News: Performance Management
Performance management training can allow for 'jobs for life'
20 November 2007
Engineering consultancy Arup is evidence that there is still such a thing as a 'job for life', so long as performance management training is undertaken.
In today's economy, many people lament the demise of lifelong jobs, but if companies engage their staff with training such as customer service training or contract law training, this kind of employment is still possible.
A case in point is Arup, whose human resources director Stella Littlewood told Personnel Today: "There are people who say that the 'job for life' is gone, but I would argue that is rubbish.
"If you are a really good company, treat people well, give them exciting work to do and reward them well for it, in theory, there's no reason why they shouldn't stay with you. That's why I think the majority of our people have been with us for a significant amount of time."
Arup's labour turnover is less than ten per cent, compared to an average of 21 per cent for the consulting engineering sector as a whole.
Ms Littlewood added: "From an HR perspective, performance management is very important because you can't afford to carry any passengers. HR has got to make sure that everybody is contributing and, if they are not, you have got to force that movement [of staff]."
This highlights the need for performance management training within companies.
