Promoting Professionalism: Am I Bovvered?

Professionalism is pretty much up there with motherhood and apple pie as an all round, ‘no brainer’, good thing. But what should business do about it? Particularly in the context of a business which has engineering or technology at its core?

I suggest that many such businesses are missing out on opportunities to actively promote professionalism among the engineers and technicians they employ. The consequence is likely to be a lower overall business performance. Promoting professionalism among your employees is not simply an altruistic burden that the socially responsible carry; it is a potential win/win. Your people gain, your business gains.

Professionalism is likely to promote a more effective work force, with a broader culture of integrity and responsibility, and not just among your engineers and technicians; it is likely to propagate beyond the technical disciplines into other areas of your business.

I suggest that in a business where professionalism is seen to be valued and nurtured, there will be increased job satisfaction, with increased loyalty and dedication. A company that actively promotes professionalism will be seen as a responsible and caring company.

Membership of an appropriate professional body will help individuals associate with other professionals and help raise awareness of professional standards and responsibilities. The member will also benefit from access to a wide network that can provide support in terms of knowledge and information that is likely to be relevant to your business.

Some may argue that promoting professionalism may lead to aspirations that cause staff to seek positions elsewhere. This is a possibility, but this is countered by the increased loyalty engendered in staff and the enhanced reputation of the business that will help attract recruits. The overall business performance will be improved; you will have raised the bar and there is likely to be a net gain to the business.

A further potential benefit is an enhancement of the professional profile of the company that may help win potential business. Some tender evaluations will specifically look at the professional profile of tendering company personnel. Note also that active promotion of professionalism will also help with maintenance of competency profiles of staff.

Here are a number of specific things you can do to promote professionalism within your engineering company:

• Build an explicit review of continuing professional development (CPD) into your performance review/appraisal process. (A commitment to CPD is an obligation on any professional. This will also support maintenance of competency.)

• Use staff titles that are consistent with Engineering Council registration titles. (Do not use titles such as Engineer/Technician/Craftsman/Artificer interchangeably and without due discrimination.)

• Have a health, safety and environment (HSE) policy statement that explicitly requires all your engineers and technicians (whether registered or not) to abide by nominated rules of conduct relating to risk and environmental matters, such as promulgated by professional bodies and the Engineering Council. (This should both raise awareness and help demonstrate a corporate recognition of the central role of professional engineering in your business. Here is an opportunity to go beyond motherhood and apple pie and add real significance to your policy statement.)

• Encourage staff to pursue registration and/or membership of appropriate professional bodies. (Some companies will pay subscriptions, but there is also something to be said for expecting a personal commitment here. Beyond direct financial support, companies may provide encouragement through their declared policies and recognition of professional status.)

• Encourage staff to become involved with professional bodies. (Be sympathetic to requests for time off or early departures to allow attendance at appropriate events. Encourage promotion of events/activities on company notice boards.)

• Use registration titles in recruitment advertisements. (This helps provide wider recognition throughout the business community and wider society.)

• Establish links with appropriate professional bodies that can help support individuals and the company in developing professionalism.

Can you be bovvered?