MICHAEL DEMPSEY - Cranfield University

Managing through people
well. And the prime topic of conversation generally was about
how the merger was progressing, what was happening and it
was a communication link on that basis to get them on board.
Talking to them about their fears because there were some
employment problems on the basis that the number of them
were seconded from the bank. So we had to get over that but
we got E and R and the personnel people along to talk to them
and it seemed to work OK. I mean, there were still people who
were not happy but in terms of the communication process it
worked. (Interviewee D)
In one case a manager referred to the practice in his old union, though
it did have a team briefing system, of communicating with the staff
through their trade union:-
The other channel of communication was, I guess, through the
staff’s own trade union representatives. The staff in the old Unifi
were represented by the GMB and we had a formal structure,
negotiation and consultation meetings which latterly I used to
lead for the management side of the old Unifi. (Interviewee F)
Although, therefore there is a body of management practice in this
area, managers tend in general not to highlight this task as one of their
key responsibilities as trade union managers.
Managing through People
7.14. UNiFI has achieved the Investors in People award. Some of the
feedback from the assessor has already been quoted; two quotations
from staff which reflect the very positive nature of the assessment
report are:-
• Over the last year a real effort has been made to involve all staff.
We can praise the Senior Management Team for this. Our
contribution is recognised, our views are taken into account.
• If I asked a few years ago I could not have said that clerical staff
identify with the Unions objectives. However, as a result of the
lIP initiative I can now see how our work contributes. (UNiFI IIP
Feedback Report August 2000)
Furthermore, the union retained a strategic objective relating to IIP:-
To maintain Investors in People status, with staff being offered
every encouragement and opportunity to fulfil personal
development (UNiFI Business Plan 2001)
Investors in People does not guarantee that people management in an
organisation will be beyond reproach. It does, however, provide a
benchmark of good practice on aspects of people management and a
standard against which, therefore, organisations can match their
performance. In addition, it is only a snapshot. It is perfectly possible
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