Despite the challenging business environment, Prof. Anne Marie Ward and Nadine O’Kane have identified several competitive advantages that credit unions in Northern Ireland could and should promote as they seek to bolster the sustainability of their business models. There are 146 credit unions (CUs) in Northern Ireland, with 592,171 adult member accounts and 104,906 juvenile deposit accounts, according to the Bank of England’s Q2 2019 Credit Union Quarterly Statistics. In some communities, CUs are large, are open six days a week, and provide a range of sophisticated products and services. In others, CUs are small and offer simple products and services to a small number of members, sometimes opening for only a few hours each week. Irrespective of their size or sophistication, CUs have become increasingly important over the past decade, which has seen the flight of bank branches from small towns, for nurturing sustainable, healthy societies. Financial exclusion is a continuing problem and CUs are a solution. In January 2020, Grant Thornton Northern Ireland and Ulster University hosted a workshop in Grant Thornton’s Belfast office to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between various stakeholders in the CU sector in Northern Ireland. The day focused on the themes of sustainability, corporate governance, diversity and regulation. The first of these themes, the sustainability of the credit union movement, is the focus of this article. The workshop included short presentations by experts, round-table discussions, and question and answer sessions. The experts were: Patrick Darcy and Sinead O’Neill, Grant Thornton; Gordon Smyth, Ulster Federation of Credit Unions; Matthew Howse and Damien McElholm, Eversheds; Martin Fisher and Marianne Cushley, Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU); and Nadine O’Kane and Prof. Anne Marie Ward, Ulster University. Marianne Cushley from the ILCU’s Communications Department (Northern Ireland) began the workshop with a presentation on sustainability. Marianne works with individual CUs to develop marketing strategies and campaigns to help with their sustainability and growth. She explained how CUs are concerned about ageing memberships, a highly competitive lending market, reduced loan demand, high savings levels but with restricted investment opportunities, increased regulation and compliance, lack of electronic services, low returns on investments, and difficulties in attracting volunteers. In concluding her presentation, Marianne asked attendees to focus on challenges in three areas: accessibility, relevance, and competition. It was clear from the discussions that the challenges were not homogeneous across CUs. Accessibility challenges Loan application processes and policies A major concern of attendees was that their loan application processes and policies needed to be quicker to meet the demands of today’s networked society. While representatives from the larger CUs explained that they have automated lending software systems enabling same-day and next-day lending, several of the smaller CUs do not. Their loan application processes need to be streamlined and made available and easily accessible online. Another stumbling block noted by some CU representatives was the prerequisite 13-week saving period that some smaller CUs still enforce before allowing a new member to borrow. It was generally agreed that loans should be provided based on ability to repay, and not savings records. Finally, some CUs noted that staff were reluctant to authorise loans. Therefore, loan requests had to go to the credit committee, which increased the time between a member making a loan inquiry and receiving the funds. It was advised that loan officers be appointed, trained, and delegated powers to lend money up to a certain threshold. This would allow the credit committee to focus on larger loans and problem accounts. Opening hours and location Most participants in the workshop concurred that the location of CU premises can be a challenge; the ideal scenario is where the CU is located within its community and where footfall is plentiful. In addition, free on-site car parking would improve access and be popular with members. Finally, all agreed that accessibility is improved with flexible opening hours, including Saturdays and evenings, though this may not be possible due to resource implications. Digitalisation It was generally felt that online services are important to each CU’s future sustainability, though cost is an issue. The larger CUs have sophisticated IT support systems and are more concerned with keeping up-to-date with the latest digital technology and applications. The smaller CUs, on the other hand, are concerned about their inability to provide even basic digital services. It was advised that CUs should work with their trade associations, IT providers, or with a neighbouring CU to obtain cost-effective solutions. Several representatives from larger CUs