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BSkyB Case Study

BSkyB created a company-wide Worker Forum to improve communication between employees and management and enhance worker involvement in health and safety. The Forum brings together a representative group of 70 employees who meet several times a year with executive leadership. Since its creation one year ago, Forum members have identified nearly 100 ways to improve workplace safety. Notable achievements include resolving access issues at a call center and revising fire safety procedures. Both employees and management agree the Forum has strengthened engagement, problem solving, and overall health and safety performance at BSkyB.

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264 views

BSkyB Case Study

BSkyB created a company-wide Worker Forum to improve communication between employees and management and enhance worker involvement in health and safety. The Forum brings together a representative group of 70 employees who meet several times a year with executive leadership. Since its creation one year ago, Forum members have identified nearly 100 ways to improve workplace safety. Notable achievements include resolving access issues at a call center and revising fire safety procedures. Both employees and management agree the Forum has strengthened engagement, problem solving, and overall health and safety performance at BSkyB.

Uploaded by

nao
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Health and Safety

Executive

BSkyB case study

Company profile
BSkyB is a world leader in multi-channel digital television.
Launched 16 years ago, the Company owns 28 channels
including Sky One, Sky News, Sky Sports and Sky Movies
and has almost eight million sky digital customers.

BSkyB employs 11 000 staff in multiple geographical


locations, including London, Harrogate, Chilworth and
Scotland. Their occupations are wide ranging, from
television producers and satellite engineers to presenters,
production staff and call centre employees.

In May 2005, following an independent audit, BSkyB won


an international award from the British Safety Council for James Murdoch, Beryl Cook,
its lower than industry average accident rate. Chief Executive Officer, BSkyB Director for People, BSkyB

two previously established bodies: The Sky Speakers,


consisting of the field engineers and the contact centre, and
the Employee Forum from the company headquarters in
Osterley, Middlesex. Both bodies consisted of volunteer
representatives from the workforce. Beryl Cook, Director for
People, said: ‘Our aim was to establish an effective two-way
communication channel that ‘plugged in’ employees from all
The problem over the UK and created a partnership between management
BSkyB has grown rapidly since its birth thanks to the energy and employees.
and commitment of its people. The challenges faced by the
various areas of the business to deliver world class service ‘We considered feedback from the members of the Sky
and products and the speed of delivery created a sense of Speakers and the Employee Forum before deciding to create
pride in the company as a whole, but fostered a sense of just one forum for the whole organisation. This had practical
belonging to a local team rather than to the larger whole.
James Murdoch, the new Chief Executive Officer appointed
in 2003, saw the unification of the company’s diverse
population as one of his key objectives. Management were in
full agreement with his policy that all strands of the business
should be connected in order to work together on common
goals. James saw the importance of effective communication
between workforce and management as a method of
delivering that aim.

The solution
To help achieve James’s objective the company decided to
create a Forum which would bring together the views of the
company workforce and the executive management
A BSkyB call centre in action
committee – Worker Involvement. The Forum evolved from

Photographs of James Murdoch, Beryl Cook and Chistoph Williams courtesy of Nikki English
BSKYB case study – worker involvement

advantages in that there had been a large degree of similarity The results
between the issues raised by the two separate bodies, and The Forum has created greater employee engagement and
there was duplication in management answering these queries. awareness of health and safety. Since its launch one year
ago, Forum members have found almost one hundred ways
‘We created the Forum by dividing the business into to create a safer and healthier workplace, working with health
representative constituencies, taking into account the remote and safety and general management. Distinct achievements
geographical locations and the differing communities.’ have included the resolution of safe access and egress issues
at the Dunfermline call centre, the revision of the fire safety
Christoph Williams, the Sky procedures within the main transmission control room in
Forum manager, said: Osterley, and a review of the roof working procedures for field
‘Although the actual setting engineers, resulting in the development of a revised process.
up of the Forum took about
three to four months, we Mark Sayer, Group Head of Health and Safety, said: ‘Our
were still tweaking some of experience with the Sky Forum has been very positive. When
the operational processes health and safety issues were raised we were able to
six months on. Staff were engage in in-depth two-way consultation with the Forum
made aware of and involved members, which secured an operational ‘sense check’
in the establishment of the leading to practical solutions that were fit for purpose.
Forum through posters, an This enabled us to implement revised health and safety
internal publicity campaign strategies robustly and effectively.
using email flyers and
Christoph Williams, pamphlets, and mail shots
Forum manager, BSkyB to their homes. A total of 70
Forum members were
elected by company employees through a secret ballot process,
overseen by the Electoral Reform Society. Once appointed,
elected members took part in induction training.’

The role of the Forum members was discussed and agreed


with them as was the entire shape of the body and its
processes. Members were to represent the views and issues of
employees and to consult on health and safety matters. Having
actively promoted employee involvement in health and safety at
all levels as part of its two-year health and safety improvement
programme, it was of prime importance to management that
health and safety was at the top of Forum agendas. The
company’s health and safety department is also empowered to
add issues to the agenda as and when necessary.

The Forum meets on a national level at least three times a


year in Osterley or Edinburgh, as well as holding local
meetings across a range of different sites. James Murdoch
and other members of the executive team attend the Forum –
a demonstration from the highest level of the company’s
commitment to the importance of worker involvement to its Members of the executive team responding to questions from
the floor
business performance.

A Forum website, internal mail and a paper based system ‘Forum members played a key role by ensuring that our
enable employees to raise any topic, idea or concern with their solutions were aligned with the needs of the staff and the
elected representatives. At regular intervals the members vote business through commenting on the practicality of the
to decide which issues are dealt with as agenda items at the suggestions made. This helped us to secure a key element of
national or local meetings. If an item does not make it onto an our solution driven focus within BSkyB’s health and safety
agenda, however, a response is given via the website. revitalisation programme.
BSKYB case study – worker involvement

Beryl Cook leading a Forum meeting

‘Other benefits include a more robust accident reporting ‘The Forum is making a huge difference. The executives
process, which was discussed and agreed by the Forum, and are very approachable and when issues we raise go onto
a clearer understanding of staff priorities in the health and the table we know things are going to happen. It (the
safety arena.’ Forum) really does matter, we believe in it, and we believe in
James (Murdoch). It is definitely gathering momentum and
we believe it is going to stay and make BSkyB a better place
to work.’

Beryl Cook, Director for People, said: ‘The Forum has made a
difference in health and safety and has also achieved the
broad aim of enabling
communication and getting
people thinking together
around a larger vision for
the business and the
organisation. An employee
survey has shown greater
buy-in to the company’s
direction and vision, and
the role employees believe
they play.’

Jane Reekie, Forum member and Recruitment Administrator, The future


Dunfermline, said: ‘The Forum has given the workforce a Both the workforce and
voice and has allowed people to think for themselves. It is management are buoyant
breaking down barriers and eliminating the ‘them and us’ with regards to the
mentality between management and workforce. It has given business future of BSkyB.
the workforce responsibility to deal with situations
without having to consult management on every issue. The Forum is now into its second year and continues to
This in turn leaves management more free to deal with develop. It is an ongoing project, building better and stronger
the major problems and at the same time gives communication between management and workforce with an
employees independence and a belief in themselves to ethos that both parties are keen to embrace and improve.
take charge.
Published online by the Health and Safety Executive 12/05

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