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World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jobs

Postby Monique

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/201 ... bs-160601/?
World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jobs
16 June 2011
World Snooker, the company that runs the commercial arm of the game, is considering a redundancy programme that could see many staff lose their jobs, according to The Snooker Blog today. The in-the-know baize website reproduces the following letter from World Snooker to employees.
..
6 June 2011
To all staff
Potential Redundancies and Company reorganisation
I am writing to all staff to put them on notice that the Directors have decided to carry out a full appraisal and review of the World Snooker Limited’s (WSL) organisation, operations and staff levels.
Background
In June 2010 the structure of WPBSA and WSL changed significantly; WSL is under new ownership and operates as an independent entity which now has sole responsibility for the promotion and exploitation of all World Snooker tour events. WSL has obligations in respect of guaranteeing certain minimum levels of Prize Money to the tour players and delivering certain services to the WPBSA.
In an attempt to reinvigorate interest in snooker (from TV broadcasters, sponsors, the general public and players) and to comply with our contractual obligations to the WPBSA the last year has seen the introduction of a large number of new tournaments. This has led to an increase in activity but by and large the additional tournaments have been unprofitable. This requires us to consider how we may operate more effectively.
The BBC renewed their contract with us for a further three years with effect from 1 July 2011, but they did so by reducing the number of tournaments they broadcast to three per annum (from four per annum under the previous contract) and at the same time reduced our rights fee income by 25% (from £4m to £3m). This alone gives us one less event to exploit and a £1m shortfall in revenue in each of the next three financial years with the future of a BBC contract beyond that point being uncertain.
Business position and cost savings
Over the last year we have made some changes to the way WSL operates. However largely the approach adopted by the Directors has been to observe and leave existing practices and operations as they were.
That being said, notwithstanding an early decision to reverse the 10% pay cut imposed by former management, we have made concerted efforts to reduce our operating costs and some considerable expenditure savings have already been made.
Even after these cost savings and due to the loss of TV rights fee income referred to above the latest budgets for the year ended 30 June 2012 show a deficit in the region of £300,000. This fact combined with the inevitable problems associated with finding new sponsors in an economic recession mean that alternative income streams and substantial further cost savings will have to be found to enable the company to return to profitability and ultimately survive.
Whilst the company must have regard to the need to retain the balance of skills and experience to meet the future business requirements, we must also review the skills we require taking into account the way in which we work, the increasing use of technology in communicating with players, tournament organisers, sponsors and the general public.
This letter introduces a period of review and consultation. It seems likely that the need to increase effectiveness, reduce costs and review skills, will lead to change, which will in turn lead to redundancies.
We do not have a concluded view of the numbers of redundancies that could result from this process or the areas of the business that may be most affected. Therefore, initially everyone should consider themselves at risk of redundancy. As you will see, it is our intention to develop a proposal within the next three weeks, enabling us to identify those at continuing risk.
Our plans will take account of your comments and you will be informed as these evolve.
Voluntary redundancy or early retirement
In the circumstances it is appropriate to ask any employee who wishes to apply for voluntary redundancy or early retirement please to contact me as soon as possible. WSL will consider such applications. However it reserves the right to reject any applications, particularly if it considers that it is in the long-term interests of WSL to retain certain employees. WSL may still have to make compulsory redundancies if it does not receive a sufficient number of appropriate volunteers or the review indicates that other redundancies are required.
WSL will offer the following terms to those taking voluntary redundancy:
Notice pay (all or some of which may be worked) plus any holiday pay due, plus
Statutory redundancy pay, plus
An ex gratia payment at the rate of £500 per week, based on 1 week’s pay for each completed year of service where your age was under 41 and 1.5 week’s pay for each year of completed service where your age was 41 or above.
Process
This review process is intended to enable WSL to discuss your views on how we can achieve the objectives identified above (improved effectiveness, cost savings and relevant skills), and explore ways of avoiding compulsory redundancies (such as offering alternative employment, if any exists). The process will cover the roles of the entire company and will not be restricted to any particular department or functions although the future needs of each department and our obligations to the WPBSA will be taken into consideration in the assessment.
I am asking Elaine to book time for me to meet with you during the first three weeks of this month.
WSL intends to be in a position to publish its plans on proposed structure and skills by 1 July at the latest. These will take account of the comments gathered from you in the review process and discussions with the Directors of the Company.
At the same time we will firm up on potential redundancies, in anticipation of further meetings with those (if any) at continuing risk of redundancy.
Where practicable we will consider redeployment as a means of avoiding redundancy.
The intention is to give all staff ample opportunity to contribute fully to the consultation process. It is for this reason that I explain the context and objectives we have from this process, driven by our determination to build on recent achievement and to make the most of the real opportunities available to WSL and the WPBSA.
I enclose an appraisal questionnaire with this mailing which will be used as the basis of individual consultation interviews with each member of staff. At these individual meetings staff shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or colleague should they so wish. You will be informed of your interview time and date shortly. Please can you return the appraisal questionnaire to me by email no later than 24 hours before your interview.
You will be given the opportunity to contribute to the process by making suggestions on how the Company could be run more efficiently. These suggestions can be made either during formal group discussions convened for the purpose or during the individual consultation meetings.
The following factors will be taken into consideration in the redundancy selection process:-
Skills, experience and aptitude for the work
Standard of performance
Attendance (excluding any disability-related absence)and disciplinary record
Flexibility/ adaptability
Length of service
WSL wishes to understand clearly your skills and each member of staff at continuing risk of redundancy will be assessed in light of the roles required under the reorganised business.
We do not propose to have a long drawn out process and, having, during the week ending 1 July, published the structure and identified those at continuing risk of redundancy, we intend to carry out any further consultation to conclude the review no later than 15 July 2011.
Any compulsory redundancy payments will be at a level which will be no lower than the minimum basic award for statutory redundancy payments which are calculated according to the standard formula based on length of service, age and weekly pay (capped at £400).
Following the conclusion of this process any of those whose roles are declared redundant will have an opportunity to appeal the decision by having a personal hearing with the Chairman of WSL.
We apologise for having to take this course of action and appreciate that the period of review will be unsettling and any redundancy stressful. Hence the wish to consult as fully as possible, while keeping the period of greatest uncertainty short. The company will provide support by allowing employees whose roles are selected for redundancy (if any) reasonable time off on full pay in order to find a new job or to arrange training.
Yours faithfully
Steve Dawson
Director
For and on behalf of World Snooker Limited

