Diversity and inclusion were scored as the highest corporate social responsibility (CSR) indicators in the FTSE 100, according to research by Towers Watson and Business in the Community (BITC).
The first Workwell FTSE 100 benchmark scored FTSE 100 companies against BITC’s Workwell criteria, which includes a total of 25 indicators across five engagement and wellbeing areas.
The five areas are better work, better relationships, better specialist support, better physical and psychological health, and working well.
The highest scoring indicators were diversity and inclusion (50%) and health and safety (44%), with better specialist support ranking as the lowest scorer.
The average score across all FTSE 100 organisations was 21%. Organisations such as Barclays, British Land Company, BT Group, Johnson Mattey and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), were among the highest scoring.
The benchmark found that companies with strong CSR reports were found to score more highly. Lower-scoring industry sectors tended to have diverse international workforces with fewer consistent metrics.
The average scores by industry sector are:
- Manufacturing (33%)
- Pharma, biotech and medical equipment (26%)
- Real estate investment and services (25%)
- Financial services and retail (24%)
- Food, beverage and tobacco (23%)
- Media (22%)
- Oil and gas, utilities (21%)
- Travel and leisure (19%)
- Mining (16%)
- Services (15%)
- Engineering (14%)
Stephen Howard, chief executive at BITC, said: “The Workwell benchmark represents a new chapter for CSR reporting and the low average scores are not unexpected at this first stage of development.
“We are encouraged by the examples of leadership highlighted through this process, and by the commitment shown by a third of FTSE 100 companies that proactively took part in the survey.
“We introduced our Corporate responsibility index 10 years ago and have seen how organisations have built their confidence in reporting key environmental and societal benefits through sustainability reports.
“Now we are encouraging organisations to use data effectively to demonstrate responsible people management and drive business performance improvements. The survey for the 2014 Workwell benchmark will be launched in September this year and we will work closely with organisations to help them develop their reporting practices.”
Irwin Lee, managing director of Procter and Gamble UK and chair of the Workwell Leadership Group, added: “This is a critical first step towards open reporting on employee engagement and wellbeing, and comes at a really important time.
“Now more than ever, our organisations need to demonstrate their resilience and this means people must be at the centre of both business and organisational strategy.
“We expect to see significant benefits from this important work to consolidate and formalise public reporting of wellbeing and engagement levels in our organisations.”
Dr Paul Litchfield, chief medical officer at BT Group and chair of the Workwell Steering Group, said: “Reporting publicly against the Workwell model gives companies the opportunity to demonstrate that they are taking a sustainable approach to the management of their people.
“We are delighted that BT has been identified as a leader, but we see this as a starting point from which we intend to improve.
“We have established a simple evidence-based framework to foster workplace wellbeing and we underpin that with metrics to show the impact of what we do on business performance.
“By publishing this data, we hope to demonstrate our progress in creating a culture that facilitates growth even in times of austerity.”
I work for BT and staff moral is at a all time LOW. DR Litchfield lives in a management created bubble. Have any of you seen the results of prospect’s performance management survey it carried out.
Top team “meeting the troops” recently and we were warned not to say anything. This is not a personal vendetta on my part because I no longer care, but the truth will out. Email attached for your info.
From: Aveen McHugh – Assistant Secretary
To: All members in BT
Date: 17/04/2013
mem-038/13
Prospect BT Performance Management survey results
We did a quick survey on performance management in BT in March 2013. We got well over 4,000 responses from members and non-members. Many thanks to all of you who took the time to take part.
The results were striking and overwhelming:
73% agreed that as practised performance management was damaging BT, just 12% disagreed.
80% agreed that as practised PM is damaging employee wellbeing.
Just 12% agreed that PM was making a positive contribution to BT’s performance, 70% disagreed.
86% agreed that too much time was spent on the process. 17% agreed that time spent on PM will ultimately benefit customer service.
86% agreed that there is an expected distribution of ratings which leads people to being marked down for no good reason. 79% of line managers had been put under pressure to deliver an expected distribution and 47% had been told they would be marked down unless they differentiated across their team.
On average line managers are spending about 8 days per quarter on PM, rising to 22/23 days for those with the biggest teams.
12% are confident of a fair hearing at a grievance, 64% aren’t.
Once again we can see clear evidence of bias. People who were older, worked part-time, were disabled or black or minority ethnic got lower ratings.
Basics not got right: Whilst 59% knew their job standards, just 49% had objectives related directly to their role. Only a minority knew why they had got their current rating and just 38% knew how to improve their performance. These all tended to be worst where ratings were lowest.
News to you? Too often ratings come as a surprise and perceptions of the fairness of your individual rating varied considerably. It was no surprise that those rated highest, tended to perceive their own rating as fairer.
In sum, your views are that too much time is being spent on a process that is damaging employee wellbeing, trust, teamwork and BT. Ratings are seen as being effectively forced, a perspective shared by the line and we see continued evidence of bias. Whilst perceptions of unfairness are strong, there was very little faith in grievance, higher line management or HR to address abuse. This has to change – it’s bad for you, your team and the business. With your support, we will keep pressing for that change.
Thousands of you also shared, in your own words, how demotivated the whole process made you feel, with line managers feeling especially conflicted.
We have shared the results with BT who are undertaking some diagnostic work around how performance management is practiced in BT. We have a commitment from BT that we will be fully involved in the development of a more positive approach. BT has appointed a new head of Performance Management, Claire Shenton, and we are setting up a series of meetings on this issue bringing together a cross functional team including Equality and Health and Safety leads under a broad ‘good work’ theme.
Some LOBs came out better than others – Retail did well in comparison to TSO, Openreach and Wholesale but there are pockets of good and bad practice across the organisation. You can help push for a more positive approach within your team. A good workplace culture based on trust and fairness is good for you, the team and your employer.
Guidance for members – we have produced a short guide for members to help you safeguard your best interests.
I will have to remain Anonymous for my own good i’m afraid