DMGT and our employees

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DMGT Group is an equal opportunities employer. In addition to a Group policy, many divisions have their own policies and practices across a range of employee issues.

Training and staff turnover

Training is taken seriously across the Group. Northcliffe Media has compulsory management training courses which focus on recruitment and selection, managing underperformance and disability awareness.

During the year Associated Newspapers has introduced a People Management programme which is available to all managers.

At DMG Radio all the stations and associated employees were trained during the year on Equity in the Workplace, this covered protection from Unlawful Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Harassment, Bullying, Violence, Victimisation and Vilification in the workplace with each location having the associate presentation per radio station ensuring local legislation, Equal Opportunity contact details and Contact Officers in place and communicated.

Staff turnover is monitored by all divisions. The Group's staff turnover in 2007 was up at 18.6%, compared to 14.6% in 2005.

Internal communication

A variety of approaches to staff communications exist within the Group, including:

  • the new DMGT Connect, a intranet;
  • the Group extranet;
  • regular communication events;
  • face-to-face communications with management;
  • programmes related to specific key events (such as major changes in operations or equipment).

DMGT chairman the Viscount Rothermere has an intranet forum that includes a suggestions page, a daily media briefing, and a cuttings database for staff at Northcliffe House.

At Teletext, monthly managing director's communications briefings are held, from which information is cascaded through department managers to staff.

At DMG Information's EDR division, a newsletter is circulated to all employees on a monthly basis and at Hobsons, a newsletter is published every second month each business holds quarterly company meetings for all employees and there is an annual international conference attended by representatives from each office.

Health and safety

A health and safety policy applies across DMGT and sets out to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees and all others who could be affected by the activities of the Group.

There are many examples of good practice across the Group, in terms of health and safety management systems, the use of independent consultants and initiatives focused on business-specific health and safety risk areas.

Health and safety is particularly critical in all printing press facilities, which have appropriate policies and management and monitoring programmes.

The Group has had no fines or prosecutions for health and safety failures over the last year.

While the chief executive has overall responsibility at Board level for health and safety matters throughout the Group, day-to-day responsibility is devolved to the managing directors of each division.

Printing divisions

Health and safety (H&S) is particularly critical in all DMGT’s printing press facilities, which apply appropriate policies and management and monitoring programmes.

At Associated Newspapers there is an H&S consultant on site twice a week who is available for staff members to talk with and raise concerns anonymously if they wish. The H&S Council meets quarterly and is attended by employee representatives, an occupational nurse, the building services manager, the technical manager and representatives from production and electrical engineering departments. It is chaired by the managing director. H&S training is part of the induction for all new starters and ongoing staff training programmes are provided. Targets for H&S improvement are set and performance is monitored, with the production of quarterly statistical reports that are presented to the H&S Council.

Northcliffe Media has a central team that establishes and supports H&S training and management requirements, although day-to-day responsibility for H&S matters is devolved to the managing director of each centre – which each elects employee safety representatives to represent staff on the centre’s H&S committee. An H&S performance summary report is included in monthly board reports. Risk assessment forms the basis of the H&S assurance system, and each Northcliffe centre is audited annually by the Northcliffe Media's health and safety team to ensure standards are maintained.

Non-printing divisions

Non-printing divisions manage their H&S issues in a variety of ways. Each has established clear responsibilities and H&S practices.

Unions

Trade unions continue to play an important role and are involved in regular discussions with management at Harmsworth Printing, representing their members on issues deemed important by the workforce.