Concerned with representatives becoming “detailing machines” interested only in getting key messages across to customers because of their ability to write prescriptions, earlier this year, Pfizer changed its business model to become more responsive to the market and customer needs.

No successful company can stand still – even pharma’s largest – especially at a time when its customers’ world is changing faster than ever before.

The old model had served Pfizer well, but no longer met the needs of today’s UK healthcare environment. It was clear that Pfizer needed to find new ways to work with payers and prescribers in the UK which better matched their needs and expectations.

Pfizer’s new customer-facing organisation builds on all that is best about Pfizer and its core Values, as Philip Watts, Customer Marketing director, explained:“We are very good at account management and building customer relationships – we just need to increase our focus on doing it and to make sure that we do it more consistently.We’re also very good at teamwork and combining our skills to achieve real business results.”

Philips says:“Our industry is clearly very brand driven and this will always be the case. However, I believe it’s no longer enough to simply focus on selling our medicines.We need to go beyond that and think of other ways to engage with our customers.”

Pfizer’s new structure has been designed to build stronger customer relationships and ensure a more consistent and effective implementation of customer strategies. It is about placing, and developing, the right skills and knowledge in the right departments, and building teams of specialists who can tailor their approach to meet local customer needs and develop business opportunities.

“This means that the person we place in front of a customer won’t be a ‘jack of all trades’, but someone who understands their business and knows what they are talking about,“added Sales Director, David Bevan.“These individuals will be masters of customer focus with few distractions so they can focus on what is important.”

Actions speak louder than words

While many companies and industry commentators have talked about the need to develop an account management approach, Pfizer has created an expanded account management team, structured around the NHS communities.These account managers look across the spectrum of primary physicians and secondary care going into hospitals, into networks or wherever they need to go to understand what is happening in their local health economy.

Pfizer has also identified the need for specialist account managers in particularly complex areas, such as in oncology where Pfizer has a very promising and rapidly expanding franchise.

Day in the life... A glimpse of what life is like in two of the new customer-facing roles. The role of the Sales Manager I’m definitely a people person which is why I was pleased to have the heavy account planning duties taken out of my role. Now I get to spend most of my time out coaching my team. It is 60 or 70% of what I do. I know it was always supposed to be that way but, frankly, I probably only spent a quarter of my time out there in the past, due to the days and days of meetings I needed to attend. By working closely with my Account Manager colleagues, who are now accountable for building and delivering our local account plans, I can now focus on leading my team so they have the right skills, knowledge and support to deliver the business results. Of course, I have input into building the local account plans that are agreed for each POA. I have to make sure that we’re working with the right, most important customers and delivering the plan. And we check our progress at monthly reviews with the Account Managers which usually take about two hours, although they aren’t always necessarily face-to-face. I always keep an eye on the fact that we have to share the intelligence we uncover during our field visits, which I do on an on-going basis with my Account Manager colleagues and back into Customer and Brand Marketing. The role of an Account Manager As one of a team of six Account Managers, my job in a nutshell is the accountability for putting together and implementing Local Health Economy (LHE) Plans. Each LHE covers a PCT footprint and everything within it which is relevant to my business, including acute trusts, pharmacies, teaching hospitals and major specialist centres, along with practice based commissioning groups.We add to that our take on the demographics of our local health economy, the type of providers, other key influencers and our sales history here. Then, using the guidance developed by my Regional Account Director (RAD) around priorities and objectives for our brands, I define our local strategies and draw up an action plan for delivering them using all the resources I have at my disposal, including Value Added Programmes and campaigns from Brand Marketing and new service offerings from Customer Marketing. Today is my second quarterly review meeting with my RAD on my new LHE plan. I believe the Senior Sales Manager is likely to be there too. I worked closely with my Sales Managers to develop the plan, using the new tools and information sources provided by Customer Marketing. It is a more rigorous process than I am used to but has resulted in what I believe is a more focused approach to how I plan for my business. I’m looking forward to sharing what I’ve done so far and getting feedback on what we can do differently. Although I’ve driven the development of the plan, I’ve talked to my Sales Manager colleagues on a regular basis right from the start and to quite a few Representatives. One thing I’ve had to do differently this time is liaise with the Specialist Account Managers for Diabetes and Oncology - both these areas are high local health priorities in my area, and it will be good to work with them to align our approach.

