the discussion to someone else, if you are nervous or feel that having a witness is necessary, bring a colleague or member of HR but let the employee know that you are doing so;

• Come prepared and hold the meeting in a suitable place with no distractions or interruptions;

• Remain calm – for any professional manager this discussion should be about their team member’s performance and should never disintegrate into a character assassination nor be used as an opportunity to humiliate someone;

• Have facts to hand to substantiate your comments (such as the mutually agreed objectives and specific examples of where performance and results have fallen short);

• Remember that performance = ability x motivation;

• Determine whether the person is capable of doing what is expected - do they have the aptitude, training and necessary resources?;

• It is easy to ask someone whether they have what they need to do a job;their answer (and the way they say it) will probably tell you much of what you need to know about their approach, frustrations and attitude.  The simple fact that you have asked for their input may go a long way towards resolving a problem, because you have signalled that you are interested and prepared to help;

• Be willing to listen to the other person’s point of view – there may be facts and circumstances that you are unaware of;

• If they cite external factors as the reason for poor performance, look into their claims; sometimes people find it easier to blame others before admitting to their own weaknesses, but if they are correct there may be other issues that also need to be resolved;

• Verify whether they are willing to make the required effort to do the job well and, if not, find out why not;

• Don’t wait until the meeting to inform an employee that you are disappointed with their contribution – a good manager has regular discussions with their team members and both parties should know how things are going at any stage of the year; and

• Remember to comment on the things a person has done well, in addition to discussing the areas for improvement – if you leave some of these points until near the end of the meeting both parties are more likely to leave in a positive frame of mind.

Remember this dozen

People usually respond better to praise than criticism – Aesop’s fable of the Sun and the North Wind competing to get the traveller to remove his cloak has a sound moral message.  Gentle warmth towards others will often achieve results faster than harsh words and hostility. 

Increasingly work is becoming less repetitive task orientated and is requiring individuals to use their initiative and knowledge to achieve complicated and sophisticated outcomes.  Incentivising performance is a conventional way of encouraging people to perform as required.  However, rewards do not have to be financial (indeed, money is often not the most effective motivator 

as demonstrated in Daniel Pink’s excellent talk at the RSA (one of my favourite RSA Animates):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

Simple praise, granting autonomy, staying in touch throughout the year, being interested and saying thank you for work well done, can often achieve more, through motivating and engaging an individual, than a manager will ever do through demoralising criticism in the annual review.

So here's to "getting better" at treating people like people and hence getting the best out of them (with thanks to the Beatles).

Sweet Rebel

Very occasionally in life you meet someone whom you know is extraordinary, who genuinely has an impact on the world around him or her and can be seen to be making making history, for me, Mott Green was such a man.  Mott was born in 1966 and grew up in New York and Oregon.  His real name was David Friedman and he came from an impressive academic and professional family descended from Russian Jewish immigrants - his father a respected physician, his uncle a genuine rocket scientist, young David was expected to follow in the family tradition of landing a well-paid and respectable job after graduating.  Mott was highly intelligent and could have succeeded in almost any field he chose, he was also a rebel and he found his cause...

Mott fell in love with Grenada and its people, it is where he chose to live, but he is probably best known for being a chocolate anarchist on both the local and global stage.  Much is said in modern business circles about the value of being disruptive, we espouse the value of being “Punk" in approach or “hacking” to amend and enhance the existing system - certainly, innovation and creative solutions require what can feel like significant change.  However, for many this is simply tinkering with the engine and not a from-the-bottom-up redesign.  

By training Mott was an engineer and he seemed almost at his most comfortable building things (from brave concepts to tangible, working objects to achieve his objectives).  He was clearly happiest when challenging convention and bettering the status quo.   Knowing him as I did, I can vouch for his being a passionate visionary with extraordinary drive and tenacity.  His enthusiasm was infectious and he had a wicked sense of humour.  This short video (a trailer for the wonderful film "Nothing Like Chocolate", in which he played a starring role) will give you a taste of the man, his values, extraordinary abilities and achievements: http://vimeo.com/38528342   He had charm which concealed a core of steel, but he also showed immense compassion to those who needed it and invariably stood for what he saw as right, be that :

• helping a rural farming community;
• making a stand against discrimination and abuse (including child slave labour);
• speaking out against the global exploitation that is the model for the majority of the chocolate industry; 
• taking action against climate change;
• building an award winning factory with his bare hands;  and 
• doing more to reduce the carbon footprint of his business than any other entrepreneur I know.  

