Nampak early participant in UK ‘employee engagement’ taskforce

12 November 2012


HDPE milk bottle manufacturer Nampak Plastics is the sole SME selected to participate in the launch of a UK government-backed taskforce promoting “employee engagement” as a key to business success.

On Monday 12 November, the company joined major employers such as Sainsbury’s, Lloyds Banking Group and O2, in the official launch of the ‘Engage for Success’ campaign, initially unveiled by Prime Minister David Cameron in March 2011.

Backed by the government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the ‘Engage for Success’ group calls for every leader and manager across the UK economy to volunteer to help tackle what is described as the country’s “employee engagement deficit” – estimated, according to HR consultancy Kenexa (2011), to result in the UK missing out on some £26bn in GDP each year.

In the past four years, Nampak says it has “transformed levels of employee engagement” through a number of initiatives that encourage employees to contribute to the development of the organisation, including an ‘Employee of the Month’ scheme; yearly Excellence Awards in which winners are nominated by their colleagues; and a ‘Participate Programme’ scheme designed to develop a new approach to leadership and management and create a sense of collaboration.

The company claims that fostering a culture of innovation “directly contributed to the invention of Nampak’s Infini bottle”.

Currently being adopted by supermarkets, the Infini milk bottle reduces the materials used by 15% while maintaining full strength.

Eric Collins, managing director of Nampak Plastics, says: “We have gone on a real employee engagement journey over the last four years, which has taken our company from strength to strength, and for this to be recognised at such a high level is testament to our excellent workforce.”

In a statement, Engage for Success taskforce co-chairs David MacLeod and Nita Clarke said: “With such clear evidence about why engagement matters – for individuals, for organisations and for UK plc – there is a huge opportunity to be tapped.”

The group has also launched www.engageforsucces.org, a free-to-use national website for companies of all sizes, containing case studies and practical advice on tools and techniques for better engaging employees.




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