Customer marketing is also responsible for developing a customer strategy – and this doesn’t involve sitting in a darkened room, but getting out there, meeting customers and really getting under the skin of what it is like to be a modern healthcare professional. Based on this knowledge, it’s about creating ‘Value propositions’ and “Offers” that will be of real value to them and which go beyond brands. All this means that Sales Representatives can continue to do what they do best: namely, focusing on ‘selling’ and building great customer relationships. Similarly, sales managers can spend less time in meetings and more of their time out on the road, coaching, developing, motivating and inspiring their team to be the best in the business. The new model blends all the company’s skills and knowledge, which enables a series of informal networks between teams and individuals.“There’s no sharp divide between departments – it’s more of a continuum,” said David.“The account team will lead the strategy, but also play a role in the execution. Sales will lead the execution of the plans. But also play a role in developing the strategy.” While Pfizer’s new model is designed around the structure of the NHS, it has also recognised that you can’t put new structures and processes in place without helping its people to adapt to new working practices and behaviours. So, managers have been working hard to communicate with their teams and supporting them by continuing to provide training and development. “There will be people who were successful in the old model, and equally successful in the new roles, such as account management, but new skills will come to the fore so we can do it even better.We already have great Sales people. Now we can focus on being the best in the industry,” said Philip. “We are committed to being a less bureaucratic,more accountable organisation, which enjoys better results and improved long-term growth.” “Sales Managers can spend less time in meetings and more of their time coaching, developing, motivating and inspiring their team to be the best in the business.” He continued:“We have long realised the need to develop a truly shared agenda with customers – one in which we work together, as equal partners, to achieve better health outcomes. In the new Pfizer model, we have a real opportunity to deliver this, and to achieve shared benefits. Set against a really challenging and evolving NHS environment, by taking an industry lead Pfizer has placed itself at the cutting edge of pharmaceutical business in the UK and it feels like a really exciting place to be.

APPRAISALS DON’T HAVE TO BE DREADED EVENTS. GILLIAN MORGAN OFFERS SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO ENSURE YOUR NEXT APPRAISAL IS BOTH A PAINLESS AND A PRODUCTIVE EXPERIENCE.

Most people approach their annual appraisal with a certain degree of trepidation. Although it might not be possible to make it an altogether enjoyable experience, there are many things you can do to ensure your appraisal is a productive and successful one. One of the key factors to help make the process less painful is to be fully prepared. It is particularly important to remember that preparation should be ongoing throughout the year – not a rushed job the day before you are due to meet your line manager! Generally, industry appraisals are in two parts: firstly, the aim is to complete an appraisal document, which reviews sales and activity performance; secondly, the appraisal should review core professional competencies or behaviours, such as:

• planning and effectiveness
• business skills and client focus
• team working and communication
• performance enhancement
• leadership (where appropriate).

Smart Career Management

At the start of each year, clear objectives and goals need to be set, and these should be referred to throughout the year to ensure you are making effective progress. These targets should be used as the basis for your appraisal. It is important that you continuously review your own progress against these targets and adapt activities or behaviours, where necessary, to help you achieve your goals. Remember, all objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based.

Appraisal documents should be regarded much like a well-used business plan – they need to be considered as a work-in-progress. The appraisal system needs to be flexible and should encourage a review of an individual’s needs and performance requirements. In addition to your appraisal document, your Personal Development Plan (PDP) should be considered a key part of the overall appraisal process and is often reviewed at the same time to ensure you are receiving the right training and development. This plan can help you and your line manager identify gaps in your knowledge and training and, importantly, log when these needs have been met. Your appraisal can also be a chance to talk about your career aspirations, so if you want to take on extra responsibility, move up the career ladder or become a field coach, now would be an ideal time to talk to your line manager about what you can do to achieve your goal. To become a field coach, for example, you could attend a coaching skills course or discuss what practical work you could do in your current job, such as coaching a less experienced representative, to improve your skills.

Clear Communication

Ongoing and open communication with your line manager enables you to discuss any specific issues you may have and resolve them as they occur. It also means you can:

• Discuss, record and celebrate successes
• Review current performance against competencies, activities and/or objectives
• Identify gaps between actual and target performance levels
• Identify suitable training interventions
• Highlight the possibility of any objectives not being met
• Maintain a written record of success and areas requiring development – to be included in your formal appraisal
• Provide constructive feedback to each other.

A good manager will provide consistent feedback throughout the year. The formal appraisal makes up only one part of the process and ongoing feedback is vital. Exactly how often feedback is given is determined by an individual’s needs and experience. This form of open communication also ensures there are no surprises on the day.

Evidence of Effectiveness

It is important to collate evidence throughout the year in a ‘brag file’ to support your appraisal. This provides documented back-up to support your key achievements and career highlights. Some examples of things to collect and include in a brag file are:

• Documentation demonstrating your success in getting a new product onto the hospital formulary
• Copies of any presentations you may have given
• Feedback from internal and external customers which communicates your key strengths, for example, letters of commendation or emails from colleagues
• Any evidence of continued learning, for example, certificates for any relevant training courses you have attended.

Shaun Parry, a Senior Sales Representative at In2Focus, attests to the value of his ‘brag file’: “Being fully prepared for my appraisal and ensuring I collected relevant information throughout the year meant that I was able to discuss my progress with my RBM without feeling like I was taking an exam! We had a very productive meeting and I was really pleased I had taken the time to go through the supporting evidence and the appraisal form in advance so I could easily highlight my successes and also areas where I might need to improve.”

The Big Day

If you have been preparing for your appraisal throughout the year, the day itself should be relatively straightforward. It might be an idea to speak to your line manager in advance to determine if any specific preparation is required by you and what you should bring along. If you have an appraisal document from last year you should always ensure you review this beforehand.

