Helping a Professional Service Firm drive consistent ways of working and leverage new technologies

 Organisation:  A professional service firm with a strategy to drive growth, leverage technology to drive new ways of working and a desire to attract and inspire five generations in the workplace.  The firm had doubled in size following a merger and the HR team did not have a strategic leader in place.

 Solution: Initial meetings with Partners and the existing HR team helped clarify the key people issues and expectations of the HR team. The People Strategy took into account the commercial growth plans, budget and culture of the firm.  Options for the HR Operating Model were presented to the leadership team to gain buy-in to new ways of working.  They sought to strengthen the support provided by the HR team and drive consistency across the firm. The HR Operating Model leveraged technology and social media, introducing a new combination of in-house and outsourced expertise.

Deliverables included:

  • Strategic People Plans – helped Partners redefine the skills and resources needed to leverage innovative technology, implement new ways of working and redefine their expectations of future performance.
  • HR Transformation – strengthened the HR service across the firm, while reducing headcount and budget. Combined in-house support, external providers and new technology to access HR services remotely and out of hours.  Restructured and built a new team.  Inspired and engaged the team to adopt new ways of working.
  • Firm-wide Capability Framework – introduced consistency and transparent links to resourcing strategies, development and succession plans.
  • Resourcing Strategy – designed, negotiated and implemented a commercial resourcing model via an outsourced agreement to provide the flexibility to adapt the volume and type of recruitment in line with changing business demands. Leveraged technology and social media while reducing budget.
  • Employee Relations Strategy – combined in-house and external legal support to reduce time and budget to successfully resolve issues and mitigate employment risks.