What is QTrac:

QTrac is a ground breaking analytics and benchmarking offering from Bernard Hodes Group that utilizes a surveys and polls to ensure ROI on the key factors that impact employment brand. Those key factors being: Source Effectiveness, Recruiting Process Effectiveness, Brand Impact, and Retention.

QTrac will gather information that will identify and prioritize the needs and expectations of the target groups you wish to reach and uncover the employees’ perceptions of the existing employer brand. This will help determine how the employer brand has evolved in the mindset of the target audience.

QTrac queries employees’ impressions of everything from recruiting process and brand awareness to source of hire and job fit. Even Hiring Managers impressions can also be captured regarding the recruiting process, quality and quantity of candidates submitted during the recruiting process and their performance overtime. The new hire and hiring manager surveys can take place simultaneously in order to capture process gaps and identify opportunities for improvements.

QTrac has the ability to collect the voices at every stage of the Employer Brand Life Cycle to develop a comprehensive strategy to enhance future voices and enable continuous improvement through consulting & recommendations from experienced HR Consultants which will drive strategic recommendations and a roadmap for improvement. We will monitor and track the process of the employer branding strategy and translate this data into robust HR metrics and provide reports, industry comparison, and benchmarking.

What is Employer Brand:

An employer brand is a long-standing relationship cycle of experiences between the employee and the employer. Having an effective employment brand means providing an enticing proposition for one to seek opportunities at an organization. A strong employer brand is essential to prevent turnover. Lower turnover improves financial performance.

It is critical to note that by 2010 the US could have a shortfall of 10M workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which means that the Gen X and Gen Y will be the target workers and these workers make employment choices based on brand.

Unfortunately, most corporate recruiting managers spend less than 5% of their budgets on the powerful long-term solution of having a strong employer brand which is designed to bring in a steady flow of high-quality applicants over a period of many years. In direct contrast, firms that have taken the time to invest in building a great employment brand like Google and Southwest Airlines who have not only dominated their industries, but does not have a talent shortage problem. Publicly held companies that have strong employer brands deliver superior financial results in a solid economy. Southwest, FedEx, Aflac, Toyota Motor North America are examples of companies who have an unwritten

policy of cutting cost without cutting staff. They shorten work weeks, place hiring freezes, and engage their employees with training sessions or classes. This method produces loyal and hard working employees.

One of the major drawbacks to such a policy is the risk of failing. If the company has to go back on its word, anything it says after that could be perceived as one more promise that will be broken.

Employment brand strategy is most effective when it connects with talent consistently, at every phase of the employee lifecycle. This long term strategy creates perceptions, identity, values, promises in which cultivates meaningful connections so they can in turn deliver what the business promises to customers. A new path to customer loyalty is happy customers are a result of happy and engaged employees. Aligning the internal and external branding efforts has many advantages and provides ample opportunity for improving ROI. Develop great leaders and make sure they live the employment brand in principle and practice every day. Talent will prove to be your organization’s most significant competitive advantage.

Did you know:

76% of consumers use companies’ treatment of employees in their purchasing decisions according to an article from SHRM’s HR Magazine.

57% of the Fortune 200 and a growing percentage of the Global 500 had both dedicated headcount and budget working on employment branding.

Bringing Employment Brand to Life Case Study:

The Warehouse Group, a publicly-list limited liability company, is one of New Zealand’s largestest retailers with more that 8,500 employees. In 2007 they achieved sales revenue of 1.8 billion and a net profit of 115,5 million.

In efforts for attracting and retaining staff as a long-term strategy, The Warehouse launched a new careers website at www.thewarehousecareers.co.nz/ and implemented Snaphire as the e-recruitment system.

The careers website is the showcase of their employer brand. The website has the advantage of containing large volumes of information that can easily be update with the flexibility of tailoring information to appeal to the demographic groups they want to attract. The brand “Start here. Go anywhere” is fully integrated into the website. The feature many of the team members which helps bring the brand to life and “living proof” of the brand. People feel proud to know those featured, what they stand for, and their achievements. This emotional connection with the brand has helped to increase engagement. They recognized that taking a more proactive approach to sourcing high-quality candidates and increasing the focus on retaining good performers were critical for them to achieve the strategic objectives. They developed an employer brand that is

closely linked to the corporate brand, but flexible enough to appeal directly to specific target groups. Google Analytics from Website:

- 3,000 unique visits per month- View an average 6-7 pages and spend between 6-7 minutes exploring the website- 15% bounce rate (when you leave without visiting anywhere else. 20% is really

hard to achieve but anything over 35% is cause for concern)- Increase direct traffic by over 18% (80% of traffic coming from the main website,

search engines such as Google or Seek, and in-store advertising- Six week project timeframe, 45K budget and an additional 20K has been spent on

updates

Innovative Site Features:

- Virtual tours of the business- Double-click business and see some of the people and actual profile pictures- The profiles provide photos and career biographies of some of their team

members and their diverse career paths that clearly demonstrate the employer brand. Profiling team members and their career stories has been exceptionally well received, making people feel proud to work for them. Including promotions and department changes

- To attract people into role that are hard to fill:o Video interviews as a first hand perspective of what these roles entail and

how the business workso Links to employee blogs (free google blogs which is updated monthlyo “Week in the Life” calendar to show more detailed job information.

- Each department is profiled with key achievements and types of roles available in each area.

- In-depth Career Path information which is targeted at current employees to show the types of opportunities available beyond traditional roles. In a graphical way, the types of traditional and non-traditional career paths are shown alongside video profiles of current incumbents

- 50 great reasons to work for The Warehouse with links to more detailed information when available

- Examples and access to the innovative talent management system, development opportunities (including a case study)

- Samples of the psychometric test used during the recruitment process - Online applications form using screening questions to make sure they are

recruiting people with the right level of experience, work permits, and qualifications

- History, core purpose including video, commitment to being a sustainable business, and details on the non-profit organizations they support

- Specific location information which includes further department-specific career path information, audio blogs, executive and board member profile

Bottom Line Results:

- 68% reduction in advertising spend: 100K savings annually- 69% reduction in recruitment agency spend: 350K annual reduction is due to the

ability to attract candidates directly through the website and tap into candidates in the talent pool required

- 78% reduction in the average cost per hire (for all hires using metrics above)- 80% reduction in new-hire failure rate in stores (those who leave within a three

month period of joining (3.5K is the cost of replacing a store member, 200K bottom-line savings in six months)

Over time, this will have a significant impact on the business as the quality and capability increases due to better hiring decisions as managers can afford to be very selective about whom they hire. A key intangible benefit is that the careers website has had a very positive impact on The Warehouse’s reputation as an employer, which is also likely to have a positive spin-off effect on the whole retail industry as it showcases all the benefits of retail as a career. Focusing on building the employer brand is helping them to differentiate themselves from the ever-increasing competition in the retail sector.

