| Responses | Date | Author |
Thank you all very much for your thoughts, comments and suggestions. It is very much appreciated.
Warm Wishes,
Jenny |
| 18/02/2019 | Jenny |
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Hi Jenny, Any sort of forum can be problematic to get people involved with - if it's not their idea and they don't feel they need them? Or perhaps they've attended once and didn't find them as valuable as they would have liked them to be? Maybe you could engage with a small selection of the people you are trying to get interested, and ask them what would make them feel that the staff forums are valuable/useful/helpful. Ask them about format, content, and how best to get people involved. Have you had any good outcomes or anything that turned out to be a real benefit to staff? Perhaps advertise on any staff noticeboards, an intranet if you have one, flyers in the canteen or shared kitchen area? Above all, be enthusiastic about it yourself. if you aren't - they won't be! Hope something here hopes. |
| 14/02/2019 | Becky |
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Hi Jenny I have found in the past that it is best to understand the goal of the forum and the motives behind why people sit on it. What do you want to achieve together? How would they like to be communicated to and how can you best move forward as a team? Strip it back and build it back up. It's your forum now! Kind regards Ali |
| 05/02/2019 | Ali |
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Hi Jenny What we have found that tends to make the forums effective is having individuals who can communicate and are voicing the opinions of the colleagues they represent. So without being too prescriptive there has to be a clear mandate as to what can and can't be discussed. For our own we have found that pay is the only thing we exclude from this setting. Everything else is fair game. The other factor that is important is to keep the agendas current and moving so that individuals don't lose interest or just turn up. Regular changes to the make up of the group should be encouraged too. The language, setting and formality of communications and discussions also needs to foster inclusivity. Lots of forums are in place as another way of giving staff a voice where there is no union presence. So having some formality is good but not to the detriment of causing a 'them and us' situation. I would say actions from the meetings / communications are key too. If the group is being listened to and getting things done then it will motivate its members. Sharing the successes also helps on the back of this. We are going to try a couple of 'super meetings' this year which will be a day and a half long. One of the intentions is to focus on a common goal or organisational challenge and use the experience and brain power to come up with something viable. The meetings will be off site and so the dynamics should be very different. Anyway I hope I haven't made you feel you have sucked eggs! Regards Mark |
| 05/02/2019 | Mark |