HR OLYMPICS SPECIAL Beijing (2008)


The Beijing Association of Travel Services has reported a slower than expected growth in tourism to the city – partly caused by the global economic downturn – and hotels in the city have been forced to cut their prices to attract holidaymakers. The Chinese Government believes the games have caused its capital to be more culturally diverse and welcoming to tourists. Amnesty International has found evidence suggesting that a ‘crack-down’ and repression of journalists after the games – to protect China from negative coverage – was the biggest threat to its legacy. In December, at a briefing with LOCOG chairman Lord Coe, China’s


vice sports minister Yang Shu’an said the main legacy of the Games had been an improved environment regarding pollution in Beijing and upgrades to the city’s infrastructure.


a disability applying for a LOCOG role, would be guaranteed an interview if they had the skills for the job, would inspire other employers to consider a similar idea – or to keep job applicants in recruitment talent pool for positions coming up in the future. Stevan Rolls, head of HR at Deloitte, official provider of


professional services to LOCOG, adds: “It is easy enough to talk about legacy without thinking it through, but there are great things we can take from the Olympics as employers. Working from home will be developed. At Deloitte, we have been encouraging people to think more flexibly about how they work during the games; this will continue afterwards. “Organisational robustness will be important and the


contingency planning employers have in place for potential disruption could be used for future industrial action and disaster planning, so it will cause employers to think about what they should have in place.” An example of an employer considering Olympic legacy is


catering supplier BaxterStorey. During London 2012, the company will provide catering services to the world’s press and broadcasters at the media centre in the Olympic Park. To deliver food and round-the-clock service, BaxterStorey will need an additional 400 chefs, baristas and customer service assistants every day during the peak operational period. But when members of the press jet off back home, Baxter-


Storey’s HRD Lynne Graham has a plan in place to generate long-term benefits for the company and the local area. “While 60% of our Olympic workforce will be existing


BaxterStorey employees, the remainder are being recruited through a variety of sources – educational institutions, the


And the less-than-encouraging rising unemployment


levels of 2.6 million – the highest since 1995, according to the latest ONS statistics – plus the threat of the UK losing its AAA credit rating, hardly make for a firm foundation for the Olympics to provide a long-term boost for the economy and, importantly for HR directors, create jobs. But Steve Girdler, Olympics director at recruitment firm


Adecco, is much more optimistic about the lasting employ- ment benefits: “The games are going to give work to 170,000 people through LOCOG, contractors, suppliers and sponsors and, given the current economic climate, these people will gain unique transferable skills – they will know how to perform under pressure. “As part of the ‘jobs for the games’ initiative, 20% of all


those employed during the Olympics must have previously been in long-term unemployment – and whether or not they keep a job afterwards, they will be more employable because of the experience.” And the Olympic Park Legacy Company’s plans are that


the media centre will be converted into business space for new employers moving into the capital, so there will be recruitment opportunities there – and Olympic sponsor Adecco, which operates the Jobs for the Games website, has plans in place to maintain the site as part of its legacy. “We intend to rebrand the site and change it into a database for employers moving to London and looking to appoint new staff,” explains Girdler. He also believes the guaranteed interview scheme adopted by LOCOG, where everyone with


hrmagazine.co.uk Athens (2004)


The Greek capital invested £9.4 billion to stage its 2004 Olympic games – massively over budget and leaving the country in debt to the value of €50,000 for every household in the country. Venues for events were designed for local sports federations to


market their sports to global audiences – but a number of the venues are still mothballed and the city was not able to galvanise any notable urban renewal from its games. As HR magazine was going to press, Greece was on the brink of


default from the European Union and unemployment across the country had reached 20%.


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