Top tips

• Keep all supporting evidence well organised and in a clear format • Where possible, send information to your line manager in advance of your appraisal, for example, it may be possible to complete and send back your appraisal forms • Ensure you have all relevant ‘brag file’ evidence and are clear as to how you can use this to support specific performance or professional competency objectives.

Future Focus

On average, an appraisal should last about 90 - 120 minutes. Companies sometimes separate out the performance appraisal from setting objectives and goals for the following year. Goal and objective setting is often combined with documenting training plans for the next year to help prevent the appraisal process becoming too lengthy. However, your continuing training and development are extremely important and you should ensure you set a date and time to discuss these with your manager. So even if you do not discuss future plans and objectives, be proactive and prepare some questions relating to your career and your future aspirations, such as wanting to take a certain course. This can then be noted and followed up at your next meeting.

Maximising the appraisal opportunity also means understanding the role of your line manager. They will usually have to conduct up to ten appraisals, which can be exhausting, so it is a good idea to be upbeat and positive to help them stay motivated! If you also demonstrate that you have come well prepared this will make life easier for both of you.

In conclusion, preparation is the key to a productive and painless appraisal. During the year, make sure you document your successes and achievements and support these where possible with hard evidence. Remember there should be no surprises and this is your best opportunity to ensure you sell yourself. GOOD LUCK!

Gillian Morgan is Talent Management Director at In2Focus SDS Ltd. She focuses on ensuring In2Focus teams deliver to high and consistent standards by implementing best practice across all the teams. Gillian also manages the Resourcing function, including the setting up of new projects. In2Focus is a leading UK based Contract Sales Organisation. We deliver sales solutions to our clients in the pharmaceutical industry by providing high calibre medical representatives and nurse advisors, and high quality support services. For more information, or to discuss career opportunities with the company, please contact In2Focus’ Resourcing Department on  01628 488606  01628 488606 .

The summer is a good time to sit back and take a good look at your professional life. Are you where you wanted to be at this stage in your career? If not, how can you get there? Could it be time to think about moving up to the next level, or even taking a step back? STAR Medical’s Lucy Randle offers some advice.

The modern attitude that we ‘work to live’ gives the impression that work shouldn’t be enjoyable, and many people are in jobs that do not allow them to fulfil their potential or are not in the area where they would like to be. There are various reasons for this: we fall into a routine, we get lazy, or we are so busy in our jobs that we don’t have time to consider whether we are happy or not.

Your job may have met all your needs five years ago, but is that still the case now? Remember, success without fulfilment is failure. If you disagree with more than a couple of these statements, you may be ready for a change:

• My job utilises most of my skills and experience.
• I feel valued at work.
• I am satisfied with the level of responsibility I have at work.
• I feel comfortable and happy working with most of my colleagues and manager(s).
• I do not have very much workrelated stress and my job doesn’t interfere with my family life.
• I do not feel bored or burned out at work very often.
• I am happy with my salary.
• I agree with company policies and am satisfied that what I do is legal and ethical.

Review your work time

Ask yourself which parts of your job you enjoy most and look at what proportion of your time you spend doing them. It might be worth making a list of the task, time spent on it and grading how much you enjoy it, for example: Administration, 6 hours a week, grade 4.

Presentations, 2 hours a week, grade 9.

Make sure that you consider everything you do at work and not just what’s on your job description – for example, if you have been spending a lot of time helping a new colleague or answering questions about your IT system, factor that in too. Similarly, you can include items that you don’t do but wish you did, for example, contributing to the design of marketing campaigns.

“Your job may have met all your needs five years ago,but is that still the case now? Remember, success without fulfilment is failure”

If you’re not already spending the majority of your time doing what you find most rewarding, think about what type of role would incorporate more of what you want. It might help to look at the career paths of the colleagues or friends you most envy and admire. Consider what it is about their career you find most interesting and the qualities that have made them successful in it.

Aim high

Think about where you want to be in one, three, five and ten years time. Don’t suppress your true ambitions because you’re scared they’re unrealistic. Admit to yourself what they are and then research the chances of succeeding in them. Be prepared to look into roles you hadn’t even known existed before!

As well as thinking about your time at work, consider your time outside of work – how much time are you willing to commit to your job, would you be happy to relocate, how much do you need to earn to live the way and do the things you wish to do?

If you know someone who is doing the job of your dreams, talk to them about how they went about it and try to get a ‘warts and all’ description of what it really involves. A good recruitment consultant is likely to be able to advise you on the pros and cons of the role you are interested in, as the chances are they will have helped someone into or out of it!

Consider internal opportunities

If you have concluded that you are not satisfied with your job, bear in mind the saying “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!”Your current employer may have more to offer you, if you let them know what you want!

Talk to your manager about your ambitions and what you want to achieve.They may be able to help you to achieve your goals. Ask them about the possibility of promotion or secondment.

