Our employees are our most important resource. We aim to treat our people fairly, to advance their learning and development and to create a safe and positive working environment, free from discrimination.

The issue
High performing companies succeed by attracting and retaining the best employees. To achieve this, they must offer attractive pay and benefits packages, opportunities for training and development and provide a safe and secure workplace. Companies that promote equal opportunities also benefit from the innovation and creativity of a diverse workforce.

Our approach
We employ almost 1,200 staff across our three airports. These are the people who put the passenger first and turn our strategies into action. We are transforming BAA Scotland into a true frontline-led business by placing decision making responsibility close to the customer.

Pay and benefits
We aim to attract and retain the best people to create a high performing organisation, one that is recognised as a customer service leader where:

• People are rewarded for the work they do, with a combination of a salary and eligibility for an annual bonus
• People are encouraged to increase their skills through learning and development
• Team work is fostered
• Equality of opportunity is a reality and opportunities are based on merit in an environment free from bullying and harassment.

All staff are eligible for an annual bonus based on the financial performance of the business. Managers’ bonuses are based on a combination of business and personal performance. We also offer long term incentive schemes for employees, including the Bonus Saver Plan for all employees, where savings are enhanced by an end of savings period bonus dependent on business performance, and the Executive Share Option Scheme for senior managers and directors.

We recognise the contribution our long serving employees bring to our organisation and each of our airports run events to reward employees with 10 and 25 years service.  

Diversity
At BAA we are committed to providing an inclusive working environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We recognise that people from different backgrounds, experiences and abilities can bring fresh ideas and innovations to improve our working practices and business.

In our continuing effort to ensure that diversity is embedded in our culture, reflected in our people and to better serve our customers we will endeavour to:

• Fully utilise the talents of all BAA people;
• Improve recruitment and retention from all groups;
• Ensure that employment decisions are based on business needs and the individual’s ability to do a job;
• Enhance decision-making and innovation, by encouraging interaction and involvement
• Increase our ability to relate to existing and potential customers wherever they exist
• Build effective relationships in the wider community through partnerships with community based groups.

We regularly collect, monitor and analyse information on the gender, age, ethnic and racial backgrounds, and disabilities of employees and applications to assess the application and effectiveness of this policy. We will use this to highlight areas to be addressed. The information will be held in strictest confidence and will only be used to promote diversity and prevent unlawful discrimination.

Learning and development
We offer the training and development opportunities that our employees need to develop their skills and to adapt to new roles. Our on-line university, UNI, provides information on development opportunities including traditional class-based sessions, e-learning and coaching.

Well-being
We want our employees to be able to balance work and home life. We offer flexible working options including:

• Part-time working
• Job sharing
• Home working
• Reduced hours
• Special leave for domestic emergencies and volunteering
• Maternity, paternity, adoption and carer leave.

Employee engagement
We aim to keep our employees informed about the business and to understand their views. We engage with our employees informally through Managing Director road shows, team meetings, monthly one to one meetings and formally through our annual survey, ”Make Your Mark”.

We engage with our employees in a number of other ways including:

• Airwaves, our company wide magazine
• Airwaves Direct, an email bulletin service
• CEO Chatback, a recorded telephone service where employees can leave a question which is then answered in Airwaves
• An intranet site
• Text message alert service
• Management conferences
• Airport fun days.

We held our second leadership conference in January 2007 involving over 100 senior managers from BAA Scotland. The conference is designed to discuss operational challenges and future opportunities, as well as setting the business agenda for the coming year.

Trade unions
Many of our employees are members of a trades union. We are committed to working cooperatively with the three unions that represent our employees:

• Prospect
• Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
• Unite (formerly Amicus and Transport & General Workers Union(TGWU).

At group level these trades unions meet with management representatives to negotiate pay and employment policies. At a Scottish level, airport managing directors – and other senior managers - meet regularly with union representatives to consult on matters which affect their members.

Whistle-blowing
We believe the concerns of our employees can usually be dealt with by their managers. But we also recognise that some staff may feel unable to raise issues or problems within the organisation. In 2006 we launched a 24 hour, seven day a week confidential phone line operated by an independent company, which offers employees an opportunity to speak out about serious issues in the workplace such as fraud, harassment, security, discrimination, bullying and potentially inappropriate practice without fear or prejudice. Each individual’s call is treated confidentially and all matters raised are investigated by the company.