Embedding Skills for Life in the workplace

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Embedding Skills for Life in the workplace

• Colin Butler, UK HR and CSR Manager, DHL Hubs and
  Gateways

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Agenda

• Introduction

• Who are DHL Hubs and Gateways

• The Skills for Life Introduction

• The DHL Hubs and Gateways Model

• The Story so far .....

• Targets and measures

• Questions

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Introduction

• DHL is the global market leader in international
  express, overland transport and air freight. It
  is also the world's number 1 in ocean freight and
  contract logistics.
• DHL offers a full range of customised solutions -
  from express document shipping to supply chain
  management.
• Divisions
• DHL Express
• DHL Freight
• DHL Global Forwarding
• DHL Global Mail
• DHL Exel Supply Chain

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Introduction

• DHL Hubs and Gateways are part of DHL Express
  division
• Global Facts and Figures
• Operations in 220 countries and territories
• More than 130,000 employees
• More than 4,700 facilities worldwide
• 420 aircraft operating on behalf of DHL
• Around 72,000 vehicles
• No. 1 in European express and ground transport
• Road, rail and combined transportation of
  shipments

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Who are DHL Hubs and Gateways

• Total UK employees 800
• Based at two main airport locations Nottingham
  East Midlands Airport and London Heathrow
• Satellite operations at Belfast, Edinburgh,
  Luton, Dublin, Shannon and Cork
• Responsible for the import, export and
  transhipments of consignments that have been
  generated both in the UK and overseas
• Predominantly a manual workforce
• Mainly work night time

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DHL Corporate Values

• To deliver excellent quality
• To make our customers successful
• To foster openness
• IV. To act according to clear priorities
• V. To act in an entrepreneurial way
• VI. To act with integrity internally and
  externally
• VII. To accept social responsibilities

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DHL Corporate Values
Value VI To act with integrity internally and
externally
Integrity determines the way we work within the
Group as well as our conduct towards our business
partners, shareholders and the general public.
Each employee has the opportunity for personal
development independent of gender, religion or
culture. We do not tolerate discrimination. Each
executive respects each employees personal
dignity and personality within his staff and is
responsible for creating an atmosphere of mutual
trust within the team. Executives delegate tasks
effectively, however, they remain responsible for
the results.
We stick together!

• This means...
• We do not tolerate discrimination
• We support new colleagues
• We create an atmosphere of mutual trust We all
  have the opportunity for personal development

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DHL Corporate Values
Value VII To accept social responsibilities
We are committed to goals that generate benefits
for the communities where we work. We respect the
traditions, structures and values of the
countries where we operate. The protection of our
environment is part of our corporate strategy. We
promote our employees social commitment.
We live our responsibility!

• This means
• We commit ourselves to corporate citizenship
  (e.g. donations for catastrophes)
• We protect our environment
• We promote our employees social commitmentWe
  generate benefits to the communities where we
  work

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The Business Case our concerns

• Productivity- with better skills the roles could
  be carried out more effectively
• Absence- would offering learning opportunities
  result in employees being less inclined to be
  absent?
• Turnover- there are a significant number of
  employees who leave in the early months of
  employment, is this because they cannot
  understand the information they are being
  provided with? Do all employees understand the
  information they are being provided with?
• Temp to perm workers- Some temp workers cannot
  become permanent as they cannot pass the test yet
  they are able to carry out the role
  satisfactorily
• Promotion and progression- In a changing
  organisation, the requirement for reports and
  analysis is increasing. How do we know that our
  people have the skills?
• Morale- how many people struggle with their
  child's homework?

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The potential solution

• Looking at the concerns, is there a solution that
  could address them and deliver the benefits?
• The answer could be Skills for Life!
• Case study evidence (First Bus, Serco, Royal
  Mail) shows that there are benefits.
• Meeting with BITC, discussed various options of
  involvement with the community and various
  initiatives, including Skills for life
• Then explored in a meeting with BITC (Tracey
  Theo) and KPMG (Craig Robinson and Nick Taylor)
  January 2006 and decided that Skills for life
  could be of benefit to the organisation
• Put together a project team UK HR Manager, HR
  Services Manager, Training and Development
  Advisor and HR Advisor
• Team briefed with determining benefits and
  whether the business wanted it
• Met with Operational Managers and Employee
  Consultative group to sound out initial
  feelings
• All positive!!

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The Story so far

• The OptionsThree options for literacy and
  numeracy in the workplace
• Adopt a programme and publish generally
• Run a coordinated programme for development
• Holistic approach re-define the recruitment and
  training model to incorporate literacy and
  numeracy as a key requirement.
• We decided that the best approach for the
  business would be to take a holistic viewpoint
  and fully integrate key skills into the workplace
• It is not the easiest route but will deliver the
  greatest benefits.

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The DHL model

• Is there a need?
• Assess need?
• Raise awareness
• Implement and integrate solutions- Profile the
  roles- Map to adult curricula- Incorporate into
  role profiles- Select assessment tool- Select
  training provider- Select SMOG levels- Review
  documentation- Train relevant employees-
  Communicate and rollout!
• Evaluate and review
• Sustainability

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The basis!
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Role Profiling

• Focus Groups
• Questionnaire
• National Curriculum

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Focus Groups

• Meeting with groups of employees to discuss
  requirements of their roles
• KPMG facilitated the initial groups to ensure
  consistency
• Structured questions asked, for example
• 1. Do you ever have to count the total number of
  something without the use of a calculator?
• 2.What range and type of numbers?
  negative/fractions/decimals- 10,100,1000 ? Do
  you have to write this detail down?
• 3. Carry out calculations with numbers of any
  size using efficient methods? What methods?
• 4.Do you have to combine sets of numbers together
  without the use of a calculator?
• The results of these are then cross matched
  against the relevant curriculum to determine the
  levels