Sometimes people’s jobs incorporate many rewarding factors but in too small a quantity. If this is the case it may be worth taking a carefully compiled proposal to your manager explaining the benefits of reallocating your time (in favour of what you most enjoy). If it is advantageous to your manager and organisation, this may be possible. If there are new products in the pipeline or signs of expansion, there may be fresh opportunities on the horizon.

Seek Advice

Talking to friends and researching online may be enough to help you to come to a decision about your career but if it isn’t, further assistance is available.

A career coach will take a forward-thinking, goal-orientated approach to understanding your needs and creating a career action plan.They can address issues such as time management, advancing your profile at work, and confidence in the workplace.A good career coach will facilitate your decisions about which direction to go in and have a positive, re-energising effect on both your work and personal life.

It is important to take time out to review your career and where it is heading Admit to your ambitions and find out how realistic they are Find out if there are any opportunities with your current employer in the areas that interest you Speak to friends and research possible roles / companies on the internet Consider speaking to a career coach

Amongst other things, psychometric tools such as personality profiling analyse your characteristics and preferences at work, your strengths and weaknesses, communication and selling style. Sometimes our sense of dissatisfaction is somewhat amorphous: personality profiling can help you to improve your selfawareness, pinpointing what you enjoy and find most rewarding, thus giving you some direction about what to look for.

Be proactive

Of course, deciding what you are aiming for is only the beginning of the journey to attaining it!

Thorough research needs to be conducted into what experience and skills are required to do the job of your dreams. Look at the profiles of the type of company you would like to work for, find out what they want from their employees. If further qualifications are required you must be certain that you can put the time and money behind obtaining them. Think about what has contributed to the success you have already had and how you can develop and improve this to suit the demands of your desired career.

A conscientious review of your current job and aspirations will give you the courage of your convictions when seeking a change. Don’t be afraid to ask for the support of your manager, or a professional such as a career coach or recruitment consultant in moving towards your goals.

The STAR Medical team is ready and willing to receive your call and happy to offer guidance on any of the issues raised in this article. Up-to-the-minute vacancies can be found at www.starmedical.co.uk.

Could your next move be an international one? Relocating with your company to another country can bring adventure and new experiences, as well as a boost to your career. Pf tells some success stories.

This year’s depressing summer has probably inspired many of us to think of moving abroad.The beauty of working in a global industry is that, for many people, an international transfer is a very real possibility. Pf spoke to several people who have successfully relocated with their company, either long-term or temporarily, to find out what motivated them and what challenges they have had to overcome in settling in another country.

Sunshine and palm trees Tim Kneen joined Merck Pharmaceuticals (now Merck Serono) as a medical representative working in London.Now, 15 years on, he is Managing Director of the Middle East business, enjoying a new life in the Dubai sunshine.

“I was keen to make the next step to managing director and to do this in a new country was an exciting opportunity,” said Tim Kneen, who was offered the role of Managing Director in the Middle East whilst working as Head of Marketing in the UK.“My wife had a list of requests, definitely sunshine and palm trees would be preferred but we had no idea where we would end up. As it turned out, the country definitely has sunshine.”

Up to this point,Tim had progressed through business manager and product manager roles and taken advantage of the opportunity to study an MBA, but nothing had quite prepared him for the challenge of settling into a whole new culture.

He described the feeling of leaving the UK behind:“You fly into a new country – you know nobody and have no personal obligations to anything. So you spend time creating a new life – relearning how to do a lot of things you have taken for granted. I miss old colleagues, but I do not miss those flat grey skies of London.”

Once he had grown accustomed to the customs of working in a Muslim country and the different working relationships,Tim found that the emphasis on partnership made a refreshing change to the UK.

“There is less short-term thinking, more long-term trusting relationships developed,” he explained,“but the most refreshing difference is that there is a real partnership between the healthcare profession and the industry in the Middle East. Long may this continue.” Looking to the future, Tim is optimistic about where his career will take him next:“The challenges I have faced in the Middle East have been so many and so very varied.The experiences will be of great help in my future career. Learning more about this fascinating part of the world and changing preconceived ideas has already been of great benefit.”

A new job, a new country and a new baby Relocating to another country is hard enough, let alone with a new baby on the way. Noel Hanley and his wife were up to the challenge, however, and are glad they made the move to Hannover.

Noel Hanley was working as a senior product manager for Solvay when he was suggested for the role of Global Product Director, Cardiology in Hannover, Germany. Despite being eager for a new challenge, the decision to transfer was not a straightforward one:“The thought of moving to a new country and becoming parents within the space of a few months was daunting, but also exciting.The opportunity was too good to miss and both my wife and I had 100% commitment to the move. I believe that has been critical to us settling in as quickly as we did.”

As with all new jobs there were new processes and new objectives to get used to, as well as the additional challenges of settling in a different country and working on a site that is mainly German speaking. However, with the support of a ‘relocation assistant’, Noel and his family were able to settle legal and tax issues and set up new bank accounts.

