The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) walked away with the HR Impact Award, sponsored by CEB SHL Talent Measurement, at the Personnel Today Awards on Monday evening. The Award aims to recognise HR projects that deliver tangible results for the organisation.
Our winner’s entry and those of our runners-up are outlined below:
National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
About the organisation
Martin Tiplady OBE, managing director, Chameleon People Solutions
Kevin Ball, vice-president of human resources, ADP Dealer Services International
NOMS is the largest division of the Ministry of Justice. It is more commonly known as the agency responsible for prisons and probation across England and Wales. It looks after 119 public-sector prisons, housing in excess of 83,000 offenders.
The challenge
NOMS was challenged to deliver a major restructure following the Government’s 2010 spending review and its “rehabilitation revolution” plans. The service needed to deliver greater value to the taxpayer, but continue to maintain safety and fairness in prisons. The organisational restructure programme, known as “Fair and Sustainable” would affect 50,000 staff.
What the organisation did
- Negotiated with multiple trade unions, including joint staff roadshows between directors and union representatives, joint development of communications.
- Communicated to staff via, among others, intranet, webchats, video diaries, teleconferences and weekly Q&As, all designed to help staff feel informed through the change process.
- Trained a number of HR staff as job evaluation analysts and tasked them with writing job descriptions to cover all roles within HQ and prisons.
- HR supported organisation through two phases of open competition over six months, handling 22,000 applications and more than 11,000 interviews.
- Offered displaced staff voluntary early departure package or redeployment – no compulsory redundancies.
- Introduced new custodial manager role, supported by a management development programme called ASPIRE.
Benefits and achievements
- Some 2,700 staff promoted to new posts after open recruitment process.
- More than 1,300 managers enrolled in ASPIRE programme and expected to complete in the next 18 months.
- Opt-in exercises completed to encourage staff to move to new terms and conditions as part of the pay reform.
- All 43,000 current staff now have new job descriptions and pay bands, with all changes logged in Oracle HR database.
- Headquarters staff reduced by 37% with no compulsory redundancies.
- Savings of £91 million achieved, and a significant contribution to justice reform delivered.
Judge’s comments
“A large task, well executed.” – Kevin Ball
Royal Mail
About the organisation
Royal Mail Holdings plc is the parent company of the Royal Mail Group limited, the provider of most of the UK’s postal delivery services. Every day, the company delivers 62 million items to around 29 million addresses in the UK.
The challenge
The role Royal Mail plays in British life is never so important as at Christmas. In 2012, it needed to attract more than 20,000 seasonal worker to work over a six-week period. In 2011, outsourcing its seasonal recruitment had led to fulfillment and pay issues, so in 2012 it decided to insource staff, which meant reconnecting with more than 8,000 workers while reducing costs.
What the organisation did
- Created a small dedicated team responsible for overall planning and organisation, with a team of 11 field-based coordinators.
- Used PRINCE2 project management methodology to ensure that everyone had clearly defined and agreed accountabilities.
- Sent out cards and postcards to previous seasonal workers, inviting them to register their interest; national online attraction campaign put in place from September 2012.
- Partnered with Jobcentre Plus and used targeted online advertising in “hotspot” locations.
- Delivered a “keep warm” campaign to successful applicants and set up a helpline to deal with any queries about starting work, as well as distributing a personalised welcome pack.
- Built systems capability to process casual payrolls and off-board workers at the end, plus a dedicated management information website so senior stakeholders could see the state of play.
Benefits and achievements
- More than 91,000 applications by the end of Q3 2012.
- Response rate of more than 90% from previous seasonal workers.
- Made 23,602 offers, with a turn-up rate of 94%.
- More than £14.8 million in payments were made on time and accurately.
- Reduced costs by 21% compared with 2011.
Judge’s comments
“A big project for a big business.” – Kevin Ball
CMA CGM (UK)
About the organisation
CMA CGM (UK) Holding Group is a group of six shipping businesses, spread across 15 offices in the UK, Ireland and Iberia, with approximately 500 employees. It reports into a central head office group (CMA CGM) based in Marseille, France, employing around 19,000 staff, and boasting a turnover of £300 million.