flagged big data and data analytics as a challenge. In particular, they focused on how to use member information and publicly available data to drive strategy, operational activity, and marketing. Readers should note that this workshop took place a few months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which accentuated the importance of online services and systems to cater for members’ needs when physical access is not possible. Most CUs provided phone support when premises closed due to pandemic restrictions. Relevance challenges Attracting new members As well as increasing accessibility, it was agreed that engaging with online services and providing new services, such as debit cards, will increase the relevance of CUs. However, participants also felt that emphasising the unique characteristics of CUs was the best means of attracting new members. In that context, CUs: Specialise in non-business customers, although some are beginning to explore business lending to corporate members; Have a presence in many towns; Are community-based and provide social benefits for their communities; and Focus on member wellbeing. The promotion of these attributes will differentiate CUs from other financial services providers. Engaging with current members In general, participants agreed that a formally structured survey of members every two or three years would enable the board of the CU to prioritise the development of certain products or services, knowing they are responding to members’ needs. Several CUs had undertaken surveys and argued that it demonstrates a willingness to engage with members, provides evidence for the regulators that the board is responding to members’ needs, and can also inform the business plan. However, it was noted that a survey should only ask about services that the CU can realistically deliver and that it is important to report to members on survey findings as it shows that the CU is listening. Competitive challenges CUs operate in a fiercely competitive lending market where they must compete with high street banks, challenger and online banks, doorstep lenders, and alternative lenders such as supermarkets, as well as each other. Two competitive challenges were discussed at the workshop: reaching non-members with their message, and differentiation from other lenders. Reaching non-members Participants shared their experience of the challenges in communicating the CU message to potential members and the comparative competitive advantage of other lenders with large marketing budgets. Suggestions for extending the reach to non-members included widening the ‘common bond’ (i.e. the range of people eligible for membership) and building on current relationships with primary schools to attract younger members. CUs should also engage with local groups and organisations, communicating the benefits of CUs and what they can do for people. In doing so, they could use several promotional activities and channels. Options include direct marketing, targeted outdoor advertising, social media and digital marketing, visits to local secondary schools and colleges, running personal financial management classes, raising funds for community events, and sponsorship of local initiatives, which would meet social objectives while gaining publicity. Differentiation It was noted that competitors can provide a wider range of products and services. Updating the specific legislation governing CUs would allow them to better compete in the marketplace. Examples of new services suggested to attract members and potential members include: An overdraft with a revolving credit facility; and Increasing loan interest rates to 3% per annum so that CUs can provide differentiated higher-risk, higher-return loans to people with poor credit ratings – for example, students with mobile phone debt (though this suggestion was controversial). Conclusion CUs face many challenges. It was generally agreed that trade associations and the wider CU family should focus more on CUs’ comparative advantages over other financial institutions and not try to label themselves as banks. They should focus on and communicate their unique attributes and offerings. CUs in Northern Ireland currently enjoy strong member loyalty and are seen as trustworthy. They have a skilled workforce and, due to high levels of savings, have readily available funds for lending. CUs focus on the welfare and sustainability of their members and respective communities. For example, capital retentions are used to improve a CU and ensure that it has strong capital and solvency ratios; office supplies and maintenance technicians are sourced locally; and excess surpluses are returned to members. This is a competitive advantage that should be exploited when promoting CU products and services. Prof. Anne Marie Ward is Professor of Accounting at Ulster University, and Nadine O’Kane is a PhD Researcher at the Department of Accountancy, Finance and Economics at Ulster University.  

