Employee Policy
The Company believes a diverse workforce will encourage an innovative and creative environment and help ensure that all employees can realise their potential. In addition, a workforce that reflects the community at large and the wide diversity of our customers can help the Company understand and respond to the needs of those customers.
The Company will treat all employees based upon individual merits and will not discriminate, either directly or indirectly, in recruitment or employment on grounds of; age, sex, gender, pregnancy, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sexual orientation or religion or belief, or because someone is married or is a civil partner.
The Company will not discriminate on grounds of disability or fail to make reasonable adjustments to overcome barriers to employment caused by disability.
The Company will not discriminate unjustifiably on grounds of age in relation to employment.
The Group has a commitment to ensure that all employees and management are properly inducted into the Group and given the necessary training to fulfil their roles and to develop their full abilities.
There is an active and extensive programme of training in place. Full-time dedicated professional trainers are employed, and their work is supplemented as required by external courses and external agencies. In order to meet ever increasing customer demand particular emphasis is placed on customer service and interpersonal skills in the training programme. The Group has a policy of increasing the number of hours of staff and management training conducted year on year.
SIG recognises the importance of good communications with employees and acknowledges that there should be clear channels of communication and opportunities for consultation and dialogue on issues which affect both business performance and employees’ work lives. This is achieved through a variety of media including the Group’s intranet, noticeboards, newsletters and meetings.
Employees are encouraged to become shareholders in the Company. The Group currently operates a Share Incentive Plan in the UK which offers the opportunity for employees to buy shares in a tax efficient manner and to receive free shares from the Company.
The Group operates a number of employee pension schemes across its businesses. In the UK it operates a Defined Contribution Scheme which is open to all employees. The Group’s UK Defined Benefit Schemes have been closed to new members since 1997.
The HR Director has responsibility for human resource issues within the Group and reports to the Group Chief Executive who is responsible for human resource issues at Board level.