The challenge
With the backdrop of a difficult few years in the shipping industry, the company needed to deliver a world-class HR service through a very small, and relatively new, HR team. Staff turnover and recruitment costs were high, and it needed to move away from “reactive” HR to a more proactive, commercial way of working.
What the organisation did
- Moved to an HR business partner model, placing those with specialist knowledge in relevant teams so they were able to satisfy both operational and bespoke requirements.
- Identified the diverse cultural differences between the six different businesses and introduced a single employee value proposition.
- Appointed a head of training and introduced an in-house, ILM-accredited management development programme; each staff member now receives a training needs analysis.
- Introduced an employee value proposition and an equality/diversity programme.
- Streamlined internal processes such as recruitment; developed a preferred supplier list to manage recruitment and reduce cost.
- Created a staff forum to communicate benefits to staff and incorporate their ideas.
- Complete review of group benefits.
Benefits and achievements
- Business division managers have expressed satisfaction with the business partner approach.
- Absence now less than 2% and grievances reduced.
- Staff understand better where they fit in the organisation and how strategy affects them.
- Staff turnover reduced to 10% (2012) and recruitment spend reduced by more than 50% compared with 2011.
- Eighty-one managers and supervisors have attended the management development programme and are coaching other staff members as a result.
- Significant cost savings in benefits.
Judge’s comments
“A very good solution with some high-level feedback and success. A well-executed implementation plan.” – Martin Tiplady
Coutts
About the organisation
Coutts is a private bank and wealth management provider. It is one of the world’s oldest banks, founded in 1692, and is wholly owned by Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Its services cater for around 34,000 clients across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
The challenge
After the global financial crisis, PPI and LIBOR scandals, pay and reward in the financial sector came under intense scrutiny for being too focused on the delivery of financial targets. Coutts wanted to highlight the importance of “doing the right thing” by customers while remaining risk compliant, and to inspire a cultural shift across more than 5,000 staff in 12 jurisdictions.
What the organisation did
- Created a ratings process that measured behaviour as well as performance.
- Developed a set of behaviours known as the “crown standard” that all employees should aspire to display.
- Refreshed documentation for objective setting and performance appraisals.
- Dedicated intranet site.
- Produced employee guides, training and support material to help with the culture change; global training audio files delivered to all staff.
- Used a data management tool to support the collation, analysis and reporting of staff ratings.
Benefits and achievements
- Coutts became the first division in RBS Group to introduce performance management that rates behaviour as well as performance.
- Faster identification of underperformers’ needs; can earmark precise areas for individuals’ development.
- Increased engagement, productivity and retention through staff knowing they are being recognised for doing the right thing.
- Support from CEO and executive committee, and change of mindset across senior leaders.
Judge’s comments
“A significant challenge in very difficult economic and reputational climate.” – Martin Tiplady
Thales UK
About the organisation
Thales is a French multinational group of companies that manufacture systems and deliver services to the aerospace, space, transportation, security and defence markets. It employs 65,000 employees across 56 countries and its products include remote weapon systems, radar and radios.
The challenge
Thales UK has a complex legacy structure because of a number of historical acquisitions. There had been no integration of terms and conditions of employment, so more than 7,700 staff were employed in over 20 legal entities, with over 400 permutations of contractual terms. The company needed to harmonise terms across its businesses.
What the organisation did
- Reviewed contracts, pay dates, collective agreements, handbooks, pensions and its entire benefit structure.
- Spent a year planning, analysing and data modeling how the new set of terms and conditions would look.
- Came up with a five-stage process to propose terms to staff, consult with affected employees, communicate the changes, issue new contracts and implement the new terms.
- Recruited a core project team with two full-time roles dedicated to managing the process, plus extended project team including legal and systems support and consultation reps.
- Benchmarked market standards in terms and conditions of employment, to ensure it was pitching itself appropriately when attracting staff.
