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Dear Colleague

BT Ireland – Project Willow

BT Ireland has followed the same route as other lines of business installing iLM equipment in vehicles. As experience elsewhere has shown the significant problems which arose were not to do with the actual equipment. The handling and interpretation of the iPOP data did, we believe, cause problems and pressure on members.

In publishing individual targets, which frankly were not understood by members nor seen as achievable, BT Ireland created a high level of concern and anger amongst members.

The CWU believes that our approach elsewhere in BT to be the correct stance and as such has encouraged BT Ireland to adopt this. As the Union has constantly argued the fixation on task times and artificial productivity percentages is counter-productive to both individuals and ultimately the business. It does not create an environment where quality work is maintained nor differing individual characteristics are respected.

In conjunction with the Northern Ireland Engineering Branch, the Executive team has held discussions with BT Ireland aimed at creating an environment where the needs of both individuals and the business are fulfilled.

I attach for your information a copy of a letter resulting from the last meeting in Belfast on the 22^nd July. The commitments made in the letter are welcome and followed a full and frank discussion at that meeting. The Executive team and the Branch will hold further meetings with BT Ireland to develop the themes contained within the letter.

Yours sincerely

Ian Cuthbert

Assistant Secretary

23 July 2010

Dear Mr Cuthbert

BTI SERVICE PERFORMANCE

I am writing to outline the broad principles and next steps that were agreed at what both parties agreed was an extremely productive meeting with the CWU on 22 July 2010. We can follow up with more detailed discussions as we move forward through the further meetings we will schedule on this extremely important issue.

Raising Performance and Contribution

As we agreed at the meeting for individuals to perform at their optimum level, they need appropriate coaching, training and encouragement and an environment where they can move towards a sustained level of performance. In order to achieve this it is essential individuals take responsibility for their own performance in carrying out their job and positively participates in regular reviews.  Further to this we agreed that Managing Performance is about providing a positive and supportive environment, skills development were appropriate, recognition and reinforcement of good performance. It was recognised by both the business and the CWU that unfortunately in a small minority of cases where individual’s performance across a range of issues does not meet clearly set out criteria, there will be a need to take action to correct this, using the appropriate blend of support and coaching. This is in keeping with BT Groups two-way performance deal and the BTR “Together We Will Make a Difference” document.

As part of this process BTI believes that it is essential that from the outset all members of a team know where they fit into the overall team performance and how they can contribute to that overall performance. A key part of this is that individuals know what is expected of them and how to achieve or move towards that level. As such all team members (and Managers) are given a Coaching Plan so that they can see how, albeit at different levels and in different ways, they can contribute, with the appropriate support to the increased performance of the team.

It was good that both BTI and the CWU were able to agree that the key steps to improving the performance of team members are:

· All individuals understand clearly their part in the teams overall performance.

· The tools, training and support is in place to ensure the individual can meet that overall performance.

· BTI gives recognition for exceptional performance.

However, in those small minorities of cases were improvement is required the key first steps are vitally important as such BTI commits to:

· When a performance issue is identified a Root cause analysis of a performance issue is the first step.

· There are two way open and honest discussions to resolve any obvious behaviour issues e.g. a team member regularly not leaving for first job on time are actioned.

· The manager will seek to understand if there are any personal/health issues that may be affecting individual performance.

Another essential understanding by both the manager and the individual team member is that they both enter into any discussions on performance in an open, honest and professional manner. We will reinforce through our managers and would hope the CWU will through your channels that any discussions on performance are instigated to assist and support individuals and not act punitively.

As such an important part of the process is the sharing and documentation of steps needed to improve. BTI commits and embraces the following principles:

· BTI will discuss with individuals contribution goals based on an improvement to their baseline performance.

· When setting out individual contributions, the expectation is that everyone would have a coaching plan to support their performance.

· Coaching plans will be reviewed every 4 – 6 weeks.

· It would only be where no appropriate improvement to expectation was shown that an individual would be placed on a Managing Performance process.

