Transcript Slide 1

HE HR/PR/IR – benefits
and concerns
Andy Fryer
ACU Glasgow Conference
15 July 2014
UCEA and HR/PR/IR
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association
(UCEA) provides member UK HE institutions with timely
advice and guidance on employment matters pivotal to
the sector. We anticipate change and support effective
employment relations, practice and reward strategies
within our member HE providers.
Our employer resources cover these major themes:
Clinical Academics, Employment Policy and Law, Health
and Safety, Pay and Negotiations, Pensions, Research
and Surveys……and Communications.
www.ucea.ac.uk
UCEA website
UCEA and HR/PR/IR
Head of Communications & Membership develops and
delivers an effective external relations strategy for UCEA
and its members. Provides provides communications
advice and support to members, oversees media
enquiries and plays a key role in managing the UCEA
profile and membership development: HR/PR/IR!
HR: Human Resources or Human Relations?
IR: Industrial Relations or Industrial Action Resources?
PR: PR is about reputation - the result of what you do,
what you say and what others say about you. (CIPR)
Chartered Institute of Public Relations
UCEA’s 3Ps
UCEA CSWG
Communications Strategy Working Group
Chaired by Professor Nick Petford: the ‘3 Ps’
What do the 3Ps mean for most in HE?
Parking, Procrastination, Pay
For UCEA’s CSWG they are:
Pay, Pensions, Perceptions
Pay
• 150 UK HEIs in national collective negotiations
• Pay restraint 2009 – 2014: 0.5%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 1%, 1%, 2%
• ‘Unfairness’ used by trade unions: Restraint, ‘Living wage’,
VC pay levels, HEI ‘surpluses’
• 2013/14 pay dispute and industrial action
• Employers face income uncertainty, limits of affordability at
2%, Govt/public expectations that HE matches public sector
pay policy restraint: 1% maximum
• HR/PR/IR(IA): communications briefings, key messages,
internal communications, transparency, infographics
Infographic on ‘pay’
HE Trade Unions
Pensions
• The 6Ps?: Complex, changes, challenges,
contributions, costs, communications
• The complex challenges from longevity and financial crisis
equals inevitable change. This may ‘cost’ employees but
pension contributions are a substantial cost for employers
USS 16%, TPS14%, LGPS 14% - 26%, SAUL 13%
• Positive communications - provide life insurance, spouse
and child pensions, ill health cover, still excellent after
change, staff comms is key, from Q&As (EPF) to
information that isn’t advice
• Pensions IA has been….will it come again?
Perceptions (speak
louder than words)
• ‘Living Wage’ or “poverty pay”?
• £9k – make hay
• Surplus…to requirements?
• Defender or renderer of gender? Gender pay gap
• Hero or Zero? ‘Casualisation’ and ‘zero-hours’
contracts
• UCEA and trade unions jointly working on two of
the above
Perceptions: HE income and expenditure
Perceptions: search engine interest in 'zero
hours contracts', Jan 2012 - Jan 2014, UK
120
100
Interest index
80
60
40
20
0
Source: Google Trends (www.google.com/trends). Trends data is normalised and relative
Perceptions – the benefits of
working in HE
“Working in HE - and not just for academics - is not
quite like any other job. There are unique benefits.
HE offers a way to develop a more refined set of
skills, and a way to make a bigger contribution.
Salary matters, as do pensions. But in some ways,
the most important thing is the preservation of an
extraordinary, open, flexible culture of work. When it
goes right, as it mostly does, it's brilliant: it produces
innovative research, happy students, and a career
that last a lifetime.”
Richard Williams, Professor of Contemporary Visual
Cultures, University of Edinburgh (The Telegraph,
31 October 2013)
Perceptions - the benefits of
working in HE
“In my previous job outside HE I doubt I would have
been allowed back to work, or I would have been
squirrelled away in a back office at the cost of my
own career. But at university they look after you as a
person, not just sticking to the T&Cs. There is
always a sense of opportunity, that I can develop
myself and take on new duties. Without the support I
received, I may not have been able to work through
some of the difficult times…We always try and be
part of the student experience and help them feel at
home.” Leanne Jones, senior supervisor at Cafe
ATRiuM, University of South Wales (The Guardian,
27 September 2013)
Perceptions - the benefits of
working in HE
"If I'm too busy with my PhD and I don't want to take
on work, I can simply refuse," she says. Sometimes
she is given a project with a long deadline, so can fit
her hours in whenever she has time. She is paid
around £13.90 per hour, which compares well with
…retail, and she is grateful to be picking up teaching
and research experience that is relevant to what she
hopes will be a future career in academia. “For the
next three months I know exactly what I am going to
get…I want things [to be] like that, but at another
stage maybe having a fixed salary would be better.”
