Case Studies

Case Studies

HR Consultant – Katie Renwick
Having significant generalist experience and an ability to quickly build effective and meaningful relationships Katie has undertaken a variety of assignments, including HR Consultancy to define and deliver specific projects, and Interim HR Director roles.
Prior to embarking on a consultancy career Katie held a variety of challenging roles in small and large, private and publically held organisations, culminating in her role as Head of HR for play.com, the online retailer. Equally at home in global or SME businesses, Katie relishes the opportunity to define, shape and implement an effective people strategy to drive commercial difference.
Her areas of specialism include leadership / management development, organisational design and development and formulation and implementation of HR / People strategy.

HR Consultancy

Templine Employment Agency Limited (Templine)
Company overview:
Based on the Birmingham Business Park, Templine is a privately-owned, profitable recruitment business specialising in the provision of flexible workers for unskilled and semi-skilled positions. Templine operates across the UK, employs approx 3,000 flexible workers and 80 core workers.
HR consultancy requirement:
Having completed an HR audit for Templine to assess what needs / opportunities existed, Katie was asked to provide HR consultancy support for a period of 3-6 months from November 2011. The remit includes establishing core processes and policies, defining and launching a leadership / management development programme, assisting in an organisational restructure of the core Operations Division and hiring a permanent HR Manager.

Balfour Beatty Major Civil Engineering (BBMCE)
Company overview:
Based in Redhill, Surrey, BBMCE delivers complex, asset-based, service-driven solutions across a range of major infrastructure markets, including construct-only works, strategic network management and maintenance services. BBMCE employs approx 3,000 in the UK and has a turnover of c.£800m.
HR consultancy requirement:
Initially hired to lead the re-accreditation process for Investors in People and to support the Head of Learning and Development in defining and implementing the L&D Academy, Katie was subsequently asked to support the wider HR team on operational and project based activities, including a major organisational development project within a core business stream. Katie supported the business for twenty-two months.

Key Achievements:

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HR lead on Transformation Project Launch within Highway Services business stream - Formulated people and communication strategy and subsequent launch for change programme and advised on securing Board approval and implementation plan. People strategy included evaluation of entire organisational design, leadership development / assessment, succession planning and revision of working practices for enhanced service provision and reduction in cost to customer.

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Investors in People accreditation – led cross-functional project team to effectively prepare the organisation for the accreditation process including liaison with external independent assessor, presentations to senior business leaders on potential risks, advising on opportunities, communication strategy, local site preparation and post-assessment business recommendation. Successfully awarded.

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Learning and Development Academy – responsible for definition and launch of BBMCE learning and development framework, including career / professional development maps and assessment. Facilitated the design and launch of Pilot Leadership Development Programmes including provision of external partners, selection of development and assessment methodologies and post programme review. Also included the creation of a Training Directory based on L&D Academy streams of Leadership Development, Technical (Functional) Development and Business Effectiveness.

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Performance Development Review (PDR) – oversaw review of internal PDR process to incorporate new business streams and provide streamlined process from 5 different processes. Included cross-business working group, communication events and guidance, process re-engineering and review. Resulted in 100% increase in PDR returns year on year.

Amgen Limited
Company overview:

With its UK HQ based on the Cambridge Science Park, Amgen is one of the world’s largest biotechnology organisations, employing c 18,000 globally with annual turnover of approx. $14,800m.

HR Consultancy requirement:

Initially hired to support the wider HR community on specific project launches including a sales incentive scheme, induction scheme and DISC personality profiling tool, Katie was asked to extend her consultancy support to include a business partner approach for the UK/IRE sector. Katie supported the business for eight months.

Key Achievements:

●	HR contributor to UK/IRE Sales Incentive Scheme design – EU meeting in Zurich and local tailoring to meet specific strategic objectives. Communication plan and launch.

●	Project Lead on roll out of DISC personality profiling tool for middle / senior managers. This resulted in greater levels of engagement through enhanced self-awareness and open, two way communication surrounding personal preferences and styles.

●	Project Lead on review of non-permanent employees – recommended commercial solution to reduce financial and legal risk and deliver Resourcing strategy to meet commercial objectives.

