Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Careers in HRHR strategyMergers and acquisitionsThe HR profession

How I made a difference: Geoff Hall, head of HR, WDF

by Personnel Today 18 Jan 2010
by Personnel Today 18 Jan 2010

I was the HR lead in the integration of World Duty Free and Alpha Retail UK, following the former’s acquisition by Italian-based catering and retail company Autogrill (which already owned Alpha Retail).

We set up a group of senior leads from across the business. I was responsible for reviewing all HR practices in both organisations, and working on the harmonisation of two businesses into one, supported by the recruitment and learning and development teams.

We put together a project plan and decided on our key milestones. First, we wanted to harmonise the businesses within six months. We set up a consultation forum at World Duty Free and a staff council at Alpha. We implemented a formal consultation process on an individual basis on the back of the collective consultation. At the end of the process, we closed three offices and two distribution centres. The headcount for the new businesses, once brought together, was 3,000. We now have 2,700 staff. The biggest impact of the headcount reduction was on the central support functions – inevitably there was duplication of roles.

The entire process took six months. In terms of the culture, we were reasonably fortunate. The two companies, both retail businesses, were similar. But there were some subtle differences. At World Duty Free, the culture has traditionally been very open and collaborative, whereas at Alpha it was more directive and autocratic. We worked hard to build trust among our new Alpha colleagues – by doing what we said we’d do.

In terms of the brand, we decided that as World Duty Free was larger, we would use it as our default brand, using its processes and systems, unless we felt that Alpha did it better.

Now we’ve rebranded, and the merged group is known as WDF. The staff reaction has been very positive, which was borne out by a 79% overall engagement score in our staff survey, run just three months after the merger. We also managed to deliver a new employer brand on the back of the merger. Looking back, I can see that some decisions could have been made more quickly, but on the other hand, we wouldn’t have wanted to rush.

Why it worked

  • We involved staff
  • We looked at the big picture
  • We identified our milestones.

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Top job: Jane Roberts, HR director, Domino’s Pizza
next post
UK HR outperforms the world in recession

You may also like

‘It’s International HR Day – wait, you didn’t...

20 May 2022

Adapt culture to hybrid work: do not force...

20 May 2022

Women in FTSE 350 leadership: ‘A lot of...

20 May 2022

Squishy, flabby, foggy HR? Andrew Bartlow talks to...

20 May 2022

Movers and shakers May 2022: John Lewis and...

20 May 2022

Morrisons saves 16,000 jobs with McColl’s rescue deal

10 May 2022

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover: how to avoid a...

5 May 2022

Movers and shakers April 2022: Santander UK appoints...

22 Apr 2022

How the Global Business Mobility visa will overhaul...

14 Apr 2022

How workplace culture should support employees’ wellbeing

13 Apr 2022
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+