training of the top team and all operational managers
These measures had an immediate effect of reducing absence levels by over 50% within an eight month period. By periodically refreshing the training for managers and new appointees, the company have, at the instigation of Peak Practice, offered economically viable incentives that recognise good attendance and this has served to perpetuate improvements.
Having unsuccessfully defended a number of Employment Tribunal cases, this umbrella company of train operating companies decided an urgent need existed to raise the competence of their operational managers. The Objective was to ensure that the procedural own goals, and exercising of poor judgement became a thing of the past
Peak Practice devised a programme of learning that covered three prime areas:
1 instilling the principles of consistent and reasonable people management, within the context of the
ACAS code of practice and the Company's own procedures.
2 Examining company specific case studies, that covered the prime steps of disciplinary &
grievance management, and problem solving the appropriate method for resolution
3 Checking of delegates understanding, utilising in-depth case study of a real life incident that required delegates to
reach conclusions via participation in a role play simulation. Peak Practice utilised our own actors who challenged
the managers to respond as if they were back in the workplace.
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The programme led to a quantifiable improvement in the operational managers understanding of the disciplinary process and to a rapid improvement to the company's success in defending ET applications in the succeeding months.
Case No 3. GoSkills - Sector Skills Council: Strategic Facilitation
GoSkills were fast approaching a critical period in their history, as they had to undergo the process of assessment by UKES in their bid to be relicensed.
With severe restraints on Government funding and with cuts envisaged, it was essential that the whole GoSkills team clearly understood the need to become more commercially focused and generate new methods of attracting revenue streams.
PP were therefore engaged to develop and facilitate two Strategic workshops, the first of which incorporated highly participative methods that allowed employees to better understand and respond to the changed environment in which their business was operating and to explore what responsibilities and behaviours required adjustment.
The second event, involving the operational team, looked in more detail at the commercial demands, how performance management techniques would allow these to be achieved and how to manage key interfaces with GoSkills many Stakeholders.
A follow-up project reviewed the pay and grading system and recommended changes that were applied to address inconsistencies.
The outcome of the above was that the GoSkills Team focused on the new strategic direction, a revitalized Company culture leading to changes in responsibility and behaviour that would enable the Company to meet initial UKES relicensing requirements. See Client's testimonial
Case No 4. Not for Profit Organisation: Independent investigation of Grievance and Discipline
The client organisation was faced by unusual situation whereby a middle manager within their HR department had been disciplined for repeated misconduct. Proper process was followed but before the matter could be fully resolved, the employee submitted a grievance against the HR Director and subsequently against the MD and Operations Director and subsequently cited them and other Directors all in ET proceedings.
With virtually the entire Executive team implicated by the allegations, a need existed for a senior independent professional to try and resolve the matter. The Company's own legal advisors recommended Peak Practice for this complex task and we were able to deliver a satisfactory conclussion within two working days.
To be able to bid for key technical engineering contracts this Client needed to be able to attract and retain high quality technical/electrical engineers in a fiercely competitive labour market.
The task was to design and implement a set of employment terms and conditions, including salary/bonus elements, that would enable the Client to respond effectively and successfully to invitations to tender for work in this field.
A full competitor review was conducted followed by the development of fully costed proposals that were presented to and accepted by the Board. Group and team consultation successfully took place with existing technical engineers to accept revised terms and conditions with these arrangements then forming the basis of the Company’s offer; resulting in its ability to form new teams and win work for technical engineering contracts.
The Client, a Government sponsored body faced with potential loss of licence to operate, urgently needed to engage its top team and senior management in the creation of new ‘turn-around’ strategies to address its shortcomings.
Considerable analytical work was carried out to identify strategic, tactical and cultural/organisational weaknesses followed by the provision of informed facilitation at two major strategic workshops to give focus to a much needed ‘whole organisation’ shift in direction.
Feedback from these events overwhelmingly revealed that this had been a watershed moment for the organisation which was now much better placed to retain its licence. As part of the follow-up a full review of terms and conditions supported by HAY-MSL job evaluation was carried out for the Client.
The Client organisation, a Train Operating Company, was to take control of staff from two former Franchises, involving some 1600 staff. This assignment involved the planning and timeline management, identification of staff to be transferred under TUPE, consultation with their respective Trade Unions, the development of the new receiving organisation, workforce communication processes and the application of procedures to resolve any staff ultimately displaced. The task was successfully completed on time and meeting all requirements.