“Our biggest personal challenge was, of course, the birth of our daughter, three months after we moved to Germany,” said Noel. “Fortunately, one of the maternity hospitals in Hannover is used by the British Armed Forces, so almost everyone there spoke good English.”

Reflecting on his decision to relocate to Germany, Noel has no regrets in terms of his career: “I have been involved in projects, activities and meetings that have given me exposure at the highest level of the company. One of the most interesting parts of the job is integrating with national organisations, understanding their different issues, challenges and successes and working together towards a common corporate goal.”

Noel confessed that, although their new personal life is not dramatically different, there are certain things that are harder to come by: “I do admit to missing curry and Guinness. However, the experience of living in a different country, plus working in the global offices of Solvay, has more than exceeded our expectations.”

The bigger picture For Roche’s Steve Turley, experience in an international role provided a new global perspective and helped pave the way to a senior sales and marketing role back in the UK.

“I gained a really important breadth of experience and understanding of the global pharmaceutical arena,” explained Steve, who spent four years as an international business leader in Roche’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland and is now Business Unit Director in the UK.“It all helps to open your eyes and mind to the bigger picture.”

While working for Roche as a group product manager, Steve had commented to a senior global manager that he would be interested in a global role.Three months later he got a phone call and within a week had been interviewed and offered a job.

“I was in two minds about pursuing a global role,” said Steve.“I enjoyed my job,my wife had a job and we had a six month old baby – everything was going well and moving abroad would be an upheaval. But I knew that it would be good for my career so when the opportunity came up, I went for it.”

Steve’s responsibility in Basel was within Roche’s global strategic marketing group, working with a range of departments to develop the marketing strategy for a new brand.

“It was not a massive culture shock,” said Steve.“The biggest challenges are for your family.Work consumed my time but my wife had a small child and knew no one.

It took a good three months to settle in but we ended up staying for nearly four very happy years.”

Now back in the UK, Steve is able to draw on his global experiences: “My main priority is the UK performance, but understanding the global agenda makes it easier to try to find the common ground when working with global colleagues. I have the understanding to challenge decisions at times and the relationships to help overcome certain issues.”

Instead of carrying bacon and sausages from the UK to Basel, Steve now returns from business trips there with a briefcase of his children’s favourite brand of Swiss noodles.

An American adventure For Sarah Mewton, a secondment in Chicago opened the way to a whole new set of challenges and adventures, from adapting to a new market to running the Indianapolis half-marathon.

Since joining Abbott six and a half years ago, Sarah Mewton has worked in a number of roles, which offered a range of experiences, the most exciting of which was a seven-month secondment as a global marketing manager in the US.

“My own growth plan highlighted a desire to work overseas in a new environment,” Sarah explained. “My line manager was then able to help me find and pursue the relevant opportunity. Following a successful assessment and an interview with the head of Abbott’s international nutrition division, I was offered a secondment with the international marketing team in Chicago.”

Sarah’s move to Chicago was managed smoothly by a relocation team, and she found technologies such as skype and instant messenger were essential in keeping in touch with people in the UK.

“Staying connected with my family, fiancé and friends was a lot easier than I anticipated. However, I did miss smaller cars, smaller food portions, and hills. Also, in my first week in the US I found out that walking to the nearest supermarket was not for the faint-hearted, as there were no pathways!”

Her time in the US provided Sarah with the opportunity to learn about international markets, but also the chance to travel in her spare time and pursue different adventures, such as skiing in Salt Lake City and running the Indianapolis half-marathon. Sarah’s time in the US also provided a boost to her UK career:“The skills and experience I developed during my secondment meant that I was offered a new role within Abbott’s UK nutrition marketing team.The other benefit for me is that I have greatly extended my internal network at Abbott and I now have a wealth of contacts who can provide me with advice and insight on different areas of the business.”

Now back in the UK, Sarah is enjoying her new role and taking time to plan her wedding.

Parlez vous Français? For Sarah Mewton, a secondment in Chicago opened the way to a whole new set of challenges and adventures, from adapting to a new market to running the Indianapolis half-marathon. David Jones had worked as a second line manager with AstraZeneca for two years, and had several years’ previous experience in a range of roles in primary care, hospital management, training and marketing, when it was agreed that a short-term secondment as a brand lead would provide good additional marketing experience. “The Belgium marketing company needed someone to put together a marketing plan for 2007 and work up a longer-term strategic plan while a permanent candidate was recruited,” said David.“The experience of working in a different culture was a big attraction.” Because the role was short-term David was able to commute from Harrogate to his Brussels apartment every Monday morning and spend weekends with his family. “The main challenge was maintaining my energy levels after a 4.30am start each Monday. It was quite challenging leading almost two separate lives – working in Brussels during the week and then returning to my family on Friday evening. It was quite surreal at times.” However, this was not the only challenge to overcome.David had to prove his worth to Belgian colleagues despite his limited marketing experience, and limited French. “While English is the prime language of AstraZeneca, all the HR and marketing literature in Belgium is in French,” he explained.“My French is now pretty good – a definite breakthrough was an area management business meeting, where I successfully understood and even answered questions in French!” David found that other cultural differences made a pleasant change, such as getting the tram to work rather than driving, the heavy emphasis on work/life balance and having his own office. Since returning to the UK, David has been made brand leader of AstraZeneca’s product Crestor. “Working in Belgium really made me step away from UK models of healthcare and think about how things could be executed differently in the UK.The training and development I received during my secondment undoubtedly helped fast track me to my current role.”

