Co-operative Financial Services
The team – CFS Human Resources
Number in team: 180
Number in HR function: 180
Number of employees HR is responsible for: 12,500
About the organisation
Incorporating The Co-operative Bank, Co-operative Insurance Society and internet bank Smile, Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) is a financial services provider offering a range of banking and insurance products.
The challenge
- The CFS vision and strategy was at risk because of disparate cultures throughout the organisation
- Putting leadership behaviour at the heart of organisational performance.
What the organisation did
- Measured the ‘cultural landscape’ of CFS through focus groups and questionnaires
- Used processes, structures and leadership behaviour to create a ‘climate’ which directly influences business performance.
Benefits and achievements
- Change programme delivered to 1,000 managers
- Ability to benchmark the ‘change journey’, as well as senior management potential and capability
- Prioritised delivery of departmental strategic objectives
- Empowerment of individuals to achieve goals
- Staff survey ‘people skills’ score improvement of 25%
- Multi-million pound efficiency savings through redundancies and office closures.
Category judge Mark Childs says: “The CFS entry truly demonstrates the power of HR to work collaboratively with both business leaders and line managers. The HR team proved influential in arguing the business case for change and developed an insightful and intelligent strategy to equip the business with the skills and organisational capability necessary to deliver a significant change programme.”
AC Nielsen
The team – M&A Strategic Resourcing Project Team
Number in team: 10
Number in HR function: 12
Number of employees HR is responsible for: 900
About the organisation
AC Nielsen offers market research gathered from a wide range of sources, information management tools and analytical systems and methodologies to help its clients find the best paths to growth.
The challenge
- To identify a new approach to attract and select high-calibre recruits to support ambitious growth plans in the modelling and analytics business
- To ensure a consistent approach across operations in 18 countries.
What the organisation did
- Set up a pan-European project team of HR representatives to work on three project streams
- Conducted the project in a ‘virtual environment’ to keep down costs and communicate with managers around
the world.
Benefits and achievements
- Production of comprehensive toolkit for line managers and HR on recruitment guidelines
- Managers equipped with the skills to attract and select suitable recruits, backed up by quality training
- Consistent use of a high-quality job ad and professional brochure
- Several high-calibre individuals have already been being brought into the organisation
- Implementation of year-end incentive scheme.
Category judge Mark Childs says: “In support of the modelling and analytics business, the HR team built a pan-European partnership of HR and line managers to deliver a strategic resourcing solution. The success of this project was to embed high quality resourcing and assessment processes, characterised by a consistently thorough and professional approach greatly appreciated by line managers.”
Ventura
The team – HR-Ventura
Number in team: 12
Number in HR function: 129
Number of employees HR is responsible for: 7,800
About the organisation
Ventura is a provider of customer management outsourcing services. It delivers customer service for organisations through teams of specialist staff in UK and offshore call centres and multi-channel contact centres.
The challenge
- The insourcing via TUPE of National Rail Enquiries customer service operations, including site, staff and culture
- Recruit new staff from an unknown market to meet 50% growth plans.
What the organisation did
- Deployed an intensive communications programme to staff affected by TUPE
- Introduced an effective employee representative forum to support and shape the change process.
Benefits and achievements
- TUPE transfer of all staff within six weeks
- Alignment of employee terms and conditions within three months
- Productivity targets reached within eight weeks
- Absence rates halved following the introduction of an attendance policy
- Payroll cost savings of £40,000
- The site has doubled in size after demonstrating its success and viability.
Category judge Mark Childs says: “Ventura’s HR team was responsible for insourcing the National Rail Enquiries operation involving the TUPE transfer of a geographically remote site within an aggressive timeline. The HR team made a vital and impressive contribution to the project, clearly exceeding the expectations of everyone involved.”
Williams Lea
The team – Group HR
Number in team: 38
Number in HR function: 38
Number of employees HR is responsible for: 2,850
About the organisation
Williams Lea is a global provider of corporate information solutions. It aims to build long-term partnerships with its clients to give them confidence in the integrity of their information and the delivery of their brand.
The challenge
- Managing the TUPE transfer of two business contracts, involving 220 and 690 full time employees respectively
- The closure of some locations, changes to team structures, working hours and working practices.
What the organisation did
- Ran TUPE masterclasses to train operational managers to carry out effective communications for all transferring employees
- Provided a strong colleague network, including a dedicated helpline and e-mail service.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Benefits and achievements
- Transfers and restructures completed on time and under budget
- Recruitment costs avoided and 325,000 saved against budget thanks to redeployment
- Reducing headcount while maintaining business continuity
- No pre-transfer resignations
- Provided an effective template for future transfers.
Category judge Mark Childs says: “Working with business development, operations, IT and finance functions, the HR team engaged in helping to establish a new operating division precipitated by the transfer of about 1,000 employees into the company. The HR team demonstrated creativity, a thoughtful and extremely thorough approach to line management training, communication and all aspects of the change management process.”