Yaamina Salman, international PhD student in
Edinburgh business school (The Guardian, 16
September 2013)
Case study 1:
Kingston University
• Auto enrolment – using HR/PR to enrol all workers into a
pension, by law
• Award-winning ‘Be different, be fun, be real’ campaign –
on their own, literally! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Cer8I4cX-vs
• Six month internal campaign saw a rise from 84% to 89%
of staff in pensions (April 2013 – September 2013)
• Face-to-face - 1to1 and campus briefings
• Direct media – emails and newsletters
• Indirect media – posters, intranet and bus shelters
KU winning formula
Be different, be fun, be real
Case study 2: SOAS
• School of Oriental and African Studies
• Social media in times of crisis
• Political Occupations – unique campus
• HR/PR working together (‘in the filed’ and in the office)
and with others, including estates, security, management,
media, students, staff, police
• HR/PR before, during and after an occupation
• Social media (twitter) the most important part of the
communications mix 3000+ followers
• Monitoring and communicating equally important
Do you want to:
•join the debate?
•correct errors?
•just monitor?
Case study 3: University of Portsmouth
Like two Peters in a pod…
HR Director: “Staff engagement and effective
communications has been at the heart of our HR strategy
and all our successful HR changes have had an internal
communications manager involved in the core team.”
Director of Communications and Marketing: “Talk to each
other on a regular basis – at one UCEA conferences, it was
apparent this simple act is not that usual! Communicators
need to work with HR to understand the nuances of the
university as an employer, for example, when it comes to
conveying news about negotiations. Trust each other.”
Case study 3: University of Portsmouth
The social media challenge
•
•
•
•
•
Is it appropriate?
Do your staff want their employer in social media space?
Even if they do, will they engage positively with you?
Will senior managers be comfortable?
It is largely an ‘open’ channel; how can you possibly
monitor?
Case study 4: University of Glasgow
HR/PR: from staff surveys to strike action
HR Director and Director of Media and Public Relations:
“We do work very closely together and some good recent
examples include the staff survey (up from 33% to 60%
completion), industrial action and staff relocation (including
HR) to a different part of the city. We also collaborate on
materials and have regular and ad hoc meetings, and try at
all times to be clear in our messaging and consistent and
open with staff.”
Case study 5: University
of Northampton
• Exploring the synergies that
exist between these professional
services
• Unique? Director of Human Resources and Marketing
“We have a HR officer working with an internal
communications officer to develop the communications
plan/strategy. We also have an embedded HR person
working in marketing. Because I have an office in each
department we have broken down silos working because the
two teams constantly cross the physical divide!”
10 Reasons
1.
People – one focuses on the market place and one on the workplace but both recognise that people are our greatest
asset
2.
Brand – what attracts staff and students must be real. The brand for students is strong but what is our employer brand
and what have we promised the people who work for us. MIR and HR working together to develop a stronger brand
identity and embedding the Ashoka principles
3.
Engagement – fundamental to both areas, staff and students become our ambassadors. Enhance the satisfaction,
loyalty, pride and willingness through organisation of events, working with partners and schools, staff development,
supporting line management relationships and well being
4.
Communication is key – what should we be communicating and how. Learn from each other to develop internal
communications
5.
Enhance the candidate experience – what can we learn from each other in terms of attracting and retaining talented
individuals
6.
The bigger picture – we both see things from a University perspective
7.
Professional Resilience and saint like patience
8.
Both can influence behavioural change
9.
Apply market research concepts to staff feedback surveys – continuous not once a year and consolidate metrics to
demonstrate ROI of strategy
10. Both focussed on influencing and motivating people
Synergies identified by Marketing,
International & HR teams
“Inspiring people to
perform at their
Best”
“Talent spotting –
maintaining / selling
culture of organisation”
“Recruitment and
“Our internal employees
“Brand
“Values – MIR
“Face to face group
retention – teaming MIR’s
are our strength. We
awareness
markets values
working
“Brand
brand messaging
should invest time and
across all around the University
Communication
Ambassadors”
techniques with HR
effort as they should live departments to staff and students
Break down barriers”
internal perspective and
and breathe our brand”
HR and MIR Staff development
“The strength of the “Using Marketing methods
“To help break down barriers and build
expertise to promote
– who are
encourages
brand affects talent
to
better working relationships. Visit Schools
University as a trusted
we?”