Top tips •Think very carefully before accepting a job that involves relocating, especially if you are married and/or have a family. How will the move affect your family and your relationships with each other? • Find out as much as you can about the country you are moving to before you go, that way you will hopefully avoid any surprises once you get there. • Find out if your employer helps with where you will live, transport etc? What about schooling and healthcare? • Consider any tax/legal issues, any documents/ visas you will need and bank accounts etc. How much help will you have from your employer with these things? Does your company use relocation agents? • Once you’re there, make an effort to build a new social network with colleagues etc, as well as keeping in touch with old friends.This will help you to maintain a sense of identity, especially if you have relocated to a very different culture.

 

Work-life balance has become one of the top items on the agenda for many large organisations – and a top priority for workers. Rebecca Clake of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) examines how an effective work-life balance policy can work to the advantage of both the company and employee.

The world of work has changed. With the combination of technology influencing the way we work, organisations competing for talent in a tight labour market, and businesses delivering services on a 24/7 basis – companies are having to think about flexible working. This is modern life in the Western world and it’s getting tougher.

More and more people have to juggle responsibilities at home and in the workplace. Stress levels are on an upward trend according to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Figures from the latest CIPD absence management survey show that 40% of organisations report that stress related absence increased in the previous 12 months.We’re working longer hours than ever – with an increasing proportion of households having both partners out at work, or the only parent having to work all hours to make ends meet.

It comes as no surprise that high absence costs businesses on average £659 per employee per year and many employers are still failing to tackle this through effective people management.

Why should employers help individuals achieve a work/life balance?

The problems
The two concerns that emerge most frequently from the CIPD surveys on employee attitudes are long hours and work intensity.The survey reveals that three out of four people surveyed believe they are working very hard.

These factors help explain the increased interest in work-life balance. More and more people are finding that their work demands are getting in the way of non-work commitments and, as a result, having a detrimental effect on their personal lives.This feeling of pressure can affect parents, the growing number of people with caring responsibilities for elderly relatives and all of us with interests and priorities outside of work.

The CIPD’s Annual Recruitment Retention and Turnover survey shows that the number of employers experiencing retention difficulties has climbed to 79%.We are also striving to meet the increasing demands on businesses to provide quality goods and services around the clock.To combat this, employees are adapting and changing in order to survive in this modern, competitive landscape. Moves towards offering more flexible working arrangements have not been simply the result of recent legislation in this area (see section What is the law?) Organisations are also seeking opportunities to achieve business benefits whilst meeting employees’ needs.

In our 24-hour society, many people feel under pressure from balancing work and home commitments 79% of companies are struggling to retain talented staff A flexible working policy means employers can attract a wider variety of workers and increase the motivation and engagement of the current workforce Barriers to flexible working include increased administrative burden, the risk of decreased productivity and legislative requirements From April 2007, employees who care for adults, as well as those caring for children, have the right to request flexible working

The solution
CIPD’s research with employees (carried out by Ipsos/Mori and Kingston University) confirms that meeting business and employee needs can be complementary objectives.Those with flexible working arrangements tend to be more emotionally engaged (that is, have a ‘passion for work’); more satisfied with their work; speak positively about their organisation to other potential employees and customers and are less likely to quit than other employees.

Flexible working policies and other work-life balance practices are now becoming increasingly the norm in our workplaces – and not just for those parents and carers covered by the legislation.

Many organisations have deliberately extended the right to request flexible working to all employees.

The DTI’s Third Work Life Balance Employee Survey 2006 reveals that the most commonly available flexible working arrangement was working part-time. Nearly seven in ten (69%) of employees said that this would be available if they needed it. Over half of employees (54%) felt that they would be able to work reduced hours for a limited period if they needed to do so. Flexible working time (flexitime) was the third arrangement to be available to over half (53%) of employees.

Almost nine out of ten employers now provide staff with flexible working, according to a report by the British Chambers of Commerce called Work and Life: How business is striking the right balance 2007. Eighty-nine percent of businesses surveyed provide their employees with some form of flexible working hours; 38% offer working from home.

The benefits
The CIPD survey, Flexible working: Impact and implementation found that three quarters of employers believe flexible working practices have a positive effect on retention.

Over half of organisations feel that recruitment has benefited from the implementation of flexible working practices and 70% believe flexible working has a positive impact on motivation.

Offering flexible working also gives employers the opportunity to attract and retain a more diverse workforce. Having a range of different working arrangements available will make it easier to appeal to different groups of potential employees such as:

•students (juggling work and their study schedule)
• women returning to work after maternity leave
• parents with young children
• workers with caring responsibilities
• older workers wishing to make a gradual move towards retirement.