He was, in every way, inspirational.  He rewrote the rules and enabled value to be added at the source.  He made me laugh, he made me think and over the past couple of days he has made me cry.  He died unexpectedly at the weekend - electrocuted whilst mending some kit (not the in the factory, which is, I am pleased to say, continuing to produce its exceptional chocolate).  I and many others mourn his loss, but we should also celebrate an amazing life.  I know few who could do what he has done and the legacy he has created speaks for itself - it is an inspiration to all who wish to improve the world.  

Nyran taking wet beans out of cocoa pods in Grenada

Mott discovered his love for chocolate as a 15 year old boy, when accompanying his father to Grenada on a visit to the medical school.  Mott became fascinated by the fat pods encasing plump beans; the harvested crop, hulled and separated from the white pulp inside the pods, lying in piles, like russet brown pebbles, to dry in the Caribbean sunshine; the dapple of light through the leaves in the rainforest, where the cocoa plants grew; the pods hanging like Chinese lanterns and the taste of the fresh white pulp that surrounds the beans - sweet with a slight citrus tang (like passion fruit) - the raw beans themselves almost unpleasantly astringent, nothing like the processed chocolate that he knew from New York.

Cocoa pods

He was swift to realise that, although most of the beans are grown in the southern hemisphere, the majority of chocolate producers are located in the northern hemisphere, where there is a lucrative market for the luxury product.  Confectioners and other industrialists bought cocoa (often harvested by child labour), imported it, processed it into chocolate and were able to make a significant mark-up.  Mott noticed first hand the inequalities within the industry. A few years later, on returning to Grenada (have dropped out of university and spending some time in a commune), after living in the rain forrest for a while, he decided to settle on the island.  

The Grenadian rainforest

Inspired by the disparity in the cocoa trade, he dedicated his life to enabling production of world-class chocolate, from bean to bar, in the location where the cocoa grows.  In 1999 Mott founded the Grenada Chocolate Factory, with two friends.  He literally built a chocolate factory, welding pieces and using salvage to make machines based on designs from the 1900's (when there were more small artisanal chocolatiers in Europe), but powered by solar energy, to achieve his dream.  If you wish to know more about how chocolate is produced in a small Grenadian factory, here is the process: http://www.grenadachocolate.com/tour/process1.html

Edmond roasting cocoa beans, Grenada Chocolate Factory

He slept in a small store area of the factory and worked tirelessly to establish the operation on the island.  He encouraged local farmers to join his cooperative, paying them and him the same wage and taught them how to produce world class crops without resorting to harmful pesticides or environmentally damaging fertilisers.   One of the things that made Mott stand out from other cocoa producers and chocolate makers was his determination to be “green”, ethical and fair.  He declined to sign up to Fair Trade, as he felt that the approach of shipping produce to processors in wealthier countries, for them to capitalise on its value was unjust.  Instead he taught the local farmers how to enhance their crops and trained people from the island to produce high calibre chocolate (despite the problems of doing so in such a hot and humid climate).  

  

Kimon moulding chocolate bars, Grenada Chocolate Factory

Last year he took this one stage further and, using the power of the Trade Winds, he brought his bars of chocolate to consumers in Europe on a sailing ship.  This year he arranged to reduce the carbon footprint of his chocolate even further, by having the bars collected off the boat and delivered across Holland by cyclists.  I am so sad knowing that he will not see this dream become a reality when the ship makes land in less than a fortnight  You can read the poignant last post on Mott’s blog: http://mottontresshombres.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

Mott, standing by the moored Tres Hombres
prior to delivering chocolate by wind power to Europe

His dreams have become a reality, he has made a better world and enhanced life for many (myself included).  We should all take inspiration from him and what he has achieved.  If you have a dream and the willingness to pursue it with tireless determination, it is amazing what can be done.

