Principles of conservation and care extend to RZSS’s human population, too
The problem
RZSS is an animal conservation charity that runs two of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions – Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park – caring for hundreds of animals and up to 320 permanent and temporary staff.
The Society had been endeavouring to identify a series of cultural behaviours that would focus the efforts of staff at all levels at its two sites. Alongside this, the HR department wanted to demonstrate that people management is every bit as crucial to the zoo’s success as the work that takes place inside cages.
The solution
The HR team has worked together to focus on embedding a competency framework and associated behaviours at every level. “Because the employees have written these behaviours themselves, there’s something people in every role can connect with,” says HR consultant Colin Grethè.
These behaviours are the cornerstone of a radical employee-driven online appraisal system that will launch in April. “We trust that our employees know how their objectives fit with RZSS’s conservation and visitor excellence goals, so we believe they can determine their own training needs,” says HR director Lindsay Macpherson. “This will enable conversations with line managers to become more constructive, as they focus on providing leadership and support rather than chasing paperwork.”
Another challenge faced by RZSS was to raise HR’s profile. “It’s essential that staff see us as a transformational department, one that they can come to with their problems,” Grethè says. As part of an open day, the HR team raffled themselves off to work in various enclosures for a few hours. “I was won by the keeper who runs the rhinoceros area,” says Grethè, “She’s been teasing me ever since about the work that she’ll be asking me to do!”
The result
As well as helping to build friendlier, more open relationships with employees, HR’s venturing into the great outdoors has a practical side, too. “Anyone sitting in an office can become quite detached from reality. The experience will give us a much better understanding of the routines and difficulties our keepers and other staff face,” says Grethè. “This will help us plan workshops and training courses that are tailored to their needs and fit around their schedules, as well as understand what IT challenges we might face when we launch the online appraisal system.”