There are many indicators that the perception of The Warehouse as an employer has changed significantly. The talent pool has grown as people now consider them a legitimate career choice. There was a competition to encourage team members to go online and explore the careers website. They have mentioned that the site “makes them feel proud to work for us.”

Feedback from candidates applying for roles has also been very positives. They like being able to easily access in-depth information about The Warehouse and the interactive elements, which encourages them to spend more time exploring the site. The work of the employer brand and careers websites has lead to them being nominated as a finalist in the World Retail Awards in the Employer of the Year category.

How to execute an effective and efficient Employment Branding Strategy (Agency Perspective):

Answering the following five questions (and sub issues) is the foundation that must be established before any other work takes place. If any one of these questions are not answered thoroughly, it will leave issues open to exploration later down the road that could derail even the best-intentioned effort.

The five questions include:

1. What current business conditions are driving the need for employment branding?

a. Are the business conditions consistent across the enterprise or do they vary by region, product line, profession function, manager, etc?

b. How volatile are the business conditions? Can they change in a week, a month, a quarter, a year, etc?

c. How does each business condition impact the organization’s capability or capacity to achieve its strategic objectives?

d. What possible labor types can be used to mitigate or leverage the business conditions?

Business conditions = environment, time, regions, etc that well directly fluctuates the company’s profitability.

The key in responding to this question is to determine not only how the program should be focused, but also to establish what segments of the labor market need to be targeted, and what the maximum cycle time can be to impact perception and drive action by solicit talent.

Many organizations erroneously assume that they have a single employment brand. In reality, employment brand can vary throughout the organization. While some attributes are specific to the organization as a whole, many are not.

2. What does the organization hope to accomplish via employment branding?a. Does the employment branding program solely need to drive recruiting, or

does it also need to impact retention and motivation/productivity?b. What will be different down the road in terms of the capability and

capacity of the organization to achieve its objectives as a result of employment branding?

The key in responding to this question is specifics. The branding program must specify who will be impacted, to what degree, and on what timeline. This question is simply about drawing a line in the sand and setting clear goals about accountability.

3. What specific objectives will take advantage of or mitigate the impact of the driving business conditions?

a. What is the optimal ration of labor resources needed to mitigate or take advantage of the business conditions, and how will each segment of the labor resources need to be manipulated?

b. Can a single initiative drive the requisite talent to the organization, or will it take multiple initiatives to piece-meal the right composition of labor?

c. Is the labor market capable of allocating the optimal ratio of labor needed to the organization or are long-term, development-oriented impacts needed?

In responding to this question, organizations need to be specific about what will be done to bring each and every segment of labor needed to the organization. This isn’t shotgun “employer of choice” approach. Instead, this is really targeted work.

4. What will be both in- and out-of-bounds for the employment branding program?

a. Where does the employer branding program sit in terms of organizational power? Can it drive changes to the recruiting strategy, organizational design, budgets, etc?

b. How will the employer branding program ensure the organization’s ability to deliver on any brand promise established?

c. How will the employer deal with barriers to establishing the brand?

This is the 10,000-pound gorilla in this set of questions. You could answer every other question to the nth degree of specificity, get it right, and still fail miserably if you don’t get this question answered. Too many branding organizations are lame-duck organization with no authority to manage the product being produced.

5. What specific deliverables will the program produce?a. What methodologies and tools with the program design to assess the

current brand perception; the ideal brand perception necessary to attract the requisite talent; communication channels and their ability to influence the target markets; and program performance?

b. How will the methodologies and tools be integrated into the business so that they do not become stand alone HR activities?

c. What lifecycle will each deliverable possess?

All too often, branding programs bounce around from activity to activity, failing to produce any deliverables that can be evaluated, systematized, or even repeated. In responding to this question, branding organizations need to specify what will be produced, who will own the product, and what maintenance cycle will be needed to maintain the product.

These five questions seem simple enough, but they truly are loaded questions. There is a minefield of issues behind each question; any could render your investment a waste, or even worse, a liability. Never manage based on your own perceptions, but rather those of the parties you are trying to influence. Begin with the end in mind.

7 tactics that can be done to ensure the employment brand strategy becomes a distinct competitive advantage:

1. Partner with marketing. Simply following communications guidelines and/or ensuring that the employment brand aligns with the corporate brand initiatives. As mentioned before, aligning the internal and external branding efforts has many advantages and provides ample opportunity for improving ROI.

2. Conduct executive interviews. Understand what the perceptions of the current and desired work experience.

3. Conduct employee population focus groups. Great opportunity to understand what you can do better. A comparison of the executive and employee insights serves as a useful “gap analysis” where a sizable difference in opinion or perception should

raise a red flag. Effort to bridge any measurable gap will positively impact employee engagement.

4. Institute recruiter effectiveness training. When most effective, employment brand strategy is consistent at every employee touch point.

5. Improve the user experience on the careers section of your website. This is simply the best and most important place to extend your unique employment value proposition. The site should leave them with an image and real understanding of what is special about working for your organization. Consider video streaming, career pathing, and “a day in the life of” features to serve as a demonstration of what you offer. Deliver a user experience online that makes people want to apply for a job. This is often the first interface you have with talent. Make it memorable.

6. Focus on onboarding. Ensure a quality start to the relationship; you never get a second chance to make a first impression. If the impression you create during the hiring process is markedly different from the employee’s first day on the job or current experience, you have taken the first step of disengagement. Basic orientation is no longer enough to ensure that a meaningful connection lasts beyond acceptance and throughout the first year of employment which is the most significant period as it pertains to long-term retention.

7. Engage with employees. Improving internal communications can significantly impact engagement of your employee especially in order to keep your best people on board. Effective crafted internal communication builds trust, establishes clearly defined expectations, helps rally people around a compelling or unifying mission and reinforces the valued contributions of the employee population. Remind people what you are doing really well. The grass is not always greener on the other side and sometimes we can forget how good we have it. It is encouragement.

How Clients Should Implement an Employer Branding Strategy and Why in a Down Economy (Client Perspective):

Due to the economic slowdown, hiring freezes and massive layoffs has caused some organizations and their respective Human Resources gatekeepers to retrench and even eliminate recruitment and retention initiatives such as communication expenditures and no long talk key audience which are existing and potential employees.