‘Employability’ refers to the skills, knowledge, experience and personal qualities needed to gain and maintain fulfilling work during an individual’s career. In this article, Dr Mary E. Collins discusses the importance of employability from an employer’s perspective and provides practical strategies to help organisations focus on the issue, whatever their size. Over the past year, the employment market has experienced extreme volatility. Certain sectors have been hit particularly hard, with tens of thousands of jobs in the hospitality and tourism sector the first to feel the full impact of the COVID-19 restrictions. In other sectors, there has been a spike in job openings and, indeed, an employment boom due to the global pandemic. Research from Glassdoor has shown that coronavirus-related job postings have increased in recent months: government, pharma, healthcare and non-profit sectors in the US have all tripled their hiring efforts in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The trend is similar internationally. In Ireland, we have seen increased job vacancies in health, IT and communications, logistics, procurement and insurance. Professional services employment trends remain stable. One certainty in this dynamic, volatile employment market is that talented people always have choices. In fact, the war for talent heated up in the past year with the explosion in remote working. Many roles that were once limited by geographical location can now be fulfilled from anywhere with decent broadband connectivity. What is ‘employability’? The Institute of Employment Studies in the UK defines employability as the “capacity to move self-sufficiently within the labour market to realise potential through sustainable employment… for the individual, it depends on the knowledge, skills and attributes they possess, the way they use those assets and present them to employers.” Employability is the ability to be employed from three perspectives: Gaining initial employment: the ability to get started in a career, leveraging education, careers advice and so on to ensure one has core, marketable skills. Maintaining employment: the ability to keep a job and make transitions between new roles within the same organisation, adapting to new job requirements. Obtaining new employment: the ability to succeed in the labour market and manage employment transitions between and within different organisations. The business case There is now a strong business case for employers to make explicit commitments to employees about supporting them in becoming, and remaining, employable; that working with the organisation will make them more employable for future roles. We have seen a cultural shift whereby younger generations look to their employers for purpose and meaning in an increasingly unpredictable world. Employers who care about their people’s future employment opportunities demonstrate a commitment to the broader ‘covenant’ between employer and employee. The younger generations in the workplace are generally known as Millennials or Gen Y, who were born between 1980 and 1998, and Centennials or Gen Z, who were born from 1999 onwards. These generations hold the balance of power in recruitment, so employers must be aware of their expectations. A new approach is required to attract, engage, and retain them. This includes the provision of: Good work/life balance; Work arrangements with flexible locations and hours; Clear personal development routes; Clear promotion opportunities; Meaning and purpose in work (making a meaningful contribution to society); Support around personal wellbeing; and Commitment to their employability. Some commentators on the future of work predict that Gen Z will change jobs 15 to 20 times in their careers. Regardless of age, the concept of ‘a job for life’ is practically redundant and most people will hold positions with a variety of employers over the course of their working lives. Increased flexibility in working patterns means people need to be prepared to change jobs. It also means better opportunities. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will replace many roles, while new roles are emerging that never existed before. Employability should be a core element of your employer brand, defined by CIPD as “a set of attributes and qualities – often intangible – that makes an organisation distinctive, promises a particular kind of employment experience, and appeals to those people who will thrive and perform best in its culture.” The CareerEDGE Framework of Employability Developed by Lorraine Dacre Pool and Peter Sewell in their 2007 article, The Key to Employability: Developing a Practical Model of Graduate Employability, the CareerEDGE Framework of Employability suggests that once individuals develop the essential EDGE components (experience, degree subject knowledge, generic skills, and emotional intelligence), this paves the way for the development of the “higher-order” areas of self-efficacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem that are critical in developing employability. Investing in people’s employability The challenge is for employers to focus on investing in the employability of individuals rather than maintaining roles that could eventually become redundant, thereby prioritising an inclusive and lifelong approach to skills development. Using the CareerEDGE Framework, here are some practical steps for employers to consider. Career development Provide access to mentors in the organisation, as this is an excellent way to support development at all stages of employees’ careers. Have career development conversations at least once a year as part of the performance management process. Seek external opportunities for coaching and mentoring from relevant government agencies, professional bodies, and initiatives (for example, the 30% Club Mentoring Programme to improve the female talent pipeline).  