People Focus Spring 04 NA - CIPD

National Awards for ExcellencePaul Donovan of Vodafone and Pat Lunny, CIPDI Chairmanpresent the CIPDI Special Achievement Award to Patrick Garveyof the Flour Confectioners and Bakers Association.Public Service constraints of centrally controlled,inflexible pay and rewards structures theCommissioners found themselves with areduced budget and therefore the need todownsize. The management set out to ensurethat those who left the organisation would do sowith a feeling of goodwill towards their formeremployer, that they would be uniquely preparedto identify new career paths and that they wouldhave the skills and competencies to succeed inthose careers. In addition, the managementwished to ensure that the retained staff wouldfeel equally valued with a consequentcommitment to meet the increasing demandsplaced on them. In solving the problem with acombination of personal development and careerplacement initiatives theCommissioners showed aninnovative and very peoplecentredapproach whichcommended itself to the judgingpanel.The second Special Merit Awardwent to Abbott Ireland’sBallytivnan plant. Through aseries of initiatives based on theprinciples of Lifelong Learningthey use the untapped potentialof their workforce to movetogether up the value chaincreating the opportunity for newinvestment and increasedemployment.The core of the company’sstrategy is to give each employeethe chance to create and owntheir own personal developmentprogramme. This demonstratedto the parent corporation thatIreland’s workforce is highlyeducated, flexible andresponsive to change resulting infurther multi-million dollarinvestment and 200 new jobs.Furthermore, in 2002 theBallytivnan plant was awardedthe title of Premier Large Manufacturing Plant inAbbott’s International Division, coming top of40 plants worldwide and justifying the successof the focus on learning and development.Hibernian Life and Pensions were the winners ofthe third Special Merit Award. In the view of thejudges they had recognised the existence of amultiplicity of problems, determined to learn fromthem and developed a new and unique culture.Their unpromising starting point was a merger ofthree companies with widely different cultures anda customer perception of poor customer service.The staff and management of Hibernian workedtogether to create a new and unique culture thathas resulted in remarkable improvements in theirPresenting the CPL Special Merit Award to Alastair McMenaminof Hibernian Life and Pensions are Paul Donovan of Vodafoneand Paul Carroll of CPL Resources plc.