- Created a dedicated support team to answer and filter more than 16,000 enquiries about the changes.
Benefits and achievements
- Single contract of employment means Thales can provide clear, fair and competitive employment terms.
- Thales has been able to introduce a flexible benefits scheme and new time and attendance system.
- Increased efficiency and reduced administration costs – over the three-year period, total savings are around £20 million.
- Estimated annual savings of £1 million in resourcing, £200,000 in commission, £1.1 million in tax, and more than £1 million in IT and software.
- Increased employee engagement; now more in line with goal of “One Thales” culture.
Judge’s comments
“Very well managed change management programme. Good results.” – Martin Tiplady
DHL Supply Chain
About the organisation
DHL is the world’s largest contract logistics specialist, operating in more than 200 countries globally and employing more than 40,000 employees in the UK and Ireland. DHL Supply Chain (DSC) provides bespoke logistics and corporate information solutions for many of the world’s leading companies.
The challenge
Historically, three-quarters of DSC’s HR activity was delivered locally, with the remaining 25% managed by a small central team. This structure had created inefficiencies such as duplication of workload, inconsistent work processes, lack of standardised reporting and limited knowledge sharing.
What the organisation did
- Transformed HR model to People Services (shared services), HR business partners and centres of expertise; trained staff accordingly.
- Measured the model on its key B&Q logistics contract, which spans more than 2,000 DSC employees; visited site and delivered workshops on the transformation.
- Formed a business engagement group to help scope and define how the HR service should evolve.
- Implemented new Oracle RightNow CRM tool for HR workflow management and HR intranet; staff can easily track their work and share knowledge.
- Open days to meet the People Services team so they can understand how their HR queries will be managed (on B&Q contract).
Benefits and achievements
- Reduced cost of training by being able to deliver it in-house, saving more than £1,000 per head.
- Net Promoter Scores – used by People Services as a measure of customer satisfaction – increased from 33.13 in 2011 to 57.11 in April 2013.
- Opened and resourced a new distribution centre in Swindon for B&Q, with teams working well together “with a high level of communication and support” (DHL VP, Project Implementation).
- Professionalism score rose to 92.98 in B&Q project and 90.60 overall.
- Standardisation and simplification of HR processes, which are continuously reviewed and updated based on customer feedback.
Judge’s comments
“Big, complex business with a big, complex solution. Well aligned to the business.” – Kevin Ball
Hastings Direct
About the organisation
Hastings Direct is a division of Hastings Insurance Services Limited, and provides insurance for cars, homes and motorcycles as well as related products such as car breakdown cover. In February 2009, the company’s management bought it out from parent company Insurance Australia Group (IAG).
The challenge
In 2011, Hastings Direct came up with a goal of increasing its customer numbers to three million – or “1 in 10 by 2020”. To help the business meet this goal, the HR team needed to come up with an organisational development programme that would improve customer experience, increase customer retention and increase the value of its premiums.
What the organisation did
- Identified a methodology that would focus on developing individuals’ confidence inside and outside the workplace.
- Tested out the methodology on a small team of key stakeholders; decided to roll the programme out to the wider organisation with project team acting as change agents.
- Rolled out a two-day programme for all employees to focus on the psychology of service, and their language and actions.
- Introduced new appraisal templates, making incentives more customer-centric.
- Redesigned recruitment process to target those most likely to embrace the new approach.
- Starters now all go through a two-day induction programme and the new approach is built into frontline user guides.
Benefits and achievements
- Change in mindset from negative to positive; employees are encouraged to focus on what they can do.
- Eighty-two per cent of employees agree that they are encouraged to suggest ideas or improvements.
- Customer satisfaction up to 78% from 73% previously; customer effort scores up to 63% from 56%.
- Gross written premiums have increased by 19% to £423 million, company remains on track to achieve its 2020 target.
- Hastings Group EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) grew from £35 million in 2011 to £70 million in 2012.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Judge’s comments
“Decent project.” – Kevin Ball