Reason why this is not a smart decision:

- This plan will leave organizations vulnerable once the economy has regained momentum

- Employees will become disengaged and not as productive- Companies will find themselves in the catch up mode to other organizations who

continued to engage and communicate to their employees during the recession

Six Steps to Implement a Sound and Effective Employer Brand:

1. Develop a series of measurable and attainable business objectives for your employer branding campaign.

2. Enlist the services of a recruitment advertising agency to focus on employer branding strategies and execution.

3. Launch an information gathering process that will identify and prioritize the needs and expectations of the target groups you wish to reach. Uncover the employees’ perceptions of the existing employer brand through primary marketing research. Use a firm that has experience in HR communications strategy. This disciple will help determine how the employer brand has evolved in the mindset of the target audience.

4. Have an agency create an employer brand strategy built on foundation of vital information and data that will resonate with the target audiences. Validate this strategy with key constituencies.

5. Execute the employer branding strategy, following the creative and media guidelines established by your agency.

6. Monitor the progress of your employer branding strategy through a well-defined response management program. Be certain to track employees’ referrals, processed resumes, tendered and accepted offers, retention rates, and job posting hits. Remember to review action timelines for each of the aforementioned activities.

Understanding Loyalty through Surveying:

Many organizations regularly conduct employee surveys as a part of larger strategic initiatives to retain top performers, boost morale, and identify problems early on. Employees are more than willing to share their views and preferences. However, organizations often take this willingness for granted and end up missing opportunities to get more from their surveys.

HR Managers charged with overseeing employee surveys are challenged by technical details such as:

- Developing Questions- Hosting the Survey- Doing the Analysis- Making Sense of the Results

Why Participation Matters and How to Encourage It:

Internal surveys can be a powerful measure of engagement. Filling out a survey requires a measure of trust and belief in an employer. Employees who don’t care or don’t trust won’t bother with surveys. Higher participation rates suggest higher employee engagement in organizations. When response rates for internal surveys dip below 30

percent, it becomes increasingly difficult to judge how well respondents’ answers represent the attitudes of all employees.

Employees Are More Likely to Participate in Workplace Surveys If:

1. They view the survey questions as personally relevant and meaningful2. They trust that they will not get in trouble for giving their honest views3. They believe that management will consider their input and act on it, if

appropriate

During the development of the survey questions, current employees should serve on the survey advisory committee to give employees a voice but to also surface important issues and concerns that may not be evident to management.

Guaranteeing that individual employee results will be kept confidential is also essential when surveys collect sensitive information of any kind, therefore organizations hire outside experts to design and administer surveys outside of the organization’s firewall as well as tabulate the results to insure confidentiality and increase credibility. Such actions can increase employees’ willingness to participate and raise their confidence that the results will be analyzed professionally and reported objectively.

Support from the CEO or executive staff, often evidenced by a letter of introduction to the survey, can lend credibility to a survey initiative. Survey clarity and length are also important. Organizations should be especially cautious about “stuffing” too many questions into a survey. Those whose surveys take longer than 10-15 minutes to complete may see both a drop-off in the number of employees willing to finish and a reduction in the quality of answers to questions at the end of a survey. Allowing employees to complete survey at work “on the clock” can also make a difference.

Reporting the Survey Results:

Surveys are like many work project in that, when employees take time to participate and share their input, they like to know the results. To avoid later confusion or disappointment, management should set clear expectations for when and how the results will be reported back to employees.

Management doesn’t need to reveal the full report, only the key findings in a variety of ways including electronically, in written form, or through a discussion forum. Omitting negative results can sometimes be more damaging than including them. Accurately summarize the views expressed in the survey and be prepared to address and take action on important issues raised by the survey results. Employees should know that the executives care about issues that matter to employees. Organizations should avoid surveying employees on issues they are not prepared to address. “Stirring the pot” creates expectations and evokes strong emotions and responses simply by having employees reflect on particular issues.

If employees perceive that management is unresponsive following a survey, the fallout may hurt morale and will almost surely limit management’s ability to accurately tap employee attitudes through future surveys.

Metrics and Why Should We Measure:

Metrics demonstrate HR’s strategic value. Metrics/Measures are used interchangeably. Measures are indicators of change overtime. Data: pieces of information or evidence that have little or no meaning on their own. Measure: data that have meaning because they are placed in context. A metric is point-in-time, but measures are the most powerful to track overtime to get a accurate, full, clear picture of what is going on and put them in context. HR should educate their customers on the value of intervention driven by metrics.

Value is defined by the receiver more than the giver. We may build elegant programs and practices, but until and unless someone finds them of value, they are not. Measures that demonstrate positive outcomes from investments are effective HR interventions.

Questions That Should Be Answered After/Before HR Measures:

- What difference did HR make to our customers?- Why am I measuring this?- What goal does this measure affect?- Does senior management care about these measures?- What action can someone take based on this measure?

HR should focus on the outcomes and address the extent to which HR affects the organization’s goals and outcomes, this will demonstrate HR’s impact, Example: Quality of candidates hired instead of HR’s performance, Example: HR activities, methods, processes, and deliverables. Data should drive action, if not, it is a waste of time.

HR cost vs. Investment:

HR is viewed as a cost and a drag on the organization. HR should be viewed as an investment, HR has unlimited opportunities to add value by advancing the organization’s agenda.

- Cost Perspectiveo HR initiatives can reduce the cost of turnover, thus increasing profitabilityo There’s a limit to how much costs can be reduced, so the impact is short-

term- Investment Perspective

o When HR provides the environment necessary to retain good performers, employees can establish long-term relationships with customers

o The payoff for increasing customer retention has long-term implications for profitability

Align HR interventions with business needs. HR is the driver of organizations because we HR touch every part of the business. Business problems more often than not are HR issues.

CEO Issues ARE HR Issues

- Managing teams- Finding high-quality people- Communicating a strategic vision- Ensuring consistent quality- Ensuring good internal controls- Instilling a unified culture- (non-HR) Understanding customers- (non-HR) Building consumer brand

Make sure that the Key Measures represent areas of need to know vs. nice to know business impact/needs. Tie back all measures to goals or opportunities. All measures must be aligned with overall business needs. This metrics are leading measures which indicate future direction.

Recruiting Effectiveness:

What is Attract, Retain, Repel as it relates to culture:- The ability to understand who you are from a cultural perspective- Being crystal clear on what your culture is as you create an employer brand- Employees will be either attracted to your organization or be repelled by this

brand- Employees who do come to work for you and enjoy an authentic and congruent

work experience will stick around – retain – and talk to other people about how pleased they are

What is Attract, Retain, Repel as it relates to recruitment and retention = ROI- Attract – how can you get the best of the best from the current and future talent

pool?- Retain – how will you keep the good ones you have that really are a good fit?- Repel – how can you keep the ones that just don’t fit from applying in the first

place?