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:Bad times. :sad:

no a nice and polite way to get the right people in the right jobs...

ive long since campaigned that some needs the sack they were useless morons now that going to happen :D

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Monique

If you have read this carefully, losing part of BBC coverage plays a big role in this decision. So much for those who don't understand why it is absolutely vital for the sport to try and accommodate the broadcasters constraints and demands.
Also part of it is that tournaments are not profitable or not profitable enough. Again it's essential to make the trip to venues as attractive as possible for the audience, a cross section audience and not jut the "hard core" fan.

@wild again IF you only were present at tournaments, backstage, you would know what you are talking about and wouldn't write this. All the guys I've met there did work very hard and extremely long hours to make it work and work smoothly. I have no idea if there are other people, who work only at the "administrative" part of WS that maybe aren't up to the mark, but all those I've seen at venues certainly were 100% professional and dedicated.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Monique

Wild wrote:monique some are useless morons end of not everyone it needed a clear out get rid of some of the dead wood rod the plonker employed.


You don't know them, probably never met any of them, you don't know who does what but you allow yourself to judge them and would send them off their job. Sorry Wild, I very rarely am insulting, but in this case you are the moron.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby John From London Town

This comment interests me.. "by and large the additional tournaments have been unprofitable".

I agree with Mon. Losing £1m revenue is nothing short of drastic considering that prize money is approaching the £6m mark per season. It doesn't read well overall & has got me thinking.

I'm glad they're taking the VR route first. Hopefully enough people will be in a position to take the offer up, rather than having to be tapped on the shoulder & shown the door. I'll also be interested to see how this pans out.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Wildey

Monique wrote:
Wild wrote:monique some are useless morons end of not everyone it needed a clear out get rid of some of the dead wood rod the plonker employed.


