Why we do Good Employment Week

Lucy Katan, our Executive Director, explains her vision behind Good Employment Week.

“A few years ago, I noted a great initiative that horseracing launched, it was called ‘Stable Staff Week’ and it finished on the weekend with a National Racing Staff BBQ (it was in the summer months).

I thought… could this be an opportunity to give best practice and compliance a firm nudge for the rest of the equestrian world?

‘Good Employment Week’ was born, and we are now in year five; it’s a week of online promotion and discussions surrounding how to legally, fairly and kindly employ staff in the equestrian sector.

We make a firm point of celebrating those who embrace Good Employment.

We now have over a thousand who belong to the Equestrian Employers Association (EEA). And the challenge is to get the businesses that have their heads in the sand (arena) to open their eyes and realise that the clock is ticking loudly on their outdated, and frankly illegal methods of employing equestrian staff.

Creating an industry of only Good Employment

The concern I have is that the employers who operate their businesses in line with all legislations, from paying at least the NMW for every hour worked, to written contracts supplied on or before day one, having employers’ liability insurance, and complying with all health and safety laws, are being undercut by the yard down the road that doesn’t!

This is very damaging to our sector and must stop, or else we will not have equestrian businesses in the not-distant future – as they will not be viable.

The change of Government has led to a sharp focus on employment rights.

The new legislation is passing through Parliament at the moment and Labour’s Make Work Pay is sober reading for an illegal employer. This week I sat on a Government round table event focusing on employment and was informed that the HMRC have recruited five thousand new investigators – they mean it when they say enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and other tax evasions/fraud!

A small but powerful gesture

I have worked in various roles since I hung up my grooming kit, and one stood out to me for the way the Managing Director treated his staff. It was an events agency supplying waiting and back-of-house staff to London events from the Brit Awards to Buckingham Palace Garden parties.

I was the Office Manager and occasionally, after a busy week, the boss would tell me “Let’s do a staff reward lunch – order pizza or sushi!” I would order 20 delivery pizzas and surprise the team with a noon email informing them to bin their homemade sandwiches and what was coming to the staff room at lunchtime.

The result was a lot of positive camaraderie and chatter over hot yummy pizza (or sushi on the hot sunny days). The surprise food and pause in day-to-day business were revolutionary.

The staff felt valued, rewarded, and treated and it gave them the opportunity in a relaxed way to chat with other team members and the bosses of the business.

It must be said that no amount of pizza or rewards would compensate for poor working conditions, the two go hand in hand… and in this workplace employment law was strictly always adhered to. So instead of a BBQ, our Good Employment Week has a ‘Give your Staff a Pizza Day! I hope that all of those that take part realise that it is not really about pizzas.

Good business - it's the only way

For nearly twenty years I have campaigned for our industry to modernise and become a place of only Good Employment.

We have two organisations. They work in harmony. The BGA makes it impossible for a groom not to know and understand their employment rights – we are there to help both grooms and parents.

The EEA gives employers the support, tools and guidance needed to navigate the minefields of employing staff – it is far from easy.

So why do we still have an industry where poor/substandard employment is too common?

Grooms, please read!  A plea to all grooms, please if you are reading this, educate yourself. The BGA website and the team (all former grooms) are here to help you and your parents. Do not work in positions that are not legally compliant – no excuses, sorry, because by doing so you are fuelling illegal equestrian employment and in fact not supporting the good employers who try their best to offer happy work places.

Employers, please discover all that the EEA has to offer for you. Cross the line to becoming a Good Employer (i.e. adhering to the principles of the Code of Good Employment). Protecting your business and livelihood is really important, we are here to help you.

And finally, the good news is that my 20 years of banging the drum is finally getting traction. I am pleased to say that work is happening at British Equestrian on a ‘People Plan’ and of course, our full percussion kit is present at every meeting.”

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