Rada and EMERGE study 2007

- 89% Agree that Employment branding efforts provides a competitive edge in our recruiting efforts

- 67% Our company’s employment brand helps attract top talent- 60% Our company’s employment brand helps retain top talent- 85% Employment branding is important to my company

- 49% Employment branding is one of the top five strategic initiatives for my company in the upcoming year

- 36% We have budgeted dollars for 2007 to work on our employment brand

How does organizational culture relate to employment branding:- Vision, Mission, Values – leaders create and sustain organization culture (Future

perspective)- A common way of thinking, which drives a common way of acting- Shared assumptions and beliefs: the silent code of conduct- It is the glue that holds an organization together or not- It is your employment BRAND in the truest form whether you have created it or

not- How employees feel they fit and identify with the organization

Cult-like cultures:- Strong sense of identity BRAND a core ideology – they are very clear about who

the are and who they are not- Greater tightness of fit. Employees either “buy-in” or “get out”- Self selection process… “this is not for me”- They create a sense of belonging internally and superiority externally

ExamplesSouthwest Airlines: “F” words Fast, Fun, and Friendly

Food For Thought:- Be specific about how the company plans on following up with candidates after

in-person interview- Explain that the hiring process could take several weeks and ask that the

candidate be patient to receive a response- Encourage candidates to check back with the company after a set time period has

passed

Questions Job Seekers should ask:- What is it like to work at your company?- What skills and attributes are needed to be successful in this role?- What characteristics does your company value the most in its employees?- How do you define success at your company?- How is good performance measured and rewarded?

Questions Interviewers should ask:- What type of work environment brings out your best performance?- What type of work environment are you lest likely to thrive in?- What did you like best/least about your last job and why?- Considering your greatest accomplishments in previous roles, what were the

factors that allowed you to be successful?

Onboarding Programs:

The purpose of onboarding is to begin to make emotional and functional connections with new hires so they can begin to feel a profound sense of commitment to your business. And it should last more that a day. At P&G, for example, onboarding covers an employee’s first year with the company, with milestone events held at or after the six- and twelve month anniversary dates. Onboarding starts when the job offer is extended and last until the person can perform well and begins to be considered a fully functioning team member.

Best-in-class onboarding initiatives can lead to a 100% increase in retention rates; a 60% improvement in an employee’s productivity.

65% of employees make their decision to leave a company within the first month and 4% of employees actually leave their new job the first day. According to SHRM

Errors of Onboarding to Avoid:

1. Calling it orientation instead of onboarding. Onboarding also know as assimilation, lasts longer, occurs at several organizational levels, is metric-driven, and has a greater business impact

2. Overloading new hires. Because new hires are apprehensive and this is putting them under pressure

3. Failing to extend the timeframe. The best programs start before the employee’s first day (pre-boarding) and continues for up to six to 12 months

4. Not including onboarding at multiple levels. Corporate, Location, Department, Team/Job, Individual

5. No Metric or accountability. The best programs include metrics that cover time to productivity, new hire retention/termination rates, new hire error rates, new hire referrals, and program ROI. Hiring managers also need to be held accountable by including their onboarding success rates in their performance appraisals and their bonus formula

6. Failing to reinforce the employment brand7. Delays in offering onboarding

Engagement/Recognition and Reward:

Generations Perspective of What Keeps Them Engaged:

Most people want the same things from their jobs no matter what their age. But the things that cause disengagement and the actions employees will thk when they lose interest in their jobs can differ by generation.

Findings from The Learning Café consulting firm.

Motivators:

- All generations #1 motivator: challenging, stimulation, varied work- Millennials (1977-1998, 11-32) want to work on a variety of substantial,

important projects that allow them to learn and use new skills- Baby Boomers(1949-1964, 45-60) and the Silent Generation (1933-1948, 61-76)

said it’s important for their work to make a meaningful impact on the success of the organization

- Millennials and GenXers (1965-1976, 33-44) as the newest generation to the workforce, both seek career growth, learning and development. GenXers agree with their elder colleagues on the importance of making a difference on the job

- Millennials have “high self esteem” and listed pay as their second most motivator. Their salary expectations are higher than the market’s reality and they feel undervalued is the pay is inadequate

- GenXers (who might be in the midst of raising a family, were the only group to place healthy work/life balance/flexibility on their list of top four motivators.

- Boomers often called the “me generation” place a high value on appreciation for the hard work and extra hours they put in

- Silent Generation who generally have more experience than anyone else in the workplace want autonomy and the ability to innovate

Demotivators:- Millennials place a premium on challenging, varied work, they hate being bored- The other generations agree placing boredom, no challenge on their top four list- Three of the four generations get frustrated with an inability to learn, grow and

develop. - GenXers noted a key point for retaining members of this group as inability to

learn topped the list. - 77% of GenXers said they would leave a job for more intellectual stimulation- GenXers were the only group to place “no work/life balance” on their list of

demotivators- Baby Boomers # one demotivator is lack of appreciation, respect or recognition.

Often working 60-70 hours a week- Silent Generation cited “feeling undervalued” as their top demotivator. They

describe themselves least appreciated in the workforce

Hard working Baby Boomers might rub up against fun loving Millennials, who want to have friends at work, laugh and be free to move around the office instead of being isolated in cubicles. Boomers need to lighten up and know it is ok to take a break.

Boomers, the number of hours worked is a badge of honor and they might think GenX are slackers due to their flex time.

Recognition = Work Engagement

Watson Wyatt Worldwide shows that companies with employees who trust management enjoy 300% more profitability than companies with employees who don’t.

Recognition and incentive programs have proven to be a highly effective means of aligning the company strategy goals in the hands of employees who can make them a reality. People performance is everything. It is what distinguishes and differentiates top performing companies for those who may not survive. Statistics show that companies who manage and recognize their people outperform companies that don’t by 30-40%. Nothing drives revenue, cost savings or profitability like motivated and engaged employees. Give employees the information, tools, and recognition to engage them in your organization’s goals and they will deliver.

Job Satisfaction:

Establishing and supporting a climate of ongoing open communication betweenemployees and senior management is critical for organizations; this, in turn, providesdirection, actively engages employees and fosters trust and respect. Employeesshould not feel uncomfortable or afraid to pose questions, suggestions or concernsto management. Organizations should ask themselves the question, “Can employeesquestion the decisions of management without fear of repercussions?”13 There arevarious mechanisms that can be used to encourage feedback and communication fromemployees to senior management (bottom-to-top), such as employee attitude surveys. Focus groups and/or suggestion boxes. In addition, employees can also meet with their supervisors one-on-one to discuss any matters, regularly or as needed, and this can be used as a means of upward communication. Senior management communicate with employees so that employees understand the organization’s business goals, policies.