This wonderful song, co-written by Mott, celebrating the cocoa bean and the ethical production of chocolate, seems to me a fitting epitaph and ending for this post...  Please listen and smile in recognition of a wonderful man.

http://grenadachocolate.com/human%20beans.mp3

Cocoa pods - grown in Grenada and used for making chocolate

Food for Thought

We had our first barbecue of the year at the weekend - in preparation the boys baked a loaf in the afternoon (bread-making was my father’s secret method for ensuring clean fingernails, but I’m pleased to report that my chefs washed their hands thoroughly before kneading) and they sweated over the hot charcoal, as dusk fell, while I created some salads and laid the table.  It’s good to do things together as a team and many of the rules to effective working relationships are learned initially at home.  I clearly am distracted by food as, while waiting for my supper to be cooked, I was struck by how many aspects of life (both within and outside the office) centre around food and drink.  We talk of “water cooler moments”; people wishing to provide services often suggest “meeting up for a coffee”; it is a customary in my organisation for an individual, on their birthday, to buy cakes and/or savoury treats for everyone to enjoy - it creates a wonderful sense of camaraderie as people eat and chat together in the main office kitchen; in many workplaces, the boss is often referred to as The Big Cheese (odd given that something “cheesy” is often considered to be second rate); and how many of us haven’t enjoyed after work drinks or going out for a meal with colleagues or tweet-ups with social media contacts?  Food plays an important role in our lives.

Carl Warner's Vege Head

Having started by contemplating the impact of food and drink in the work environment, I have decided to reverse my view and comment on what we, in conventional work, can learn from the experts in food and drink.  A group of academics have recently undertaken some interesting research into Michelin starred chefs and their kitchens.  The conundrum that intrigued them was how these clearly effective leaders manage to maintain consistency in their offering without stiffling change and thereby preventing fresh concepts and innovative culinary creations from occurring.  I was fortunate to attend the presentation of their findings at an event hosted by the Cass Business School.  As part of the research some of the world’s top chefs’ kitchens were observed to determine what made them effective and the chefs were interviewed.  Certain common themes emerged, supported by comments from the participating chefs, namely:

• rigid discipline and planning is required to absorb and reduce the risk of unexpected events - “no mistakes admitted”;
• skill is more important than creativity - “you learn the process and everything else comes later”;
• everyone in the kitchen must understand what has to be done and why - “keep going, teaching, teaching...”
• it is important to be able to improvise on the fly - “cook it raw”;
• sourcing is a primary advantage - “the quality and taste required are found in very few places”;
• esprit maison (i.e. the in-house style and culture) is key - “we have our own style and the dishes must fit/sit well within it”;
• good chefs are constantly learning and appraising - looking inside and looking outside - “Never eat alone”, experience boosts innovation/sparks creativity; and
• creative chefs must not be constrained by convention - “Good chefs steal, bad chefs copy" (with apologies to Picasso).

"El bodegón del cazo Azul" by Picasso, 1945

Having determined the above “key ingredients for a top kitchen”, the academics considered the processes and operational approach needed to enable the consistent reproduction of excellence.  Again, there was a high degree of similarity between each of the great chefs' kitchens.  Each was well organised with specific "stations" dedicated to the preparation of certain elements of the meal - meat,  fish, dessert, cold food preparation, etc...(an idea originated by Augustus Escoffier, who believed in running his kitchen like the military and referred to them as the "Brigade de Cuisine" which translates as the "Kitchen Brigade"). 

New recruits, starting their career in catering within a top kitchen (a privilege many would undertake for free simply to be able to experience and learn from a master chef) all have similar traits.  They are self-selecting due to the demands of being regularly rotated between the stations (usually every six months to ensure a consistency of approach and appreciation of all aspects of the kitchen) and the pressure of the job.  The work is very demanding, verging on punitive - early starts, late finishes and little chance for a social life outside work (work/life balance is not an option) - so trainees have to be:

TBC

I saw a friend this week, whom I had lost touch with for the past decade.  We met for a bite to eat and I’m pleased to say that we picked up our friendship exactly where we had left off.  It made me appreciate that strong relationships (in and outside the workplace) are forged on trust and authenticity (and are often accompanied by good food).