· Where a manager identifies perceived shortcomings that impact on performance but are not performance issues per se, e.g. start or end of day issues, will be discussed and the individual given reasonable time to sort. It would only be after that and no improvement to expectation was shown the individual would be placed on a Managing Performance process.

· Any performance processes either informal or formal that may be appropriate will be in line with BT Group policy.

· All iPOP results are and should be viewed and acted upon on the basis that they are an output not the focus of the improvement plan.

· The focus of the improvement plan is to address the behaviour/skills/systems issues identified by the root cause analysis.

· Where coaching is required this will be provided in a supportive manner and should be accepted by individuals in the same way as a means of additional support and not as some punitive act meant to punish individuals.

· We will speak to individuals once again in an open and honest conversation on what defines a reasonable improvement based on trended information over a defined period of time.

· The discussions on reasonable improvements over trended performance required will be based on language and issues that individuals can readily understand and should not be seen as a definitive output i.e. Jobs per day, Task Times, etc.

· BTI will seek to identify underlying issues and attempt to resolve these before getting to the IFW stage.  In order to gain clarity on any issues causing concerns on performance measures may need to be discussed, that does not mean that there will be an undue focus on those measures at the exclusion of all else.

· There are no fixed quotas in place across any area of BTI for Managing Performance.

Moving Forward

We will schedule another meeting for early September to continue our review. In the meantime we will begin to pull together supportive documentation that we can cascade to both Managers and Team members so we can instil greater understanding of iPOP and associated processes. We will also discuss with the CWU current trends that could detract from individual/team performance, start and end of day, etc. Further to this, as suggested by the CWU, we will discuss with the CWU locally on an “In Confidence” basis where there is the potential for an individual to be placed on the Formal Performance Management process. We will also put in place prior to any FFW (Final Formal Warning) stage an informal mechanism between BTI management and the CWU National team to discuss cases where an individual is showing improvement but could still fall short of the contribution goals.

As we stated at the meeting and all through our discussions sometimes we both focus on the perceived negatives on any Performance Management process and sometimes do not give credit to the positives. As such it is worth mentioning:

Recognise good work and give positive feedback

• All who achieved ‘outstanding’ for 0910 called and thanked

• Recognition in Q1

– 15 team members from Field Engineering recognised as EOTM in Field

– 39 (26 announced) recognised High Achievers

– 4 of the 9 recognised in Networks Quarterly Exceptional Recognition from Field

– One of our exceptional people recognised via CEO Award in BT Ireland

Clarity on role and expected standards of Performance

• Job description and Job standards for all roles with level of expected contribution shared

Support individual, no surprises, address gaps, formal reviews

• Coaching Plans – all Engineers on coaching plans (100% Volume and will be 100% in Business and Investment by end of July)

Performance Differentiation and improvement

• MUP Cases Q1: 81 (13.7% of FE TM Population)

• MUP Open 23 (3.8% of FE TM Population)

• Closed 50 (61.7% of MUP’s closed successfully with performance improvements and business benefits)

• Formal 8 (1.3% of FE TM Population)

Finally, it would be remiss if I did not mention the contribution this programme is making to BTI:

  Performance Improvement gained has:

• Enabled Field Engineering move 33 Engineers to DETI

• Significant Development Opportunities for individuals who moved to DETI new skills and opportunities to act in different roles

• Fibre Training for 20 people

• 40 NGA Training for individuals within Field Engineering for new provision of SFBB

• Business Opportunities for BT

– Supported BT deliver DETI

– Provided the resource required to address increasing NGA activities

I believe that what is set out above responds in a positive manner to our discussions and does not deviate from either BTI or CWU core beliefs on the issue of Performance Management. It also shows that we listened to what the CWU National teams concerns were and where possible we have sought to build them into our overall philosophy and process. It would be the intention of BTI to continue to work within this spirit of co-operation.

If you could let me have some dates for a further meeting we will schedule one as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Crapper