1. To better communicate the status of business goals, the all-staffmeeting was changed from annual to a monthly meeting, jointly ledby the CEO and vice president of HR. Updates were presented inscorecard format and posted on the company intranet.2. Department meetings were changed from monthly to semimonthlyto focus on discussions about employee and departmentcontributions to business goals and ways to improve communicationbetween employees and senior management.3. The performance appraisal system was revised to include a sectionto document individual employee support of critical business goals.4. I n all organizational communications, HR and senior managementfocused to create the link between each employee’s work and thebusiness goals.5. I n addition to the annual employee attitude survey, a poll aboutorganizational communication was designed and administeredevery six months.

Professional Development Opportunities (e.g., attending training or conferences, obtaining certifications) are meant to develop or enhance employees’ skills and knowledge so that they can use this information in their current positions, build their resume for future jobs and meet their

personal goals. 33% percent of employees indicated that an organization’s commitment to professional development was very important to job satisfaction.

Autonomy and IndependenceAutonomy and independence aspect of job satisfaction refers to the degree to which a jobprovides an employee with freedom and discretion to make decisions, such as schedulingwork and determining how it is to be done. Increased autonomy can give employees agreater sense of responsibility for the outcomes of their work and, in turn, may increasetheir satisfaction.

Management Recognition of Employee Job Performance

Recognition provides special attentionto employee actions, efforts, behavior or performance, and clear feedback aboutperformance leads to a better understanding of effective performance. Management canprovide recognition through praise or by offering awards or incentives for work on aspecial project, for example. It is a commonly held belief that employees will feel morecommitted to an organization if they believe that their efforts are valued.

Relationship With Immediate SupervisorThe relationship an employee has with his or her supervisor is a central element tothe employee’s affiliation to the organization, and it has been argued that employeebehavior is largely a function of the supervisor. Similar to senior management, whenthere are open lines of communication (e.g., encouraging an open door policy),supervisors can respond more effectively to the needs and problems of their employees.Employees who have positive relationships with their supervisors, where they feel safeand supported, may be more likely to share with their supervisor job-related problemsor even personal problems, which can be barriers to employee productivity. It is alsoimportant that supervisors set clear expectations and provide feedback about workperformance so as to avoid any potential frustrations or issues. For example, does theemployee know what he or she is supposed to do, the level at which he or she needs toperform and what constitutes good performance?

Compensation/Pay

HR literature generally shows that compensation is not the main motivator or satisfierfor most employees; however, financial security is one of the most fundamental humanneeds. Compensation will most likely remain in the forefront of the minds of employeesand employers given the rising costs of health care premiums and prescription drugbenefits, along with the push for consumer-directed health care plans. The rise in healthcare costs and the number of individuals and families without health insurance wereamong the top economic and demographic trends that have a major strategic impact onthe workplace, according to the SHRM Workplace Forecast.14

• Base rate of pay: 46% of employees and 38% of HR professionals viewed base rateof pay as very important to employee job satisfaction.

• Being paid competitively with the local market: 44% of employees and 54% of HRprofessionals rated this aspect as very important.• Opportunities for variable pay (bonuses, commissions, other variable pay, monetaryrewards for ideas or suggestions): 37% of employees and 29% of HR professionalsreported that this aspect was very important to job satisfaction.• Stock options: 11% of employees and 4% of HR professionals rated stock optionsas very important.

Benefits

Employee benefits serve as a powerful tool for increasing notonly employee satisfaction but also loyalty, productivity and recruitment and retentionefforts. Employees placed greater value on benefits in 2002 than in 2008.Benefits are a significant factor in an organization’s total budget and the reward packageoffered to employees. According to SHRM’s 2008 Employee Benefits survey report, HRprofessionals reported that their organizations spent an average of 21% of an employee’sannual salary on mandatory benefits such as FICA and unemployment and 18% onvoluntary benefits such as health care and retirement benefits (but excluding leavebenefits).This translates into additional income for employees.HR is tasked with finding the right mix of employee benefits that satisfies the personaland financial needs of the current and potential workforce, given existing businessconditions and cost constraints. It is important for organizations to take into accountand anticipate the needs, preferences and makeup of their workforce when consideringbenefits offerings. Finding a cost-effective and affordable benefits package is particularlychallenging, given the high costs of offering benefits, particularly health care costs. Inaddition, the benefits provided should match the overall business strategies and supportthe organization’s mission, vision and philosophy.

• H ealth care/medical benefits: 64% of employees and 78% of HR professionalsrated this benefit as very important to employee job satisfaction.• Paid time off (e.g., vacation, holiday, sick days, personal days, etc.): 58% ofemployees and 67% of HR professionals indicated that this benefit was veryimportant.• Retirement benefits (e.g., defined contribution plans such as 401(k) and definedbenefit plans such as pensions): 55% of employees and 46% of HR professionalsreported that this benefit was very important to employee job satisfaction.• F amily-friendly benefits (life insurance for dependents, subsidized child care, eldercare referral service, etc.): 40% of employees and 23% of HR professionals ratedfamily-friendly benefits as very important.

Flexibility to Balance Life and Work Issues

it has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on productivity, attraction, motivation and retention. Work/life balance does appeal to particular groups of employees—those with two year or less of job tenure found work/life balance to be a more important aspect

of job satisfaction than did employees with six to 10 years and 16 or more years oftenure (Table 7), and female employees rated this aspect as more important than maleemployees did (Table 10), as did employees 35 and younger compared with those 36and over (Table 5). Work/life balance was also reported as a job satisfaction contributormore frequently by HR professionals in large organizations than by HR professionals inmedium organizations (Table 8).Work/life includes a specific set of organizational practices, policies, programs anda philosophy that help employees meet the demands of their work and personal life.Initiatives can take the form of health and wellness support, financial support, paidand unpaid time off and workplace flexibility. These types of benefits offerings arefurther explored in the SHRM survey report titled 2008 Employee Benefits.21 Flextime(59%), some form of telecommuting (ad-hoc, part-time or full-time basis) (57%) andcompressed workweeks (37%) are examples of ways in which organizations provideflexibility for their employees.