The Sound of...Flyin' High

May 22nd, the date of the Carnival of HR (of which this blog is one small part), is an important date in my employer’s corporate calendar, it is when our Remuneration Committee and the Board meet to review, amend and approve the reward packages proposed for each of our employees. (For a glimpse of the full range of the Carnival of HR offering see http://s.shr.lc/167ai7a  |, lovingly curated by Doug Shaw ( @dougshaw1 ) Thanks Doug - a tough job very well done.  The URL is http://stopdoingdumbthingstocustomers.com/hr/the-carnival-of-hr-beginnings/ )  Back to my own day: although our financial year runs in line with the tax year, we tackle reward only after we know how the business units and individuals have performed.  As in many organisations, for most employees the knowledge of what their salary will be for the next twelve months (and whether they will receive a bonus that could enable them and their family to have a significant holiday or pay for some anticipated expenditure), is the beginning of their planning for the year ahead. 

Planning is important...

In fact, as this HR Carnival blog's theme is "Beginnings", I will start by saying that planning, prior to beginning almost anything, enables a better outcome and my intention in this post is to encourage you to think strategically and hence to become more effective in an important, but in my opinion under-valued, aspect of HR.  So...

“Let’s start at the very beginning...”, as Maria sang to the von Trapp children in The Sound of Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RW3nDRmu6k

“...when you read you begin with A-B-C”, however, the song does not progress to “when you count you begin with 1-2-3”... it moves straight into singing about “do-re-mi”.  Perhaps it is because I have been working with reward spreadsheets for the past few weeks (and hence have become somewhat obsessed), but I think HR needs to consider its relationship with “dough” (of the monetary variety), analysis and informed decision making, using management information (re M.I.).  So many in HR are more comfortable with letters than they are with numbers.  As the world becomes increasingly data focused, this could become a problem for our profession.  

Reward is too often the ignored little spanner in the HR toolbox... perhaps because traditionally HR has neither valued nor attracted numerate, analysis-hungry, spreadsheet experts. 

In most businesses, HR is recognised as the custodian of remuneration, diligently compiling benchmarking data to validate that salaries are in-line with competitors and that job offers and pay increases are not out of sync with the market.  I am not saying that this is a bad thing.  Everyone I have spoken with acknowledges that the basics have to be right (otherwise employees will become disengaged, feel undervalued, may walk and potential employees may decline to join). However, few HR professionals are doing more than managing the basics when it comes to Reward.  People need to appreciate that Reward is so much more than simply “pay and rations”.  Total Reward is an often over-used, but usually under-comprehended phrase.  Total refers to "involving all aspects" of reward at work. 

How often do we really think of Reward within the bigger picture of employment and the people involved in work?  Most acknowledge that Reward is more than simply base pay, benefits, wellbeing initiatives and a potential bonus.  The BBC is not famed for its high salaries and yet people strive to be able to work there, partially because of the experiential opportunities it can provide. No other organisation can enable you to be part of the production team making world-leading natural history documentaries with David Attenborough.  People there find their roles "rewarding".  A similar positive advantage can be considered applicable to people working in the not-for-profit or medical research sectors - their day-to-day jobs have the potential to change people's lives and that is gratifying in itself.  

Photo courtesy of the BBC

The drivers that inspire people are complex, in addition to money people will give their employer their dedicated thought and labour to achieve objectives in return for: prestige, respect, status, dignity, the ability to learn, the sense of being part of team/belonging, time to pursue out-of-work interests, travel, generous praise and/or recognition, to name but a few.  As a result, smart HR professionals must not view Reward in isolation, away from the broader work environment.  

A number of organisations have undertaken research into the impact of Reward.  A recent, notable paper is Aon Hewitt’s 2012 study into Total Rewards, which demonstrates a link between reward and high performance (as evidenced by companies achieving significant revenue vs. objectives, degrees of innovation and high levels of employee engagement).  A significant element of the success seems to be down to communication, not just espousing Total Rewards but articulating a clear strategy that includes objectives, measures and competitive positioning (back to HR’s need to understand and use data).  Before determining the strategy employees, as well as managers and the top leadership, are asked what they want – the advent of technology and social media has made it so much easier to be personal, to solicit feedback and suggestions.

