IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE… the development of an East Kent Colleges Group ‘People Charter’

Let’s start with a little mathematics. There exists a simple equation, highlighted in a 2015 Harvard Business Review article, that has a significant impact on any organisation:

= + = + +

This equation, if done successfully, will result in increased efficiency, quality and productivity which all ultimately leads to a successful organisation. A positive workplace also sees a significant reduction in workplace stress, sickness, absence, and staff turnover.

So, it’s quite clear to see exactly why you would want to develop this type of employment environment. To create a positive workplace culture and ethos you first need to take a good long look at your people and consider what the important factors are in the creation of a positive workplace culture and ethos.

One organisation that recently explored this is the East Kent Colleges Group. With some 1,500 staff members across its six colleges and multiple local training sites, its people and their wellbeing have always been a core focus for the Group. As a result, it explored what colleagues across the Group wanted from an exemplar employer. Focus groups were conducted by an independent external people expert, with staff opinion collated and developed into a report which was shared with the Group’s Executive that highlighted key themes and recommendations. As a direct consequence, it was decided to move forward with the development of an EKC Group ‘People Charter’.

It is important at this stage to say that a charter is not a contract, nor is it a policy or a process, but it is a clear commitment by an organisation and its people to adopt and maintain certain behaviours, attitudes, and ways of working that are conducive to achieving a positive workplace culture and ethos.

It was important at EKC Group that its charter was developed by those committing to it; the staff. Led by an independent consultant, colleagues that represented staff from across the whole Group created a set of commitments that they felt were important for all staff, irrespective of position, role, length of service or location. From these commitments a shared document was drafted, edited and re-drafted, with staff feeding into every stage. This was then presented to the Group’s CEO and leadership team for agreement.

Attaining and sustaining a positive ethos and culture is not always easy and is an ongoing joint endeavour between the organisation and its people. The EKC Group People Charter provides the framework for that allows this to happen.

The Group’s People Charter is divided into three core elements:

• Create a positive culture underpinned by organisational values

• Provide appropriate support and develop trust through transparency, honesty, mutual respect and effective communication

• Promote positive wellbeing and working practices

Each element contains a set of commitments, presented as:

The EKC Group will… and People should…

This style of presentation within the document invites colleagues to embed the charter into their everyday, practising the various behaviours, attitudes and ways of working, whilst enshrining what the Group itself will do to facilitate this. It has been fully adopted by staff working across the whole Group, ensuring colleagues are working in an environment that offers them everything they need to flourish and thrive every day. Building a positive workplace culture and ethos is achievable for every business, and once it’s achieved it can be absolutely transformational for an organisation.

If you’d like to find out what it’s like to work at EKC Group and how the People Charter impacts on colleagues across the Group’s family of six colleges and regional business unit, why not take a look at ekcgroup.ac.uk