Our People

At Countryside Properties we continue to recognise the benefits of developing the skills and abilities of our key asset – our people. Indeed, one of our main objectives is to become an employer of choice and to attract, develop and retain excellent staff.

The cornerstone of our approach continues to be integrity and professionalism in working with our partners to deliver mutually beneficial results. We therefore continue to invest heavily in the development and training of our employees. This is principally being realised, in accordance with our Training and Development Policy, via the Group’s Training to Succeed programme.

Training to Succeed provides a highly comprehensive programme of training for both site and office based staff. These range from ‘soft’ skills through to industry specific courses. We review the courses regularly to ensure that they are highly focussed and tailored to enhance the technical, leadership and personal development offer. Additional specialist courses are also available to meet individual training needs.

During the reporting period, the Group invested £943,240 (2005 - £1,085,156) in employee development and training, including our Training Academy, which per employee averaged £1,257 (2005 - £1,368) or 3.2 training days per employee, compared to the industry average of 1.75 training days per employee.

As an equal opportunities employer, Countryside Properties endeavours to provide employment on a fair and equitable basis. Internal job development and job sharing are actively encouraged to ensure that experienced employees are retained.

Personal Development Reviews (PDRs) are undertaken on, at least, an annual basis. They provide the framework for recognising achievements and objectives for the future, as well as training requirements. During this reporting period 90% (2005: 73%) of employees undertook a PDR. In 2006, in our Northern region, we trialled the use of core competencies to further improve the effectiveness of PDRs and employee skill sets. Following the success of the trial, core competencies will be used throughout the Group in 2007.

To attract and retain a supply of skilled managers for the future we established the Countryside Properties' Training Academy in 2001. We currently have over twenty trainees working in four specially designed programmes. These aim to provide school and college leavers, undergraduates and graduates with the foundations for a successful long-term career with the Group. Support is given to all trainees at every stage of their programme, training and academic study. In 2006 the third group of Graduate Management Trainees have left the programme and have taken up full employment within the Company in their chosen career.

Renumeration packages, holiday, pensions and health care entitlements are also monitored, against industry benchmarks, to ensure that they remain competitive. It continues to be the Group’s policy to ensure that the overwhelming majority of employees hold full contracts of employment rather than being engaged on a temporary basis.

We are committed to high levels of internal communications. The Group’s intranet is comprehensive and innovative and a staff magazine is regularly produced, together with a new monthly email newsletter of all the key news from around the Group. In addition, Senior Directors give regular presentations to staff outlining strategy and key initiatives going forward. During 2006, we also introduced Chairman’s Receptions as an informal way of small groups of staff being able to meet the Executive Directors. The receptions are ongoing to ensure that all staff are able to attend.

During the reporting period, we formed an Internal Communications Advisory Group to continually improve the effectiveness of internal communications, training and personal development across the Group. Chaired by the Chief Executive, its members are drawn from a cross section of staff representing each division. Its members invite feedback on possible company led initiatives (e.g. changes in staff benefits and new training workshops) and act as a filter for Corporate Management Committee, as well as staff, ideas and concerns.

As part of the Investor in People Standard, which we achieved across all our operations in 2000, regular internal research is undertaken with members of staff and is used to measure the effectiveness of management, strategy and support systems to ensure material risks and staff issues are met. Re-auditing to Investor in People will occur during 2007.

As the development industry continues to evolve and change we are ensuring that our people have the full range of skills to meet the challenges and opportunities.