Work Environment

Overall, compared with employees’ actual responses, HR professionals predictedcorporate culture and relationships with co-workers to be more important to employeejob satisfaction, while they underestimated the importance of the meaningfulness of thejob, corporate social responsibility, ‘green’ workplaces and variety of work (Table 3). Thesefindings suggest that by focusing on these areas, HR professionals may discover tools toincrease not only satisfaction but also employee retention.

Job Security

With the threat of a possible recession, corporate bankruptcies, layoffs and/orterminations may be an unfortunate reality for some businesses and their employees.Economic and employment trends also reveal that organizations are increasinglyoutsourcing and offshoring their jobs. For example, HR services such as recruiting,benefits and compensation are often being outsourced, while manufacturing, service and technology jobs are being sent overseas. Offshoring has become a more viable optionfor many business operations due to advances in technology. In addition, global trendsindicate an increased competition for jobs and key talent. With the increasing numbers ofbaby boomers retiring and a shortage of skilled workers, employers may need to look foralternative sources to find knowledge workers outside of the United States, for example.These were among the top economic/employment and global trends that have a majorstrategic impact on the workplace, according to the recent SHRM Workplace Forecast.25Given these trends, it should come as no surprise that employees in the current study were most concerned about the prospect of losing their job.

Meaningfulness of Job

When employees find their work meaningful and fulfilling, they are more likely to besatisfied and do their work well. Some people derive meaning through giving back.

Meaningfulness of job was more important to employees in the educational servicesand health industries compared with employees in the manufacturing (durable goods)industry, and for employees in the educational services industry compared with theservice (profit) industry (Table 11). Female employees were more likely to indicate thatthis factor was more important to their job satisfaction, compared with male employees

Organization’s Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility

An organization’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) involvesbalancing financial performance with contributions to the quality of life of itsemployees, the local community and society at large. A broad range of practices andactivities fall under the umbrella of CSR, such as charitable donations, cause marketing/branding and partnering with environmentally friendly suppliers/companies. As shownin Figure 22, nearly twice as many employees (33%) as HR professionals (17%) ratedthe organization’s commitment to corporate social responsibility as very important.Organizations that practice corporate social responsibility have a stronger appeal forcertain employees, particularly female employees (Table 10) and employees from largeorganizations (Table 4). As shown in a recent SHRM survey, CSR practices can improvevarious organizational factors, including employee morale and employee retention.

Organization’s Commitment to a ‘Green’ WorkplaceApproximately one-fourth of employees (23%) believed the organization’s commitmentto a ‘green workplace,’ one that is environmentally sensitive and resource efficient, wasvery important, compared with only 8% of HR professionals (Figure 23). Accordingto the SHRM Green Workplace Survey Brief, the three top drivers of environmentallyresponsible programs, as reported by employees, were contribution to society, publicrelations strategy and health and safety considerations.27 A ‘green’ workplace wasperceived as more important to job satisfaction by employees from large organizationscompared with employees from small organizations.

Overall Corporate Culture

Figure 24 looks at the overall corporate culture—the organization’s reputation, workethics, values and working conditions—as it relates to job satisfaction. The definitionof corporate culture varies, but culture consists of the collective attitudes and behaviorof individuals within the organization—the explicit and implicit expectations, normsof behavior and standards of performance. Similar proportions of employees (40%)and HR professionals (41%) believed that the corporate culture was very importantto job satisfaction. Employees in large organizations were more likely to indicatethat the corporate culture was important to job satisfaction than employees in smallorganizations (Table 4). Female employees rated this facet of job satisfaction as moreimportant than male employees did (Table 10).

Relationships With Co-Workers

Figure 25 examines relationships with co-workers and their impact on employee job

satisfaction. Depending on the type of position, there are some jobs where employeeswork predominately on their own, while other jobs involve regular collaboration withco-workers. Regardless, projects often require employees to work together to accomplisha common goal, so teamwork skills are important for success. How important is therelationship with co-workers to employees’ job satisfaction? According to four out of 10employees (39%) and HR professionals (38%), this factor is very important. Contraryto 2002, relationship with co-workers was rated more important by employees in 2008(Table 6). HR professionals in health and high-tech industries placed greater value on thisaspect than HR professionals in government agencies did (Table 12).

Contribution of Work to the Organization’s Business Goals

Contributing to the organization’s overall business goals can give employees a clearersense of their role (e.g., how their work fits into the bigger picture) and the significanceand relevance of their work to business goals. As reflected in Figure 26, this aspectwas viewed by 34% of employees and 25% of HR professionals as very important toemployee job satisfaction. Female employees placed more value on this aspect than maleemployees did (Table 10).

The Work Itself

It can be rather difficult for employees to remain motivated and satisfied with theirjobs when their work is not interesting, challenging or exciting. In general, a similarproportion of employees have rated this aspect as very important over the years.However, this year was the first time that this aspect appeared on the employees’ topfive list, placing fifth. Forty-seven percent of employees indicated that the work itselfwas very important to job satisfaction, compared with 39% of HR professionals. Thesedata are illustrated in Figure 27. This element of job satisfaction was more importantin 2008 compared with 2007, according to HR professionals (Table 9). These dataindicate that employees want more from their work experience. They want a job wherethey derive enjoyment and that also challenges them to do more, be better.

Variety of Work

It has been argued that employees will be more satisfied with their jobs and find theirwork more meaningful when there is skill variety. Similar to the work itself aspect, thisincludes providing employees with opportunities to work on different assignments anduse different skills. HR professionals underestimated the importance of this componentto employee satisfaction: 35% of employees, compared with 20% of HR professionals,indicated that variety of work was very important.

Employee attitude or satisfaction surveys: These surveys can reveal a wealth ofinformation about employees’ perceptions, given that the surveys are properly designedand conducted. In addition to improving the workplace, the information can be usedto support the organization’s strategic objectives. Administering an employee attitudesurvey can send a positive message to employees that their views are considered

