integrity

Business can learn so much from this school….

Jane JamesLeave a comment

38 minutes long – but worth it.

There are 24 hours in a day. Invest 38minutes watching this amazing film funded by #EdgeFoundation filmed by #SchoolsOnScreen featuring #XPSchool in Doncaster.

Question: Why would you on this business platform be interested in a film about a different type of school that gets results?

Possible Answer : You might want your children to go to such a school and start lobbying for one in your area.

My answer: imagine if your business followed the same ethos of bonding, compassion, challenging, believing, trust, integrity, reflection # #business#work#teachers#school – how awesome would it be?

XP School in Doncaster is oversubscribed – how many people want to work in your business?

XP School in Doncaster has made no exclusions since 2015 – how many staff has your business lost since then?

XP School has no budget to cover teachers – no one is ever off – what’s your absence rate within your organisation?

Spend 38 minutes watching this awesome film and ask your self – what changes could you make? what would be the potential outcomes?

If Marks & Spencer’s can……

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Usually, I don’t ready business mailouts.  Usually, they are just sending special offers that really aren’t that special, the usual PR/marketing things.

 

Last week, I was surprised to receive a mailout from M&S – stating that not only were all their foothalls/outlets still open but all staff still working are receiving 15% pay reward for the extra pressure they are under due to this unprecedented time.  in addition, M&S have not furlonged their remaining staff for the Government to pay 80% of their salary.  Uniquely, M&S are paying 100% of wages of all staff forced to stay at home.

 

Impressed?  I was.  What a fantastic employer M&S is, thought I.  What will the result of this action be?  Maybe staff will be more committed and positive and their customers during this time will remain long after Co-Vid19 is history.

 

Hopefully we will also remember those huge businesses who didn’t behave as honourably and take our custom elsewhere.

 

The Government brought in these fantastic support mechanisms to help small businesses yet large businesses with deep pockets and huge salaries want the Government bailout for themselves.

 

Take the world of premier football.  The argument for not sacrificing a percentage of premier players salary to support their frontline club staff seems to be they aren’t sure where the money would go and how it would be managed.

 

If we can set-up a hospital start to finish in 9 days, why can’t they set up a charity to pay their staff from these wages.  They can then offset their ‘donation’ against their taxes – everyone is a winner, aren’t they?

 

Integrity will shine through times like these.   As will those whose intentions are to abuse the situation for their own ends.

 

Let’s not forget.  We have an opportunity to make business kinder whilst still being profitable as well as an opportunity to carry-on the community spirit and be kinder to each other once this is over.

 

I wonder where we will all be on the other side of Coronavirus?  Will lessons have been learned?

 

 

Commitment – what does it really mean?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Commitment and integrity should go hand-in-hand.  Generationally, this doesn’t seem to hold true.

 

In recent years of running Growing Talent, I’ve noticed the younger applicants, or millennials as they are often termed seem to have an ‘instant’ mindset.  Which will not only be problematic to their future employers but to any meaningful relationship.

 

Through technology we have enjoyed instant gratification which has meant a total lack of appreciation!

 

If we want food, we can use an app and get something delivered quickly.  We don’t even need cash or a card to pay for it.  We can use our phones.  Do we appreciate that food in the same way as if we cooked it from scratch for ourselves?  Of course not.

 

Our weekly shop we can buy on line and get delivered.  Same with clothes, furniture etc.  Pretty much everything is instant.  How many times have we got substitutes in our orders we didn’t want or been disappointed in the quality of fabric etc in clothes etc ordered?

 

In addition the isolation this causes is also delivering serious problems with exasperated meal health issues.  Add in ‘working from home’ practices and these issues will only increase.  For the generations around before apps were the norm, there seems to be a better coping mechanism.  An appreciation that not everything is instant.

 

What’s prompted this piece?

 

Despite setting out criteria for taking part in Growing Talent, detailing the format and criteria in the Growing Talent Registration Form and again in the Agreement, those brought up in the instant, app for everything era – still expect to grow a career instantly!  On day 2 – despite not proving their commitment or reliability – one person continuously asked when they were going to be employed.

 

Are we brewing a generation who cannot commit, will not grow and nurture relationships instead want everything instant?

 

There is no app for an instant career or meaningful ‘real’ relationships.  These take time.  There are o shortcuts!

 

Where does it end?  Without commitment and integrity, what beholds us?

The Furture of Employment – Robots or People – What do you think?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Interesting feature in the Independent – interview with former CEO of McDonalds in which he explains the attraction of replacing staff with robots.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/mcdonald-s-ex-ceo-says-its-cheaper-to-hire-robots-than-people-on-minimum-wage-a7048261.html

 

The feature highlights the demands for higher pay for McDonalds staff in the USA.  As we know, what starts off in the USA seems to find its way to the UK.   Clearly, it makes sense for the management to consider ways of ensuring the highest return of profits for themselves and their shareholders.

 

However, there is no attention paid to the potential higher costs of this.  Employment is key for people moving out of deprivation.  By earning – even a low wage – they can start to take control back of their lives.  They may save some of their money for education to get a better job or work their way up in their existing employment.  They become positive role models for family and friends.  Communities start to regenerate.  There’s a positive domino affect.

 

The proven stats of unemployment are available.  Without a regular job and wage, families, communities and individuals ‘breakdown’.  For those trying to move away from deprivation, social or mental health issues, employment is crucial.  Yes staff may be problematic.  But treated right, supported, trained and developed they will become a huge asset to a business.  A robot on the other hand will only be able to deliver the set task it’s been programmed to do.  It will not add additional value.

 

Businesses and indeed humanity need to decide if they want integrity or more money.  The costs of making/keeping people in deprived positions are huge to all taxpayers.  As business and shareholders are also taxpayers, maybe they should consider what really costs more.

 

Robots are essential in the right area – space, science, medicine – operations, prosphetics, paraylsis – where they enhance our lives, not crush them and take them over.