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Developing HR Strategy
This
particular organisation was growing quickly and had just recruited an in-house
HR person but needed additional support with their HR strategy. I worked in
conjunction with their HR person in the capacity of a coach and presented our
findings and recommendations to the Board. I drew up a plan of action for the
next eighteen months towards achieving certain key objectives in the
recruitment, retention and development of the staff and personally implemented
some of these until their in-house HR specialist was ready to move the programme
forward. The projects within this programme were wide-ranging but included the
design and implementation of an employee survey, a job-profiling workshop, an
appraisal process, a company handbook, recruitment campaign management and
day-to-day advice and guidance on employee relations and employment legislation
issues.
Acquisitions and the HR elements of due diligence
An
overseas company was seeking to acquire a significant proportion of a UK
organisation. Working as part of the due diligence and integration team, I was
gathering, checking and reporting on those elements required for the HR aspects
of the due diligence. This included identifying any anomalies with contracts of
employment, salary and benefits scales and structures, custom and practice, HR
policies and staff costs. I also conducted one-to-one interviews with the
transferring staff with a view to formulating the soft integration plan
addressing issues such as communication, motivation and culture.
Business
Planning
We live in a fast-moving, ever-changing business climate.
Adapting to change is crucial. It seems as if the goalposts are constantly
being moved. To compete in this environment, an organisation must be aware
of the skills and expertise available to it from within its human resources
pool, particularly if headcount is restricted. Just as it would be
difficult to manage a company and make financial decisions without being aware
of what is in the bank, the bills that need paying and the money coming in, it
is difficult to realise the true value of staff without a real understanding of
their skills, experience and aspirations. I have worked with organisations
to help them realise that potential and to address the HR facets of their
business planning process.
Quality
Processes
I was
initially retained by this organisation to perform company-wide job evaluations
and to then conduct a comprehensive compensation and benefits review. On
completion of these exercises, I was asked to design and implement personnel and
training processes and records in accordance with their industry-specific
quality standards. The feedback from the client was, “With your help,
establishing staff records and a regular review system within the Good
Laboratory Practice framework has been straightforward and painless.
Ironically, this was one area of implementation that was giving me nightmares,
but has proved to be one of the few parts that are on-stream with the proposed
deadline.”
Recruitment Nightmares
These
companies were being bombarded by emails and telephone calls from recruitment
agencies. This was taking up an inordinate amount of time and disrupting the
work of various people within these organisations, some of them at a senior
level. By taking over the project management of their recruitment activity, I
was able to significantly reduce this time wastage and streamline the whole
process. Terms and conditions of supply were negotiated and agreed, job and
person profiles and supporting company information were provided to selected
suppliers and questions answered. CVs were sifted quickly and suppliers advised
of the status of their applicants’ CVs. The clients were then provided with
relevant CVs. For some clients, my involvement continued right through to
shortlist interview stage, for others I organised the interviews on their
behalf. In essence, the whole process was made simpler and easier for not only
my clients but their suppliers, too resulting in the comment from one, “It’s
a pleasure to work with someone who still holds the basic values of recruitment
and is nothing but professional.”
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