Landing Signal Officer's Communication - as used on HMS Ark Royal

According to the Aon survey, Total Rewards impact at various stages of the employee life cycle, namely:

Top factors influencing Attraction:          

• Competitive base pay

• Competitive health care benefits

• Financial stability of business 
• Flexible working 
• Good pension provision 
• Number of days’ holiday
• Reputation as “a great place to work” 
• Promotion prospects
• Challenge/stimulating work 
• Culture

Top factors influencing Retention:          

• Faith in senior leadership re future direction

• Tools to do the job

• Health care benefits
• Sufficient resources
• Reliable colleagues
• Career opportunities/clear career path
• Good relationship with line manager
• Supportive culture

Top factors influencing Engagement:

• Clear career path
• Involved in decisions that affect their work
• Appropriate resources
• Development
• Team
• Colleagues going the extra mile for success
• A culture of personal development
• Good managerial relationship
• Comprehensible decision making

• Appropriate benefits

The best businesses are brilliant at using certain elements of Total Reward (such as manager effectiveness, inclusion, culture, values, learning and career development) to emphasise the factors that differentiate them from other employers in their field.  I have a little experience of this – I co-founded a business in 2000 and within a short space of time we were deemed best of breed in our sector.  It was hard work and demanded long hours to get the business off the ground, but, without exception, my colleagues at all levels in the business valued being part of a team that was “making history”.  We were not the highest payers and we did not have the swankiest offices (indeed our premises as we grew were close to the end of their natural life and hence provided cheap rental), but our sense of community, mutual respect, genuine fun, shared success and mutual appreciation made up for most of the hardships.  HR had a fundamental role to play in the success of the business.  

The time has come for all of us in HR to realise that we can and should make a difference.  We have the ability and tools to enable both our workers and our businesses to become high fliers.

So, returning to the theme of Beginnings, let's make a start, let's change the way we think about Reward.  We want our employees to be truly engaged and to be feeling good about where they work. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life...

Nina Simone singing "Feeling Good"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfJRX-8SXOs

              "Feeling Good"

Birds flyin' high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me.
Yeah, it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, ooooooooh...
And I'm feelin' good.

Fish in the sea, you know how I feel
River runnin' free, you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree, you know how I feel
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me,
And I'm feelin' good

Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don't you know,
Butterflies all havin' fun, you know what I mean.
Sleep in peace when day is done: that's what I mean,
And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me...

Stars when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel
Yeah, freedom is mine, and I know how I feel..
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me
[scat]
And I'm feelin'... good.

Varsity Vistas

I have recently returned from an exceptionally productive, enjoyable and informative few days in Cambridge.  I was responsible for a leadership development programme designed in conjunction with the Judge Business School http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/ and not only was it very well received, but also I have no doubt that it will have a profound and long lasting impact on all involved.  There is little point investing time, money and effort on leadership development if you don’t want your leaders to develop and change.  Regrettably, many top level learning and development (L&D) initiatives are seen simply as “deserved” or “required” attendance by corporate executives and hence they participate either as a chore or for an easy break from normal routine; once “back in the day job”, it is all too easy to revert to the comfort and familiarity of accustomed roles and approaches.  Change demands effort and determination and works best when people support each other in achieving a shared goal. 

View through oculus window of Lecture Theatre 1, Judge Business School, Cambridge
Photo by Annie Galpin

 

It is usual, at the end of a learning event, for individuals to make a personal pledge that they will utilise their new-found knowledge and skills in the work environment.  Indeed, each of the attendees with me have been asked to select two things that they will do differently (or commence doing) going forwards and I will be supporting them to ensure that they achieve their goals, as well as measuring what change can be assessed.  I am confident that each individual who attended the event in Cambridge is committed to applying their learning.  However, their personal undertakings, to achieve singular and organisational change, are not what made the event exceptional.  There are few cities more beautiful than Cambridge and it was looking particularly attractive: soft spring sunlight on honey coloured stone and blossom and fresh leaves on the trees.  The verdant foliage, burgeoning after the long period of cold weather that the UK has endured, seemed to echo the eagerness of the attendees to learn and grow.  We were fortunate, we were joined by an inspirational collection of exceptional speakers and experts, who struck a chord with all attendees.  I confess that it was both a pleasure and privilege to share aspects of my alma mater with colleagues and friends, but that was not what made the event so good.



