Listen: Michael Spiers, chief people officer at London City Airport discusses how the employer is taking steps to ensure employees are fully utilising their benefits schemes.
The employer recognises the impact that the cost of living rises can have on employees’ lives so is making sure that it continues to effectively communicate the suite of benefits available that can perhaps mitigate the impact of the increases; for example, promoting the voluntary benefits scheme which offers a discount on grocery shopping for example, or the salary sacrifice pension arrangement to save on national insurance contributions. In this episode of the Employee Benefits podcast, Spiers explains why the airport is helping its employees to be pound-wise.
At a glance
International airport, London City Airport, has around 750 core members of staff. Because its nature is transit and customer service, its typical job roles include ground handlung agents, jet centre roles, security officers and back-office functions such as finance, HR, facilities management, planning and public relations.
The average age of staff is 36, but its workforce is largely made up of younger staff aged 18 to 25. The average length of service is seven years.
Primary business objectives that impact employee benefits
- Regrowing and recovering the business back to pre-pandemic levels of passenger traffic and maintaining recruitment attraction in a very competitive market.
Career history
Michael Spiers first joined London City Airport in 2013. Prior to this, he held various HR and line management roles including head of HR at Centrica Energy and HR partner at Sainsburys.
“Early in my career I did a lot of study whilse working, a Masters in HR and later a Masters in employment law, which for anyone doing a six to seven-day working week as well was a lot of pressure that I guess I was proud to have done,” says Spiers. “In later years I get most pride out of seeing people I’ve helped to develop grow into brilliant leaders. I feel proud to have been part of their journey.”