How to effectively implement flexible working – tips for businesses: Establish a clear process for how flexible working works within the organisation.Where do employees go to explore flexible working/work-life balance opportunities? Ensure there are clear roles and responsibilities for employees, line managers and HR in this process. Assess the current levels of support you offer your line managers and ensure it is sufficient. Do your managers understand the business case for looking at flexible working/work-life balance? Are they confident discussing flexible working opportunities with their team? Invest in on-going communication and awareness raising. Are employees aware of the flexible working opportunities on offer? Assess how conducive your organisation culture is to flexible working – and take action accordingly. Are there any senior managers working flexibly? Do people feel working flexibly will damage their career prospects?

With the search for talent becoming increasingly difficult, employers looking to get and keep skilled workers need to examine their overall lifestyle and benefits package if they want to appeal to the best new recruits – whatever their background. Flexible working can be an important part of this.

The key question is – how can companies implement flexible working/work life balance policies to create a positive and supportive culture and to deliver the potential benefits, both in terms of competitive performance and employee well-being?

Getting the balance right

While a business can tailor its approach to flexible working to suit its culture, it is important that the company ensures requests from individuals covered by the flexible working regulations are handled in line with the legislation and DTI guidance (See What is the law?).

Some organisations in the CIPD research asked employees to make a business case when requesting flexible working. One HR Manager said:“…Offering flexibility will help aid attraction and retention.”

It’s important for an organisation to have a menu of potential flexible working opportunities to suit people with different needs and with different kinds of work within the business. For example, a receptionist won’t be able to work from home but could be able to request other flexible options.

Barriers to offering flexible working

In the same British Chambers of Commerce report, firms also gave reasons for not offering flexible working. More than half (56%) – highlighted the difficulty of achieving business growth with a reorganised workload and resources, and more than one in five employers cited the administrative burden of new policies as being a barrier to providing flexible working.

The CIPD’s research also highlighted a number of constraints. Seventy-seven percent of those surveyed sited operational pressures as the most significant constraint for organisations when implementing flexible working practices.This was followed by concerns around service requirements and the potential negative impact flexible working may have on business delivery. Forty-five percent of respondents highlighted the difficulties for line managers in implementing flexible working practices. It is important that managers are not only aware of legislative requirements but also understand their company’s own policy and the business case.

Those with flexible working arrangements tend to be more emotionally engaged;more satisfied with their work; speak positively about their organisation and are less likely to quit than other employees

The other challenge that businesses face is the law.The new regulations that have come into force mark a significant step forward for flexible working in the UK, and for moves to support improved work-life balance. But what does the law actually say?

What is the law?

The legislation introduced in April 2003 gives parents of a disabled child under 18 or parents with children under six the right to request flexible working. It was extended in April 2007 to apply to employees caring for adults. Employers are required to reasonably consider such requests in order to comply with the regulations.

It is up to the individual worker to make an application to work flexibly.They need to make the case for doing this, specifying the type of flexible work that would be involved, and how it would not have an adverse impact on the business of the employer. For further information go to www.dti.gov.uk.

Embracing change

The current trends may show that positive headway is being made in the arena of work life balance. But having a policy on flexible working is only half the battle. Employers also need to ensure it is fully embraced and embedded within the culture of their organisation.

Managers need to recognise the potential benefits to the business (as well as employees). And employees need to be aware of the opportunities available, and feel able to pursue them without it reflecting negatively on their career ambitions.

Clearly, implementing and managing flexible working arrangements does create challenges for organisations. It is important, therefore, to review constantly the success of flexible arrangements. An effective worklife balance strategy is not simply about complying with the law. It is about finding out what employees’ needs and priorities are and then considering how they can be met in ways that are consistent with the needs of the business.

Flexible working won’t be something that interests all employees. But for those who are struggling with the competing pressures of work and home life, the opportunity to work flexibly may be a make or break factor in their decision to stay with their company, or move to a competitor.

In an increasingly competitive business environment, at a time organisations are fighting for talent in the market place – overlooking the business benefits of offering flexible working can be costly.

Rebecca joined the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in 2003. Her role is Adviser, organisation and resourcing in the Institute's research team. Rebecca is working with Nottingham Trent University to develop CIPD's research on talent management and with Cranfield School of Management on a study looking at HR and technology. She is also involved in project managing a major two and a half year project on Improving Health through Human Resource Management funded by the Department of Health. Rebecca has also written the CIPD's guide to flexible working and has managed the Institute's annual recruitment, retention and turnover survey.

Success in the field relies on skills similar to those required on the golf course. Former professional golfer, John Haime, examines the main drivers of emotional intelligence.Will you make the cut, or end up bunkered?

“If he can control his emotions today, he can win this tournament.”

If you’re a golf enthusiast, you’ve probably heard broadcasters announce this many times before the final round of a professional golf event.The statement indicates what is essential for great performance.

The frustrating thing is that no one ever tells us how the golfer might do it. If controlling emotions is so vital to winning, wouldn’t you like to know how to do it – so you can perform at a higher level?