important. Employers can successfully do the survey in-house; however, outsourcingit to a third party can save time and give greater credibility and confidentiality to theresults. And, with some third parties, employers may have the option to benchmarksurvey results against the results of other comparable organizations. Employers needto make a concerted effort to gain the trust of employees by ensuring that responsescannot be directly linked back to an individual employee and that individual responsesare kept confidential. Employees’ fears can be reduced with detailed and clearcommunications from HR, including information about the purpose of the survey, howthe survey results will be used and the steps taken to ensure confidentiality.If employee attitude or satisfaction surveys are used, an organization must commit thatit will listen to what employees have to say, address their concerns openly and honestlyand make changes based on the survey results. Employees will want accountability forhow their opinions are being dealt with and the changes that have come as a result oftheir ideas. If the results are delayed, used improperly or ignored, it may be harder toget participation in future surveys.Exit interviews or surveys: Although exit interviews or surveys provide the employerwith some invaluable insight, they do not afford the employer the opportunity tointervene early on and work out a possible solution with the employee. Anotherunfortunate consequence is that the exit interview or survey may provide employerswith slightly biased results since it is likely that at least some of the employees leavingthe organization may be unhappy or disgruntled. This may account for lower perceivedoverall employee job satisfaction levels by HR professionals. One suggestion is fororganizations to incorporate “stay interviews.” These types of interviews are conductedwith current employees with the intent of understanding what factors influenceemployees to continue to work at the organization.Feedback sessions and performance reviews: Although employees may be reluctant to talkone-on-one with their employers about how they feel about their jobs, employers canencourage open lines of communication and ongoing feedback sessions (outside ofperformance evaluations) to deal with any concerns early on. As previously discussed,when employees and supervisors have a good relationship where they feel safe andsupported, the employees are likely to share work-related issues. Feedback fromemployees during performance reviews may also have inherent biases because employeesmay not be completely honest at a time when their job performance and their possiblemerit increases are being discussed.Focus groups: Typically six to 10 individuals are invited to participate in a structureddiscussion on a particular topic, which may last one to three hours. Focus groups areoften used to gain a more in-depth look at specific issues raised during a survey, or theymay be used independently of any survey to learn about employee attitudes. In orderfor focus groups to be effective, care should be taken when planning the focus groupWhen selecting a moderator (typically an independent third party), it is important thatthe moderator possess competent facilitation and conflict resolution skills, along withan enthusiasm and expertise on the subject. Since focus groups comprise only a smallgroup of individuals within an organization, participants should be randomly selectedto help ensure that the opinions adequately represent the population. Although focusgroups allow HR to learn more about employee attitudes in a direct format, they can

also foster “group think,” may be difficult to control and do not always allow for deepdiscussions.Tracking turnover data: Tracking turnover data involves following changes in theworkforce resulting from voluntary or involuntary resignations. However, this methodmay or may not involve collecting specific information about why the employee left orhis or her perceptions about the organization and the job.Word of mouth: Employers also frequently learn about employee attitudes through wordof mouth, where there is a higher likelihood for the employer to receive inaccurate orincomplete information.

Metrics for Improving Referral Program Effectiveness (ERP)by Dr. John Sullivan

I recommend referrals as the foundation of any excellent recruiting program, followed by employment branding and then recruiting at professional events. However, I must warn the reader that referral programs are not all created equal, and a good number of them (well over 50 percent) provide no better than mediocre results because they have inherent design flaws. These design flaws occur because the directors of these programs invariably copy what others do as opposed to using metrics and data to tell them what works, why it works, and what doesn’t work.Basic Characteristics of Excellent ProgramsIn order to gather the “right” metrics about a referral program, you need to know upfront what the critical design elements are that turn good referral programs into great ones. Next, you need to have metrics that cover each of these critical areas if you expect to continually improve your results:

On-the-job performance. The primary reason for using referrals is because they produce better performers (quality of hire). Metrics must be developed to compare the performance of referrals versus new hires from other sources.

Retention rates. Because referral programs produce hires who stay longer, you should compare the difference in retention rates between referrals and other hires.

Proactive referrals. Most referral programs advertise or launch themselves and wait for individuals to find the time to refer candidates. The optimal approach proactively seeks out top performers and key individuals and then directly solicits them for names of the best candidates. Thus it’s critical to measure the percentage of referrals that come from proactive efforts.

Employee perceptions of the program. Measure how employees perceive the referral program. If employees see it as a program that benefits them (in that it guarantees that they work with the very best team members), then the program will produce excellent results. However, if they perceive it just as a method of earning extra money, the program is in trouble.

Speed and responsiveness. Paramount to building program engagement is the speed and responsiveness of the referral initiative. Because employees enthusiastically respond and refer when they get immediate feedback and results, the actual response time of the program must be measured.

Focus on critical jobs. Because referral programs, like all recruiting programs, produce greater results if they are focused on critical business units and mission-critical jobs, metrics programs must assess not just the raw number of referrals but whether they are occurring in key positions and jobs.

Lack of administrative rules. A majority of ERP programs are saddled with restrictions on who is not permitted to refer and policies that delay full payment for months. As a result, include measures of employee satisfaction and the percentage of employees (especially managers) who are eligible to participate.

Example Communication Strategy: November 2005Author: Louise Griffin

Introduction

This is a Strategy for confident communications at UWIC. We are making communications a priority here, ensuring it is an embedded part of our working practices.

This breaks away from the traditional Strategy where communications is a one way street, where we merely inform our stakeholders.

We want to find more creative and effective ways to reach all our stakeholders, those people and organisations with an interest in our work. When we have reached them, we must have the confidence to ask for their views and listen to what they have to say.

Once we have listened, we must make decisions and take action. We use communications again to explain what we are doing and why. An essential part of this process is to explain to stakeholders and others how they have helped shape our work.

What we mean by confident communications is having the confidence to listen, to take action, to let people know what we are doing and why. It also means having the confidence to know when we are wrong, to change course and then move forward.

This strategy starts the process. It will be reviewed continuously, and formally revised every year. It is a “living” document, changing and reforming as we adapt and reshape our communications to meet the challenges of the coming years.

2 Aims of the Strategy

The Strategy will encourage all internal and external stakeholders to recognise their role in on-going communications.

Through effective communications UWIC aims to maintain and raise its local and national profile, strengthen its competitive position regionally, nationally and internationally. It will develop its external relationships and improve the culture of the organisation through a considered approach to internal communications.

The Strategy and Implementation Plan encompasses external communications activity, which in the main lies within the remit of the Communications, Marketing & Student Recruitment Unit, but all stakeholders market UWIC and hence are critical to this Strategy. It also covers wide ranging internal communications activity which has impact UWIC wide.

2.1 Links to other UWIC Strategies and Initiatives

Staff and student communications involves all Units and Schools working closely with each other. The Communication and Human Resources Units have particular coordinating responsibilities to keep staff up to speed on Corporate plans, policies, changes and new ideas. The Communications Unit will regularly meet with the Head of the Human Resources team/Unit to advise and work together on future plans.

The Communications Strategy reflects the goals and priorities highlighted by the Corporate Strategic Plan.

This strategy overlaps with many policies and initiatives within UWIC including HR Strategy; Investors in People; Welsh Language Policy; Equality & Diversity Policy; Openness Policy; Publication Scheme; Electronic Communications Policy; Disaster Recovery Policy; Corporate Identity; Guidelines; Chartermark; Code of Practice on Inclusive Language.

