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Category: Key update

  • Museum restructure – consultation stage concluded and confirmed structure

    Museum restructure – consultation stage concluded and confirmed structure

    Dear Colleagues,

    We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your patience, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the Museum since we entered a consultation process regarding restructure proposals on 3 February. The journey we’ve been on together has not been easy, but your dedication has been vital in helping us get to this point. This essential process was driven by the need to manage costs in challenging economic times, alongside a revitalised focus on enhancing visitor experience and excellence in Living History. We acknowledge that this has been a challenging period, and we want to thank each of you for your continued commitment to our visitors, your input during the process, and the consideration you’ve shown for your colleagues.

    We are now at the conclusion of the consultation period, and we are pleased to share that the updated organisation chart is now available to view. Please do study the new staffing structure carefully to appreciate the responsibilities, working relationships and dependencies within the Museum Team. If you notice a mistake, please mention it to your line-manager. Our goal throughout has been to minimise the impact on our team, but unfortunately, a limited number of roles have been made redundant, with five people having their roles confirmed as such. The contributions made by these colleagues, especially during such a difficult time, are deeply appreciated, and we are incredibly grateful for their dedication to the Museum. Over the coming weeks, some will be completing handovers, while others will continue for a period of time as they undertake distinct pieces of work. We appreciate their ongoing support during this transition.

    As we move forward to implement this new structure, which includes new roles, teams, and reporting lines, we enter a transition period. This phase will allow for a smooth and effective adjustment to the new roles and responsibilities, and your manager will be in contact with you directly to schedule the time necessary to make these changes as effective as possible. As we do that, we also commence recruitment for roles vacant in the new structure, and you can find the first of these opportunities here.

    Once again, thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate this transition. We look forward to the bright future we will build together.

  • Winners at the West Midlands Tourism Awards

    Winners at the West Midlands Tourism Awards

    Last night at the West Midlands Tourism Awards it was an honour to be awarded the top prize for Large Visitor Attraction. The win puts us through as a contender in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, coming later this summer.

    The judges “loved this immersive experience where visitors can step back in time, from 1940s kitchens to 1960s record shops. Passionate staff bring history to life, making it an unforgettable visit!”

    We shared our category with other fantastic local attractions, including Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Ikon Gallery and Alderford Lake.

    You can find out more about the awards and winners in other categories at the Visit Birmingham website.

     

  • Restructuring Proposals: More open sessions

    Restructuring Proposals: More open sessions

    Dear Colleagues

    Helen Dinsdale, our HR Consultant supporting the restructuring process, is holding more open sessions next week for colleagues who have any questions or comments about the proposals. These are open to all colleagues but especially to those impacted less directly.

    The sessions will be held in the Hartill’s offices on Friday 28 February 10am-1pm, as 20-minute slots. You can attend individually or as a small group.

    If you would like to book some time with Helen, please contact me on 07966 418422 or at [email protected].

    Best

    Jo

  • Restructuring Proposals: Open Sessions

    Restructuring Proposals: Open Sessions

    Dear Colleagues

    Helen Dinsdale, our HR Consultant supporting the restructuring process, is holding open sessions this week for colleagues who have any questions or comments about the proposals. These are open to all colleagues but especially to those impacted less directly.

    The sessions will be held in the Hartill’s offices on Thursday 13 February 10am-12pm and Friday 14 February 10am-2pm, as 20-minute slots. You can attend individually or as a small group. We will arrange other dates, but you can contact Helen direct at any time by email [email protected].

    If you would like to book some time with Helen, please contact Jo Turner on 07966 418422 or at [email protected].

  • Restructuring Proposals: Consultation Stage

    Restructuring Proposals: Consultation Stage

    Dear Colleagues

    This more comprehensive message comes after my brief email on Monday.

    We spent Monday and Tuesday speaking in-person with colleagues whose jobs at the Museum are affected the most by the restructuring proposals I first mentioned at my briefings during RESET in January, taking account of two colleagues on annual leave. It was very important to do this first before sharing the proposals widely. In this context, if you have not had an individual meeting, you can assume that your role at the Museum is not directly affected, by which I mean, your role is not at risk. However, that doesn’t mean certain other roles aren’t affected, more indirectly. These indirect changes – often in line-management – are driven by streamlining the Leadership Team, reducing it from five roles to three, called: (1) Chief Executive; (2) Content & Operations; and (3) Business Development. We are also proposing that we reduce the number of section Heads, from eight to six. This also drives changes in line-management.

    An example of changed line-management includes Team Managers (Historic Characters) reporting into Public Programmes. Another example is a proposal to combine our marketing & audience and development teams under a new post of Head of Development & Communications. Our Costume Team also has proposed new line-management, moving to Interpretation & Collections. There are other examples.

    You’ll see all these proposed changes set-out in the attached proposed organogram.

    There are also examples where individual consultation involves identifying more than one alternative new role, and you’ll appreciate this can add to the complexity of the discussions, selection process and, in time, confirming colleagues in new roles.

    I am also aware that certain roles, whilst remaining in the proposed structure, are vacant. There are examples in the Maintenance Team, Enterprises Team Managers, and Historic Character Team Managers. During the consultation we need to keep open as many vacancies as possible to offer potential alternative employment for the five colleagues at risk. All the time, our approach is to minimise or remove any job losses.

    Attached to this covering message is the briefing pack which was shared with all the colleagues we spoke to earlier this week, as we enter a 30-day consultation. I encourage all colleagues to study it carefully, especially the proposed new organogram. The briefing pack also includes frequently asked questions.