Experience A core part of supporting employability is providing appropriate work experience to support personal and career development. Every role should include some ‘stretch’ assignments, which are work projects that provide growth opportunities and challenge in a supportive way. Where possible, allow employees to work in different parts of the business to gain new and diverse work experience. Degree subject knowledge, understanding and skills In the CareerEDGE Framework, this refers to the knowledge and technical skills a graduate gains from their degree course(s) relevant to their career trajectory, and upon which they can continue to build their employability. Employers must support their staff in their continuous professional development and ensure progression to higher levels of attainment. Opportunities to sponsor and co-fund educational activities should be encouraged as a core element of supporting employability. Generic skills Dacre Pool and Sewell present a set of generic skills that employers expect to have been developed in graduates (see Figure 1). Employers should seek ways for employees to develop in all of these generic skills. It is important to note and record skills development as part of the performance planning process. Emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence (EQ) continues to grow in impact and importance. Daniel Goleman defines it as “the capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships”. Employers can support EQ development in the workplace by ensuring that leaders are role models in terms of self-awareness, managing their emotions, showing empathy, flexibility, and – crucial in these times – demonstrating resilience and optimism. Most leadership development programmes incorporate some element of EQ skills development. Self-assessment profiles, such as the Emotional Capital Report (see www.rochemartin.com), can be useful when working with a coach or mentor to develop these core skills from an early career stage. Dr David Foster, Director of Career Development and Skills at University College Dublin and Director of the UCD Careers Network, takes a holistic view of employability. “We’ve used the CareerEDGE Framework at Careers Network as a model for about five years now, and it’s been great as we aim to enhance students’ self-confidence and self-efficacy in all we do. We feel self-confident people can better unlock their mental energies and abilities to negotiate their personal and professional development, which we think leads to employability.” In conclusion, employability is core to the contemporary covenant between employers and employees and has become an important facet in attracting, developing and retaining talent. Even in recessionary times, talented graduates and professionals have choices, especially in a world that has embraced remote working. Focusing on supporting the employability of employees at all stages of the career lifecycle will greatly add to a positive culture where people want to give their best and stay longer, even if it isn’t a job for life.   Dr Mary E. Collins is Senior Executive Development Specialist at the RCSI Institute of Leadership.

Dr Joanne Murphy distils four common themes from the battlefield to help you lead and manage through the COVID-19 crisis and into an uncertain future. The COVID-19 pandemic is frequently referred to as a ‘war’. We hear about the battle for ventilators and the need for collective action against an invisible enemy. But what does the reality of wartime tell us about managing through, and beyond, a system shock like COVID-19? While there is no rulebook to guide our responses, we do know a great deal about the positive behaviour of leaders in other extreme situations, navigating rapid system-wide change, and facing risk and imminent danger. My research on leaders and managers operating in extremis provides some insight into the leadership behaviours and practices that work best in stressful and complicated environments. The individuals I have spoken to have managed to maintain organisational life and direction in contexts of emergency, violence and disruption. These include police and other ‘blue light’ services, those running businesses and public services in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, entrepreneurs in the Basque country during the ETA campaigns and, most extreme of all, those driving organisational activity in Bosnia during the dreadful siege of Sarajevo. The dynamic nature of these environments is akin to the large-scale systems change we are experiencing as a result of COVID-19, and effective responses require a similar set of leadership skills and attributes. Four common themes emerge from these experiences that will help us think about how to lead and manage in extremis, and which are relevant to both these times and the challenges that lie ahead.   Organisation is everything. Let go of the old to make sense of the new. One leader is not enough. Be courageous. 1. Organisation is everything Many of us will feel that we understand the role of military leadership in conflict, but what do civilian leaders do in war? In 1984, the city of Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics, memorable for the triumphal success of British figure skaters Torvill and Dean. Only a few years later, in 1992, the Bosnian war brought the siege of Sarajevo, which lasted 1,425 days – the longest city siege in modern history. Ismet Kumalic, a director in a state company in the former Yugoslavia, lived in the purpose-built ‘Olympic’ suburb of Dobrinja which, on the frontline of Serb shell and sniper fire from the surrounding hills, was quickly isolated. Ismet became the civilian administrator, accountable for keeping 30,000 people alive under daily bombardment, with meagre supplies of food or fuel. During the siege, he and his team achieved the extraordinary, including the development of a 10km tunnel network to allow people to move between buildings and avoid sniper fire, the cultivation of every inch of available land to grow vegetables, and the management of a school and medical unit. While many residents were killed, Ismet reflects with pride that no one died of starvation (though sometimes food was rationed to just 300 calories a day). He has three messages about leadership in such an extreme environment.   