Surveying the leaderboard

If you were to observe the lead-up to a major professional golf tournament, it is unlikely that you would be able to tell which players will be successful in the event and which players will be packing their bags and heading home after the 36-hole cut. This highlights that unless professional golfers are under pressure in a dynamic environment, it is difficult to separate the contenders from the pretenders.The separation occurs when the heat is turned up, when results really matter, when the performer is pushed to his or her limits.The same applies in the professional selling environment.

Brain structures, like the amygdala in the emotional or limbic regions of the brain, can ‘hijack' intellectual processes when intense emotions are experienced in the system.

This is why even very talented professionals can make very foolish choices when under emotional stress.The ability to manage emotions under life’s pressures is one of the key elements in separating elite performers from average ones.

Golf’s greatest performer,Tiger Woods, has often said that managing emotion is a key to his success and consistency.Yet this is relevant to other highly-pressured professions too; studies have shown that in careers that involve sales, employees with high Emotional Intelligence are 12 times more productive than employees with low Emotional Intelligence.

Full set of clubs

There are a few fundamental competencies that are “must haves” to reach sustainable and consistent levels of elite performance.

The driver: Self-awareness Self-awareness is the foundation for great Emotional Intelligence and, while it sounds simple and obvious, it can be elusive. LearningLinks’ assessment work with sales professionals in the pharmaceutical industry has found that more than 50% could improve in this area.As a quick test, ask yourself several key questions:

• Do you clearly recognise emotions as they happen and how they impact your performance?
• Do you understand how your emotions impact others?
• Do you clearly understand your strengths and limitations?
• Do you believe in your capabilities and have presence when addressing others? If you are self-aware, you have answered “yes” to each question.

Consider an example: Before 2004 Phil Mickelson was 0-46 in golf’s major championships, but after a thorough assessment of his approach following the 2003 season, the risk-taking, stubborn Mickelson was replaced by someone more self-aware and flexible. He now has a more vigilant approach to the long game, strategising to keep his ball in play, and this approach is delivering confidence, consistency – and wins in major tournaments.

The short irons: Emotional self-control A direct effect of high selfawareness is emotional self-control. Successful people, whether they are medical sales reps or professional sports people, recognise emotions as they happen, and therefore have the opportunity to keep disruptive emotions under control in pressured situations.The best golfers stay composed and positive after poor shots and do not allow the negative energy to impact future shots. Similarly, elite sales professionals have to re-focus quickly after a below par sales opportunity. An optimistic approach on each shot/opportunity is critical following obstacles and setbacks.

The putter: Desire for success A hunger for meeting a standard of excellence is the competency that perhaps most contributes to the consistency and sustainability of the world’s best golfers,Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam. Great golfers, like successful sales people, every area of their business, take calculated risks and always believe that they will succeed whether they are doing well or struggling.They believe in their hearts that they will find a way to win no matter what the obstacle.

Insiders on the PGA Tour believe that Tiger Woods has an additional, major competitive advantage over his rivals.Woods has the ability to adapt from tournament to tournament, golf course to golf course and shot to shot. He has been successful on all styles of golf courses and has won each major championship multiple times.

Adaptability is also a key competency in the pharmaceutical sales industry. As customer and industry needs change, successful sales professionals adapt to customer and industry demands – and they do it quickly.

Golf is hard, selling is harder

One major difference separates professional golf from professional selling. Sales professionals require the core social competency of empathy to be an elite, consistent performer in their field. This difference, in my opinion, makes excellence in selling significantly more difficult than excellence in golf.While the elite golfer must only be concerned with their own emotions and the impact on their performance, sales professionals must understand, not only their own emotions, but those of their customers (and colleagues). At a time when medical sales reps have become more of a trusted advisor to customers, it is critical they have much more than basic listening skills. They must develop a sensitivity to understand and respond to subtle customer signals. Today’s sales professional must understand the challenges and issues the customer is experiencing and target needs with solutions.

We’re all performers in life and pressures are unavoidable. So it’s best to be prepared and have the capacity to maximize your performance when the pressure arrives on the first tee, in a big customer meeting or during a big decision. Improving your ability to control emotion can enable you to win. Just ask Tiger Woods.

Here are a few simple steps to enhancing your emotional intelligence: • Assess your Emotional Intelligence. Unlike IQ, EQ or Emotional Intelligence can be assessed. Become familiar with your strengths and limitations. • Enhance self-awareness through practice. Do you understand how your emotions impact your performance? Do you know how your emotions impact others? Do you clearly understand your strengths and limitations? Do you have presence when presenting ideas? Identify your tendencies under pressure – pay attention to the physical signs. • Concentrate your energy and emotion on only those things you can control and influence. Determine what you can control and focus only on those factors. People are notorious for blaming everything under the sun for their own failures (just ask the average golfer!).Any focus on those things you have no control over will lead to frustration. • Reserve judgment on yourself and others. In each stressful situation you encounter, step back and give yourself a small amount of time before reacting.