Kent Country Council will next month unveil the first stage of a £10.9m
overhaul of its HR and finance infrastructure.
The move puts to an end any uncertainty about the future set-up and
direction of the council’s back-room HR operations.
Mary Mallett, strategic director of organisation and development, said the
move will aid recruitment and give the HR team more opportunity to add value to
the business.
Last year the council decided against transferring 800 HR, finance and IT
staff to HBSG (formerly Hyder), in an outsourcing deal that would have been
worth £250m over 10 years.
Instead, it developed an integrated in-house HR and finance platform, which
is being put in place by Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.
Over the next two years the council will move the majority of its finance
and HR processes online, including recruitment, absence management and
e-learning. Staff will also have access to automated pay slips, online expenses
and employee self-service systems.
Mallett said: "For the first time we will have good clean information
that is up-to-date and covers every employee.
"Someone even vaguely thinking of applying for a job at KCC, who either
goes on to our website or rings us up, will be logged on to the system and sent
out the information pack.
"Selection can be done online, too, which will will free up HR staff
and line managers because they will not have to carry out all these
administrative processes."
Mallett, who is also-vice president of local government HR body Socpo, said
some administrative staff would have to be made redundant as a result of the
changes.
By Nic Paton
