BUSINESS LIFE: How bosses can learn from Becks and Sir Alex.

Byline: COLIN LEWIS

DAVID Beckham's decision to join Real Madrid carries a message that goes far beyond the world of football - into the boardrooms of Britain's biggest companies, says a Coventry employment law expert.

Jane Hobson, a partner at Reed Smith, believes that when Posh and Becks abdicated as the UK's unofficial Royal Family for a new life in Spain, one of the reasons may well have been the deteriorating relationship between the footballer and his equally high profile manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

That infamous dressing room drama, in which an airborne football boot kicked by Ferguson gashed the Beckham eyebrow, may have been the last straw for the England captain, who is reported to have looked - to no avail - for an apology from his boss.

And, just as in business, the repercussions are likely to go on for some time, says Ms Hobson. She said: "Some newspapers reported that Manchester United looked to sign Harry Kewell as part of Sir Alex's rebuilding of his Beckhamless team for next season - and that Kewell shied away after seeing the way Beckham was treated and opted for Liverpool instead.

"It demonstrates in the clearest possible manner that the way people treat their employees has an enormous impact on the calibre of people they are able to recruit - in the world of business as well as in sport."

Ms Hobson said: "Before the boot incident everyone believed Ferguson and Beckham had one of the best relationships in football. It shows how rapidly things can change."

She added: "Even though Beckham's move involves many millions of pounds, the employment issues that it raises are the same as those faced by countless businesses.

"The attitude of employers to their workers is often central to the issues that I see going before employment tribunals.

"It seems obvious to say so, but firms that treat their people well generally have a better record of both recruiting and retaining key workers than those with a bullying or less than supportive attitude."

The big attraction

IN A world where the number of highly skilled employees is falling, attracting the best candidates may ultimately have a significant impact on the overall success of a business says Ms Hobson (right).

In most organisations, the employees are the employer's greatest asset, and those companies that recognise this will have an edge over their competitors.

She said: "Employers are aware that money is not an employee's only motivation in deciding whether to join a particular organisation or stay with them long term. Other benefits such as pensions, private healthcare and increasingly flexible working are important factors."

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BOOT BOYS: Superstar footballer David Beckham, and (top) his tough ex-boss Sir Alex Ferguson