You don't know them, probably never met any of them, you don't know who does what but you allow yourself to judge them and would send them off their job. Sorry Wild, I very rarely am insulting, but in this case you are the moron.

they haven't got the decency to answer few e mails and when that ivan wally does eventually write back its full of rubbish he should be first in line to be got rid of.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Wildey

well he needs to find the door and stay out...i wouldnt give that idiot a paper round.

dont forget monique he even attempted to keep you out of the crucible snooker don't need people like him.

then we got others remember that instance of getting tickets for shootout how bloody useless was that for you......useless people doing a job they cant do it needed clearing out and its being done :D

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Monique

The shoot-out problem was none of WSA fault, this was organised by the venue management and to an extend by matchroom, and I had a word with them and Jason Ferguson about it when I was at the Crucible. I'm sure the message hit the target.
I know that I got that mail from Ivan telling me about the new media policy, but the fact that, being the media officer, he was the sender doesn't mean that it was his decision. Whoever decision it was, I'm confident that the WSA media policy will evolve. Again I'm sure Jason Ferguson got the message when he popped up at the Pink Ribbon and to be fair to him he looked quite open already before that.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby gallantrabbit

Of course no-one wants to see people dumped out of jobs but Wild is right to a certain extent. Every company has its percentage of dead wood. This to me may not be a positive thing for such people but it's very positive for snooker, as it shows that wastage and 'pork' as the Americans put it will no longer be tolerated.
Snooker would never have found itself in such a hole if these sorts of policies were adopted before. Might sound a little hard nosed, but snooker deserves a break from waste as there has been waste for countless years, but was covered in the 80s and 90s by the fact that sponsors and tv companies were willing to throw money at the game.
I know this is not direct from Hearn, but once over the action has the fingerprints of a damn good accountant on it as everything has since Hearn got back involved, (eg sponsored courtesy cars at the WC instead of an extra cost, use of Sheffield centre for a tournament and not only practice)
As John says most of the redundancies will be covered by VR. Any others need to prove themselves.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Wildey

gallantrabbit wrote:Of course no-one wants to see people dumped out of jobs but Wild is right to a certain extent. Every company has its percentage of dead wood. This to me may not be a positive thing for such people but it's very positive for snooker, as it shows that wastage and 'pork' as the Americans put it will no longer be tolerated.
Snooker would never have found itself in such a hole if these sorts of policies were adopted before. Might sound a little hard nosed, but snooker deserves a break from waste as there has been waste for countless years, but was covered in the 80s and 90s by the fact that sponsors and tv companies were willing to throw money at the game.
I know this is not direct from Hearn, but once over the action has the fingerprints of a damn good accountant on it as everything has since Hearn got back involved, (eg sponsored courtesy cars at the WC instead of an extra cost, use of Sheffield centre for a tournament and not only practice)
As John says most of the redundancies will be covered by VR. Any others need to prove themselves.

There are people within WSA that resent the changes and arent motivated to make them work ...RODNEYS PEOPLE...Any good Manager has to have a clear out until people there he wants.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Wildey

lets be honest 6 tournaments a season was a cushy number not only for players but for administators ..

if it is overstaffed now with the increased workload 2011 tour has what the hell was they doing under rodney walker must have been like a spa break lol

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby gallantrabbit

Wild wrote:lets be honest 6 tournaments a season was a cushy number not only for players but for administators ..

if it is overstaffed now with the increased workload 2011 tour has what the hell was they doing under rodney walker must have been like a spa break lol



Absolutely they've has a cushy time now it's time to shape up or ship out. If there are passengers there let's put them out to grass. It ain't a charity.

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby Dannyboy

Maybe World Snooker should look for volunteers to help out at some of these events. I'm sure a fair few snooker fans would love to be part of the behind close door events, maybe in keeping score or reporting on completed matches or calling their heroes from the waiting room etc?

Re: World Snooker asks all employees to interview for own jo

Postby GJ

wild is right there is deadwood in all organisations so shutting your eyes to it is just being deluded TBH

if you want to improve onwards and upwards dead wood

OUT