●	Project led the redundancy programme and closure of recently acquired business in Macclesfield without any grievances or appeals.

Interim HR Director

Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited (CBNL)
Company overview:
CBNL is a manufacturer of advanced technology, enabling telecoms carriers to reduce backhaul costs. Based in Cambridge, with a turnover of approx $50m and employing c.70 in Cambridge, South Africa and Malaysia.
Interim requirements:
Brought in to cover a period of maternity leave shortly after joining the organisation underwent a wholesale change in leadership and structure, requiring significant support from Katie in the form of executive coaching, facilitation and organisational design and development.
As the maternity leave concluded after six months, Katie was asked to stay to help facilitate further projects including an Executive Development Programme (an in-house programme designed in conjunction with Cranfield) and the launch of a skills matrix programme. Katie supported CBNL for eleven months.

Key Achievements

●	Devised and implemented the first meaningful international HR strategy (commercial planning, reward, performance management, communication, resourcing & development)

●	Introduced first HR metrics including qualitative measure of hire / induction process, target improvement on overall employee satisfaction (target 1.25 achieved 1.6) and target performance levels for all employees to be measured through performance review process.

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Linked reward directly to performance across entire organisation and recommended review of sales commission programme (2008 commission purely financial rewards at cost of approx £750k for 2 key performers; 2009 to reflect long-term motivational tools and include mix of financial rewards and stock reducing cost to approx £200k).

●	Led Employee Engagement review; subsequently introduced revised performance management programme, overt two way communication programme, first HR budget (training and development, recruitment costs), skills matrix and succession planning.

●	Commercial strategy design process / facilitation, supported individual members of executive team through coaching / personal development in order to achieve targets for 2008 (turnover target $22m increased to $30m in July 2008 due to increased performance).

●	Developed a company-wide skills matrix to address perceived lack of utilisation of key skills in knowledge-led R&D environment.

●	Identified requirement for leadership development programme for executive team with Cranfield School of Management, enabling CEO / Board to identify strategic leaders and recommend restructuring senior team.

●	Supported VP Operations in organisational restructure resulting in closure of manufacturing facility in UK and reduction in cost of approx £2m. Ensured planning included full consideration of practical and cultural impact of change and advised on communication, restructuring and redundancy.

JSA Services
Company overview:
Based in Watford, Herts, JSA is one of the leading providers of accountancy services to the flexible labour market in the UK. JSA employs 50 core staff, in the UK, 50 in India, 2,500 umbrella contractors and has a turnover of c.£8m.
Interim requirements:
Initially introduced to JSA to undertake an HR audit, Katie undertook the definition and implementation of an organisational restructure as well as playing a key role as the HR representative and contributing at Board level. Operating on a retained basis, Katie provided onsite and remote HR strategic support and guidance, including executive coaching and challenge to the senior team.
Katie was asked to lead a business critical project to enable the business prepare for the Agency Workers Regulations and subsequently oversaw the implementation of the commercial solution into the business. Katie supported JSA for twenty-two months and maintains an ongoing relationship for strategic HR support.

Key Responsibilities

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Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) Project Lead – This involved interpreting the legislation for its potential impact on JSA and its clients, covering four key project workstreams; Commercial (including defining contractual terms, services and client liaison), Systems / Process (defining new system requirements and overseeing the creation and implementation of process changes), Migration (defining how to migrate the existing employees and agency clients onto the new compliant services) and Communication (leading external and internal communication and training). Solution was successfully implemented on time and within budget.

●	Successfully represented JSA in employment tribunal - the employee claim was overturned and no legal costs were incurred. Only approximately 4% of UK Employment Tribunals find in favour of the employer.

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HR lead on internal restructure, senior and middle management development and formulation of People Strategy. Advised Senior Team on internal restructure, prepared the senior team for the restructure including process, support documents and briefings, without any grievances raised that resulted in approx £500k savings per annum.

●	Introduced Performance Objectives Programme – designed and implemented a Performance Objectives Programme directly linking each individual to the organisational strategy and encouraging greater employee engagement.

●	Facilitated creation of functional strategic objectives – supported the Owner / Senior Team in identifying functional objectives to deliver commercial strategy, encouraged communication of the objectives and linking performance against objectives to individual reward.