practicing these
recruiting and
attract potential employees
and Departments make ourselves known
“Engagement
employer”
values and
retention”
& effective communication to
– we are more than someone at the end
employees
/
customers
/
“Work together to improve
displaying them in
attract and retain talent”
of an e-mail”
“Develop working
clients”
both
student
and
staff
“HR and MIR
“Communication between teams
people’s roles”
relationships in
“Attracting talent”
“Recruitment
experience by continuing to
both trying to:
in terms of upholding the brand
“We can work together to break
area of HR
Recruiting staff – HR
promote a united brand
Attract
identity using our knowledge
down
communication
barriers
“Your brand is your
Recruitment with
and providing staff with an Open Days – students”
Engage
and experience to take us
across the University with PDR
culture / your culture is
MIR – enhance
understanding of the
Retain
forward”
objectives relating to
your brand
work”
“Keep up with change – how change is
importance of branding and
Employees
/
communication
and
delivery
of
“Values / messages”
Development of strong
communicated and new processes
how MIR can support all
Customers” “Engage staff with
communication skills training”
employer brand helps
adapt”
departments including HR”
the University
“Discussion Groups –
“Create and
attract, develop and
“Internal comms channel – using staff
brand so they are
understand
the
difference
deliver
a
HR
/
“Better promotion of employee
retain the best talent”
development to communicate values
proud to work
between staff and students.
Comms policy to
benefits
and strategic initiatives”
here, like the
“MIR and HR – Joined up thinking!
legislate that
Include values in our recruitment What encourages staff to apply /
students are
Both are outwardly focussed
remain”
team
meetings
campaigns e.g. job adverts
“The key to successful
“The use of Social Media and MIR
proud to study
Concentrate on the future
are held every six
‘Welcome pack’ for staff
alignment of HR and MIR is
channels to attract and target the best
here”
Share similar business vision
weeks
to
aid
Develop employee brand”
“Influence business behaviour
clarity in both strategy and
recruits. Ensure consistent use of
Have similar responsibilities through MIR
internal
and strategy. Market the
values and effective
message, tone and language
with Customers and HR recruiting with
communications”
organisation, it’s people and the “Strong attitude towards communication of both
internally and externally”
“If
staff
orientation
candidates”
the Brand and
brand. MIR can contribute to
through the University. Values
session is not possible
incorporation
of
it
in
structure of organisation and it’s
“Both MIR and HR deliver parallel
“Both looking for best
are particularly important and
in first month of
work activities”
people”
and powerful benefits to
things / people to develop
effective if developed to
employment, a short 1:1
“MIR and HR go together. When
customers and employees. We
and promote in
capture the heart of the
session gong over
we think about 4P’s of
enhance the satisfaction, loyalty
organisation”
University. They become the
basics – contracts,
Marketing – price, place,
and willingness to act as
long term inspiration and short
“Both teams encourage learning,
pensions, procedures
promotion and product – it
‘University Ambassadors’”
term guidance to marketers
development and career
would be beneficial”
aligns with HR as compensation “Dissemination of information,
“Brand Power!
“Benefits
and employees
alike” – employees
progression”
“More
team
get
togethers
so
we can get to
/ benefits, work environment, joined up team meetings. Face to
Employer branding strategy – consistent
and customer facing
know
one
another
on
a
personal
level
career opportunities and
approach. Embed the brand, people are the
face meetings and group work not
products”
rather
than
just
as
an
email
address”
organisational
culture.
The
“Apply Market Research
brand – competitive differentiation
emails”
concepts to staff
Recruit people who fit the brand and its values common element of course, is “Communicating effectively
“New staff added to RtB list during first
people”
feedback survey. Could
but also measure and develop them in the right
with colleagues across
week of employment so they’re quickly
“Effective networking skills”
be on a continuous basis
way
Schools and Departments”
immersed into the University family –
as opposed to once a
= Engaged Employees”
improvement of internal communications”
“Influencing
“HR and MIR both need support /
year”
“Better communication between MIR
behaviour
buy in from other internal
“Develop links with HR / MIR via discussion groups”
and
HR
What
do
we
do?”
change”
stakeholders – how do we get
“MIR and HR to work together
this? Communication”
on staff development
“‘Internal Only’ job adverts – would be nice if
opportunities (embedding /
communicated in RtB not just on website”
“Communication to staff through Payroll
“Invite our Business Manager to a team meeting”
recognition) e.g. Erasmus”
(payslips)”
UCEA and HR/PR/IR: questions and
closing discussions
Do these issues cross borders and campuses?
What case studies can your country/institution provide?
Should HR and PR be the lead on IR and IA?
Can you think of new acronyms missing in our sector?
Thank you
www.ucea.ac.uk
© UCEA, July 2014