3 External Communications

The focus of external communications is to raise the profile of UWIC and improve its image and identity using appropriate communications mechanisms.

3.1 Aims

To ensure a high level of awareness of UWIC’s role, vision and mission, and its place in the communities and regions that it serves. This also includes international communities.

To effectively communicate UWIC’s achievements and activities through regular liaison with and input from Schools and Units.

3.2 Objectives

1. To communicate UWIC achievements and performance effectively to stakeholders and the wider public, celebrating its successes and reaffirming its vision of providing higher education that promotes student employability.

2. To reinforce UWIC’s vision and mission as a student-centred organisation in publicity material.

3. To communicate that UWIC is a leading HEI working at the interface of research and enterprise.

4. To communicate information in sufficient detail to target audiences, using appropriate language.

5. To communicate openly to the communities it serves.

6. To raise awareness of UWIC facilities to students, as well as the general public.

7. To encourage students (potential and current as well as the general public) to provide feedback on UWIC activities and services.

8. To provide relevant, clear and concise written materials in inclusive language.

9. To improve access to information and services, especially ‘to hard to reach’ groups.

10. To ensure all communications follow corporate style guidelines.

3.3 Key Channels

Communication is the basic function of any organisation to ensure and maintain clear and open channels of communication and information sharing between and within teams and between the Senior Management Team/Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s Board. This Strategy complements that work using other more familiar and more structured staff communications practices as indicated below:

Corporate Communications In person by UWIC ambassadors – VC/SMT/Governors/Fellows Student Charter/Student Handbook/Academic Handbook U Magazine & U2 Magazine Corporate Feedback process Website : www.uwic.ac.uk Media Reception/Public information areas Governors’ Briefing

Service/Facility Communications Service Charters/Standards Service leaflets/guides Customer feedback mechanisms Direct contact (letter, phone, email) Website Media Service/Facilities newsletter (some services only) Reception/Public information areas

4 I nternal Communications

The focus of internal communications is open and confident dialogue between staff at all levels, where grade and payscale are not a barrier, making the difference between a successful organisation and a failing one. The key element of the ‘internal’ communications is between a manager and his/her School/Unit.

This dialogue cannot just be delegated to the Communications Unit or indeed any other Unit, we must maintain clear and open channels of communication and information sharing between and within Schools/Units.

The Communications Unit will play a key role in enabling staff and students to take part in the redevelopment of our website. In the longer term it will ensure we all take ownership of, and pride in, this key channel of communication.

4.1 Aims

To contribute towards the development of UWIC by having strong two-way internal communications. These should ensure a well informed and involved workforce and a senior management team which is in touch with staff and their concerns.

oFor all1 staff to feel valued in their roles and become natural ambassadors for UWIC.

1

oTo involve and engage UWIC’s staff and students in its decision making processes and in the development of UWIC.

oTo encourage all staff to share ownership of UWIC’s corporate objectives and developments.

oTo ensure all staff have access to the necessary information to communicate effectively and to undertake their roles.

oTo openly communicate with all staff/students.

4.2 Objectives

1. Encourage staff to communicate with colleagues and contribute to UWIC planning and development activity.

2. To develop, following a two-way consultation with staff, a co-ordinated internal communications framework to manage the effective circulation of announcements, achievements, developments and information.

3. To develop, in consultation with all staff, relevant and accessible communications methods for senders and receivers of communications.

4. To develop methods of easing the communication burden on staff by prioritising and clarifying communication routes. This should minimise communication overload by taking on board and acting on feedback from staff.

5. To ensure that staff have the information they need to do their work in an effective manner and a format relevant to their needs.

6. To implement policy guidelines and protocols that enhance the quality of communications, consistency and effectiveness.

7. Allocate clear ownership/responsibility for communicating to staff and ensure that they know where to obtain the appropriate piece of communication.

8. Include user-friendly response mechanisms with all communications which positively encourage feedback from staff.

9. To comply with confidentiality, privacy and data protection requirements, as appropriate and with the openness policy as appropriate.

10. All staff will be encouraged to contribute to organizational and policy changes.

11. To ensure that the effectiveness of communications is regularly monitored in consultation with staff. It should be modified periodically to maintain the highest standards.

5 Key Principles

UWIC is committed to providing excellent communications to all its audiences. Therefore, anyone communicating as its representative must embrace and follow some key principles:

Honest and open, two-way communication.

Strong, accurate and easily accessible communication.

All communication – spoken, written (whether presented on paper or electronically) – should be clear, easily understood, timely and kept up to date.

All published material should adhere to our accepted corporate style and be easily and instantly identifiable as originating from UWIC.

All communication should be accessible to all those who would benefit from it. This includes groups we recognise as being hard to engage eg part-time staff and students. Consequently the words and images used in communication should demonstrate inclusivity and be appealing to all appropriate audiences.

When communicating as part of a partnership, care must be taken to ensure all parties are happy with communication plans – the message, the tools and the timings must be agreed in advance.

6 Implementing the Strategy

The Strategy calls for a more structured approach to communications for both external and internal audiences. It is essential that staff understand what UWIC is trying to achieve and their role in helping make it happen.

Key communications priorities need to be identified and corporately supported and used as a driver for the Strategy’s Implementation plans.

7 Monitoring, Evaluation & Review

The aims and objectives are extremely far reaching and rely upon efficient and consistent use of a number of communications tools. We will periodically measure the success of the strategy and provide information regarding UWIC’s reputation and level of stakeholder satisfaction.

Data to inform the monitoring, evaluation and review of the strategy will be provided, for example, by:

- staff feedback - service user satisfaction surveys- student satisfaction surveys

The Action plan will be updated each year. The full Strategy will be reviewed periodically.

8 A shared Responsibility for the Communications Strategy

The Vice-Chancellor and VCPB members will be responsible for driving the Communications Strategy by actively, and demonstrably, applying its principles to all aspects of their work. All Heads of Schools/Units will take particular responsibility for

ensuring the successful implementation of the Communications Strategy within their areas of responsibility. Each Unit/School will assess its own commitment to the Communications Strategy and designate one or more ‘key communicator(s)’. As part of the corporate communications and consultation group, the key communicators will, amongst other things, be responsible for ensuring that their particular Unit contributes news to the Staff Newsletter, the ‘U’ magazine, UWIC’s web site and other corporate schemes of information.

The ultimate goal is to track the effectiveness of your HR Strategies from an Employer Brand perspective. Your effective and sustainable solutions will clearly demonstrate strategic value. The truth is that Human Resources is the driver of the organization and touches every part of the company. More often that not, business problems are HR issues.