Case Study: Hampshire HR Forum
The Hampshire HR Forum was set up in the first year of the Skills Network at the request of a few of the HR mangers within large tourism establishments. It was felt that it would help them form a cohesive structure within the county for tourism skills and training issues.
Tourism businesses can be very fragmented because of the diverse nature of the sector and many in Hampshire are situated in rural locations. Those participating wanted to share and exchange experiences and ideas, save valuable time and resource and in addition create a professionalism structure.
Initially the gatherings were small and informal with the agenda steered by the HR Managers themselves and facilitated by Gill Heighington. The only cost being their time and use of business premises to hold the meetings.
As the reputation of the group has grown and others have seen the positive impact, more tourism business HR managers have joined the group. There is now a core of 30 ‘members’ with at least 20 regularly attending quarterly get togethers and passing information onto those who are unable to come along.
Gill regularly makes suggestions for and arranges attendance by outside speakers such as the Health and Safety Executive, People 1st, Business Link, the Immigration Authority, Solicitors.
One recent evaluation participant commented: “It’s very, very useful to hear what's going in the industry. It’s a really informative forum for learning and sharing. It’s great for best practice. We also do salary surveys, share ideas, learn about suppliers and industry partners such as People 1st.” (HR Manager, Carey’s Manor)
Other content has included updates on:
- New laws and HR regulations
- Recruitment difficulties/challenges
- Training opportunities and emerging requirements
- School liaison and work experience codes of conduct
- Identified skills gaps
Over the years the group has made recommendations for new courses, advised on and shaped content accordingly, jointly distributed a salary survey, and undertaken a familiarisation trip to Dorney Lake the South East’s 2012 venue.
“Meeting other HR professionals in the industry is a huge benefit. You realise common issues and that you're not alone. The speakers at the Forum are also very good allowing you to keep up to date with issues such as employment (HR Manager, Botley Park Hotel).
For futher information on the Hampshire HR Forum, please contact Gill Heighington.
If you are interested in setting up your own HR Forum in your area, please contact your local skills co-ordinator.