Queens' College, Cloister Court

The thing that made it different was the genuine sense of connection, in every aspect from the attitude of the attendees, their preparation, commitment and the event’s clear outcomes (both agreed and unexpected).  I am an experienced HR professional and have designed and run numerous L&D sessions over the years, some award winning and many life-changing for individual delegates, but this one was genuinely different.  Why did it stand out?  What did I experience and learn?  I think the essence of the differentiation is founded on unity.  There was an almost palpable level of engagement and a shared passion to define and commit to desired change.  Every attendee had come prepared and determined to benefit from the opportunity.  Nobody was there because they felt they had to be and, without exception, they wanted to learn, share, talk, discover and build a better future as a team.  There was a logical flow through the days so that knowledge was built upon and strengthened.  I was reminded of the value of physically bringing people together.  In our increasingly technology enabled world, e-learning has its place and I work for a global group, so, for ease and efficiency, we use webinars and video conferencing to enable people to benefit from shared learning.  However, humans are social beings.  Some of the attendees, despite having spoken with and seen each other from afar over a number of years , had never spent time together in the same location.  Genuine connections and understanding occurred.  We deliberately did not remain locked in a hotel conference suite or lecture theatre for the duration of the event, we used various university facilities (including museums, art galleries and debating chambers) and hence time was spent walking between venues.  People chatted en route.  So much was gained by spending time together, bouncing ideas around, exploring and gaining memories that we all now treasure.
 

Bridge of Sighs, seen whilst punting on the river Cam

People have returned to their respective offices and teams and have already started applying and sharing their new-found knowledge.  Attendees have designed and started delivering L&D sessions, to cascade their understanding and ensure that there is a shared language and approach across the Group.  We were fortunate to have the corporate artist, Simon Heath, with us in Cambridge ( http://www.linkedin.com/pub/simon-heath/16/75b/866 or follow him on Twitter https://twitter.com/SimonHeath1 ) and he has drawn some excellent images that reinforce and remind, as well as capturing the main incidents and discussions.  I am already working on the next stage of our development and have the full support from the Chief Executive (who was an initial attendee) downwards.  It is exhilarating and rewarding to know that you are really making a difference that it will be measurable going forwards.

Simon Heath, corporate cartoonist in action, Cambridge Union Chamber

Having orchestrated and participated in such a positive L&D event, it was interesting to listen to the thoughts of Peter Cheese on Friday.  He has been the Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) - the world’s largest Chartered HR and development professional body - since July 2012 .  Mr Cheese stated that he is determined to “help guide HR towards making a difference”.  I would like to state that there are many exemplary HR professionals who are already doing so.  But there are always grounds for improvement.  I was concerned by his comment that there is all too frequently a disconnect between HR and L&D, with each at times being keen to disassociate itself from the other.  How can individuals and organisations adapt, grow and improve if they are not prepared to learn and develop?  The world around us changes so swiftly, with new technology, products and requirements arising almost daily; change is now a constant of working life.  Each of us needs to be alert to the requirements of the future and to strive for continuous improvement.  HR has a key role in enabling people and organisations to become what they need to be, to ensure success and growth.
 



Onwards and upwards

Peter Cheese is right that HR must be commercial and pragmatic, demonstrating an understanding of the context in which a business operates, appreciating the financial drivers that enable its success and demonstrating in-depth organisational knowledge.  HR must be (and be seen as) a business function and bring the people knowledge to the commercial discussions.  One of the joys of working in HR is the ability to be forward thinking, looking at individuals‘ potential and helping employees to develop the skills and capabilities required to take them and the business to the next stage.  My team and I work closely with Finance and, by combining our knowledge and understanding, we are able to provide more effective support to the business than we if we operated in silos.  The accountants‘ ability to assess and review business performance is invaluable.  HR takes this down to individual contribution and capability and works with people to ensure that the business has what it needs to move forward.  In my opinion, it is harsh to view Finance solely as the rear view mirror in the car - looking back at what has been done.  However, there is immense value to be gained from understanding the path that was taken and spotting speeding vehicles that might wish to overtake.  Finance is expert at measuring performance against pre-determined KPIs, helping to identify issues as they arise and highlighting areas of decline or weakness.  All businesses need  faster responses to a changing world.   HR must be proactive, shaping and building businesses, turning insight into action.  Great L&D is a wonderful way to build future success and growth - when it all falls into place the feeling is amazing for all involved and the results speak for themselves.