    We will continue to update colleagues as we work through the consultation, listen and respond to views and suggestions, before finalising the staffing structure going forward, including certain new job profiles and the associated salaries. We shall use the Museum’s Intranet, PlanDay and all-staff emails to keep everyone as up to date as we possibly can. Helen Dinsdale, our HR Consultant ([email protected]) is also arranging some open sessions, designed for all colleagues, but especially those impacted less directly by the proposals.

    I recognise that this is a challenging time, including during the next four weeks of consultation, where you may well be working closely alongside colleagues whose jobs are at risk, and I thank you for showing sensitivity, respect and courtesy. It will be enormously appreciated by your colleagues as we continue to open the Museum and head towards our first busy week of 2025, during the February half-term.

    If anything in this note is unclear or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Helen.

    Andrew

  • Consultation on restructuring proposals – February 2025

    Consultation on restructuring proposals – February 2025

    Dear Colleagues

    I want to let you know the timeline for the staffing restructure consultations commencing this week. Initial individual consultations with each member of staff where their role is affected by the proposals have been scheduled for the first part of this week. I am aware that some colleagues will be on annual leave, and arrangements are being made to take this into account. After individual meetings have been completed, we will issue a comprehensive briefing note to all staff, including FAQs. This will happen by the end of this week. We shall also post information and regular updates on the Museum’s intranet. Throughout this unsettling time, I am more grateful than ever for your commitment to the work of the Museum, and I would once again like to underline that we will seek to minimise or remove any job losses, consulting with staff and Community Union fully during the process.

    Should you have any questions relating to the process, please speak to Helen Dinsdale, the HR Consultant, who will be co-ordinating the process, at [email protected] or 07791 174468.

    Andrew Lovett

  • Final call – send us your “Crossed finger” selfies!

    Final call – send us your “Crossed finger” selfies!

    Since the first draw was held in 1994, the National Lottery has raised over £49 billion for good causes and awarded over 690,000 individual grants to projects and organisations, making a real difference to local communities.

    We’ve been hugely supported by the National Lottery through the National Lottery Heritage Fund over the years, most recently to make our 1940s-60s development possible.

    We’re joining in with the National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations, with dedicated content across our social media channels and website. For the big day on 19th November, we want you to get involved!

    We’re making a final call to ask colleagues to send over “crossed finger selfies” – make the famous Lottery “crossed fingers” gesture and snap a photo of yourself in situ in your role, whether that be in a forge, down the mine or behind the counter in Hobbs!

    Get involved:

    • Pose with the crossed finger gesture and snap a selfie on your phone
    • You can do it in groups or on your own, it’s up to you
    • Think about the background – if you’re visitor facing, think about the Museum building you’re in
    • Remember if you work back of house to make sure there are no sensitive or private documents on walls or desks around you
    • If you are visitor-facing, please make sure to snap your photo before 10am or after 5pm

    You can send your selfies to [email protected] or send them via WhatsApp to the Museum press phone on 07703 670530.

    Please note that by sending your photo you agree to us sharing it as part of the promotion, so do make sure you are happy with us using your photo before sending it over – if you have not signed a BCLM photo consent form please speak to Hannah Brown ([email protected]) in Audiences & Communications to sign one.

  • Winter opening hours and changes to online booking

    Winter opening hours and changes to online booking

    From Monday 4 November we’ll be moving to our winter opening hours. We’ll be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and will be open from Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm.

    From Wednesday 6 November, we’re removing the need to book a timeslot – visitors now only need to book their preferred date, and only when purchasing a new ticket.

    BCLM Members, valid UnChained Annual Pass holders, or visitors using a discount or vouchers (for example Tesco Clubcard vouchers), will simply need to bring their card, pass or vouchers to be scanned or redeemed at the till. Should visitors have any questions, please do refer them to the FAQs on our website.

  • We want your greenery!

    We want your greenery!

    Do you have rampant ivy or holly that needs pruning?  Do you have excess fir tree cuttings?  Or do you have other evergreen materials you can spare? To support our Christmas decoration making workshops on Monday 4 November and Tuesday 5 November, we need masses of lovely fresh seasonal greenery. If you have a garden, an allotment or access to any lush Christmassy greenery, we’re kindly asking that you snip it for us! 

    We’d love you to bring in whatever you have from Friday 1 November to Monday 4 November. If you have an allotment, it might be worth putting the call out to other plot holders – as we can never have too much!

    There will be buckets for you to pop the stems in to keep them nice and fresh at the compound at the top of site. The fresher the better so if you can leave it as late as possible to cut them and put it in water straight after cutting, we can make sure our wreaths, garlands and table decorations are as fresh and perky as possible for the festive season.

    The longest lasting and most festive of the greenery is beech, oak, rose hips, pine, old man’s beard, spruce, conifer, holly, ivy, fir, magnolia, hops and rosemary. We also welcome any pine cones or other festive finds. What a good excuse for a ramble in the woods!

    During the festive period, once buildings are decorated, if you are working in historic buildings and you are looking for greenery to refresh your building, please contact the Collections team. If you have any questions about decorating the buildings for Christmas, please speak to the Collections team or email [email protected].

  • Travel: Birmingham New Road closure

    Travel: Birmingham New Road closure

    Travel update: Birmingham New Road

    Please note that Birmingham New Road, Dudley will be closed from Monday 28 October to Saturday 2 November between 8pm and 5am each night for carriageway resurfacing works. This may affect colleagues on your journeys, in particular when leaving following our evening events.

    The closure will be in place from the junction of Sedgley Road West to the junction of Sangwin Road.

    Traffic will be diverted via Sedgley Road West, Hurst Lane, Bloomfield Road, High Street, Wednesbury Oak Road, Bilston Road, Great Bridge Road, Oxford Street, Black Country Route, Birmingham New Road, and vice versa.