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Role profiles

• All job descriptions now contain a section to
  cover the key literacy and numeracy standards

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Role profiling

• Outcome from focus groups will look like

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Role profiling

• A profile analysis has been carried out for all
  roles (114 of them)
• This gives a clear progression for literacy and
  numeracy skills
• Ensures transparency
• Enables self development

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Assessment tool

• We chose Target Skills
• Gives screen and diagnostic in one tool
• Gives spiky profile - not all roles have the same
  requirement for each of the areas
• Better profile matching- Setting one level for
  each of literacy and numeracy could put
  requirements on areas that are too high which
  could mask development areas
• Targeted development

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CTAD skills example
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Recruitment standards

• Following assessment
• If all levels are at the minimum requirement then
  OK
• If 1 or 2 measures are one step below (i.e. Entry
  2 when Entry 3 required) then offer can be made,
  subject to reaching the required levels within
  probationary period, either internal promotion or
  external appointment.
• More than 2 measures are below the requirement or
  one measure is more than 2 steps below then the
  following- If all other measures are OK then
  the individual will be referred to
  college/learndirect and given a provisional offer
  pending improvement within 6 months.- If
  problems in other areas then declined with
  reasons including English and Maths levels and
  advised of external colleges.

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SMOG levels

• Calculating the SMOG level of a text
• 1. Select a page of a book
• 2. Count 10 sentences
• 3. Count the number of words which have three or
  more syllables
• 4. Multiply this by 3
• 5. Circle the number closest to your answer1 4
  9 16 25 36 49 64 81 100 121 144 169
• 6. Find the square root of the number you circled
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
• 7. Add 8 Readability level
• Most people will understand a readability level
  under about 10.
• Source The National Literacy Trust 2006/Skills
  for Life Employer toolkit page 8

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SMOG levels

• Mapping SMOG scores to reading levels
• As a rough indication, SMOG 9-10 Entry 3, 11-12
  Level 1 and 13-14 Level 2
• Internally the following levels have been chosen
• General Communications - lt12 and ideally
  10Management Communications lt 14Senior
  Management Communications no limit but ideally
  lt18
• What does this mean?
• All communications/core documents now have a SMOG
  rating
• Employee handbook/offer letters/interview
  questions/training materials have been/are being
  re-written
• The manual method is labour intensive,
  alternative method is online at
  http//www.wordscount.info

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College selection

• Sourced training- Local college to deliver
  literacy and numeracy- Met with colleges-
  Chose Stephenson College, Coalville-
  Business/professional focus on meeting with
  them- Flexible all learning is delivered in
  the evening/whenever we want it- Experienced in
  delivery of Skills for Life

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Training to rollout

• Train HR Teams- to understand skills whilst
  interviewing (not covered through Target
  Skills)- speak to communicate- engage in
  discussion
• Workplace Learning Champions- appointed amongst
  junior employees peer group- predominantly
  trainers or coaches access to all individuals-
  Internal marketing amongst peers
• Managers and Supervisors briefing- Verbal and
  written communication of Skills for Life- QA to
  assist with questions from staff- Will complete
  themselves

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Internal Communication
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Launch and marketing

• Launch roadshow at main sites with training
  providers (Sept 06)
• Marketed as English and Maths as opposed to
  Literacy and Numeracy
• Training is in employees own time but 50 paid by
  Company
• Can complete assessment and attend training for
  any reason- Self development- Career
  progression- Help children with homework
• All Supervisors and above are being assessed as
  part of role
• All new job applicants (internal and external)
  complete assessment

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Targets and measures

• All employees to reach minimum Level 1
• Increase productivity (3 for 2007)
• Reduce Turnover
• Reduce Absenteeism
• Increase skills of workforce
• Decrease accidents
• Increase workforce morale
• Initial assessment available to all
• Number of employees attending a session
• Number of employees progressing by one step or
  more
• Total steps progressed/average per employee

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Resources

• The resources required
• No additional resources have been required!
• As programme is integrated, is part of day to day
  work
• Initial effort to profile the roles

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First results

• To date
• Employees are asking to be assessed!
• Regular assessment sessions scheduled
• Over 450 assessments have been carried out
• The accident rate amongst learners in 50 lower
  than the Company average
• The absenteeism rate amongst the learners in
  0.86, the Company average is 5.3, representing
  an annual saving of 120,000
• Employee turnover has fallen significantly since
  the launch of the programme, producing savings of
  250,000 2 of the Company salary bill
• Employees are more satisfied with working for DHL
• Supervisors are championing employee development
• First national tests taken and passed
• Productivity since the launch has increased by
  12
• Learners have commented about - giving me a
  second chance in life and I know how to
  progress in DHL.

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Leitch and the next steps

• Community Initiatives- Reading clubs in
  schools- Volunteering- Young enterprise scheme
• Embed literacy and numeracy in broader
  qualifications
• Take the pledge!
• Vision is an employability generic
  qualification covering literacy, numeracy, ICT,
  Communication, Team Building skills.
• Transferable between departments (and employers)
• Add on technical elements from a department to
  give a qualification

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And finally

• I would like your help!
• I am researching approaches to Skills for Life
  and their associated benefits and would welcome
  the opportunity to interview people on their
  experiences/knowledge later in the year.
• The research has the support of the DfES.
• Thank you and any questions?

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• Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy
  it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a
  wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the
  frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The
  rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed
  it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not
  raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a
  wlohe.