The first is about the position of leaders: “In such a situation, you are not that important… you are at the bottom of the pyramid, not the top. You are carrying them on your shoulders.” The second is about management: “Organisation is everything. You cannot succeed without organisation. You must think of everything.” And the third is about decision-making: “You have no time. You have to make decisions. To make decisions without time, you have to be brave.” 2. Let go of the old to make sense of the new  As in more normal organisational contexts, in extreme environments, it is also important to distinguish between leadership and management. Management relates to how an organisation functions, the implementation of plans and objectives, and the maintenance of a ‘steady-state’. Leadership is different. It relates to change, communication and vision. Leaders are ‘pathfinders’, able to articulate a shared vision and understand strategy as a dynamic process that is always under review. During periods of crisis and threat, people look to leaders to take action. This requires those tasked with leadership to make sense of confusing environments and mixed messages from stakeholders. The ability to let go of existing models in the face of change and embrace new ways of making sense of the shifting world around you is a key requirement. Leaders need to be self-aware and avoid clinging on to old rules or ways of doing things. Successful leaders in periods of extreme change become more receptive to input from followers, more likely to integrate their efforts into teams, more approachable, and less intimidating. When stress is heightened, certain qualities and behaviours become essential. They include the ability to prioritise, understanding the significance of role clarity, and effective communication. One police leader, who had been instrumental in the controversial and emotional transition from the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said: “Just because you think you have said something, it doesn’t mean that people have heard it. You need to present the message in multiple forms. The more important that message is, the more mediums you use for distribution.”   3. One leader is not enough It is not uncommon to perceive leadership as involving charismatic individuals, superheroes who can lead through adversity and overcome incredible odds to succeed. However, in extremely challenging environments, such individual leaders are rarely enough. Instead, we see the cultivation of social networks of leadership. The Basque city of Bilbao features the Guggenheim Museum, an architectural marvel designed by Frank Gehry. This beautiful building is just one aspect of a much broader strategy to revitalise and reframe Bilbao away from its reputation as being polluted by its industrial heritage and scarred by the violent ETA campaign for independence and the equally ferocious security response of the Spanish state. Economic regeneration in such an environment seems almost hopeless. When those who worked for the reimagining of the region and its economic regeneration reflect on their achievements, they speak about two important requirements. First is the importance of teams of leaders operating collectively, and the capacity to navigate troubled waters together with a set of common objectives. This requires collectivisation of leadership, which can be a challenging approach for many. Second, for the revitalisation of Bilbao, it was the primacy of beauty and aesthetics. Change, especially in the aftermath of extreme adversity, requires hard work and a little bit of luck – but also an understanding that there is more to regeneration than the economy. In this case, the creation of a beautiful and authentic cityscape, with pride in the built and natural environments, provided a core motivational dimension.   4. Courage in the face of fear The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a physical health crisis; it also presents a considerable threat to people’s mental health and wellbeing. Anxiety caused by lockdown and isolation, fear of losing one’s job and economic hardship are all overlaid with the danger of ill-health and mortality associated with the virus itself. Those who have managed businesses during conflict often speak about their fear, and sometimes terror. The spectre of having to deal with paramilitaries on the one hand and the police on the other left many feeling isolated and alone. One businessman commented on his investment in a bar and the early days of the business, “We had a door that squeaked, and I thought, ‘sometime in my life I’m going to work in this bar, and that door will squeak, and my stomach won’t tighten. I’ll not have fear in me’… the first year was just like hell”. At times of extreme stress, it is easy to default to task-based decision-making and forget the human element, which is critical to maintaining personal and organisational resilience. The individual courage required to lead, and to keep leading, in such environments should not be underestimated. At an organisational level, keeping spirits up in the worst of times is also a critical leadership skill, one that is often lost in the chaos of rapid change. Others have framed it differently. Irish diplomats tasked with crafting a workable peace process amid the seemingly intractable Troubles spoke movingly of having “a duty of hope”, an understanding of both professional duty and personal emotional response. However it is conceived, it represents the last pillar of leadership for these challenging times.   Dr Joanne Murphy is Academic Director of the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen’s University Belfast.