Why Connor?
The client wanted an additional pair of hands who could manage the process from start to finish. They required specific expertise in managing TUPE transfer, with knowledge of legal implications on both a global and local basis.
Our client wanted to work with a project management style HR practitioner who could absorb data and give it meaning, supply a project plan broken down into TUPE integration workstreams and provide executive updates, detailing risks and actions to overcome.
Our team of experts were selected because of their ability to be inquisitive and get to the source of issues – asking the “what” “why” “when” “how” “where” and “who.” Their flexible approach was key to this project, having the ability to work on any task/assignment required in the moment and aligning with the client’s own work ethic and responsiveness.
Culture fit was crucial for our client. Our team needed to be able to seamlessly work alongside their existing teams and provide support where they needed it, in the right way.
Our approach
We chemistry matched our team of consultants to ensure they were in alignment with our client’s culture and personality. Our project lead underwent a personality assessment to ensure that she shared the same values of openness, responsibility, flexibility, strong relationship building and sensitivity.
We worked alongside our client as a trusted partner. Ensuring a clear transfer to develop and upskill their team during this transition was integral to their team, as well as flexing up and down as the project proceeded. We offered a peer-to-peer review option to work as a sounding board, as and when they needed advice and guidance.
What we did for the client
TUPE programmes are complex and intimidating at the best of times and so we implemented our clear plan approach to scope out a step-by-step plan of action, which broke the complex process down into manageable chunks. We delivered this plan in 2 phases:
- Pre-acquisition phase
The key activities we delivered included:
- Project mobilisation.
- Data room set up.
- Conducting due diligence on incoming data and measures letters.
- Creation of a project plan.
- Creation of consultation collateral and communication.
- Set up of regular project calls: We pushed this requirement further to not only set up project team calls, but set up wider stakeholder cascading check points.
- Scheduling of meetings c.70 meetings.
- Set up of an FAQ system (e.g. email/ tracker or SharePoint).
- Consultation phase
This area of the programme was impacted by complications posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and so we flexed our approach to deliver a remote consultation programme. This phase of activity included:
- Supporting individual consultations, taking minutes, scanning paperwork and recording on files.
- Conducting other post consultation admin.
- Ongoing management of Q&A.
- Weekly project management calls and Project reporting.
In addition, we ensured thorough and ongoing reporting was delivered, as well as support and advice for onboarding.
As the partner who aligned culturally and delivered the end-to-end project, we were able to offer our client bespoke outplacement as an additional area of support.
The business outcomes
- We achieved the successful transfer of circa 75 employees.
- The project was delivered end-to-end on time.
- We were able to offer our client outplacement as an additional area of support.
- All people who had planned to transfer, transferred over successfully into a role.
- There were a number of those who transferred that were promoted into new roles.
- Redundancies connected to the project were managed in a respectful and sensitive way, with the upmost dignity and respect.
- We successfully delivered a remote consultation programme under restrictions and complications of Covid-19.
What the client said:
Our client expressed how much they valued our role as a trusted and strategic partner of their business, commenting the following:
“Thank you for all your fantastic support over the last six months. We learned a lot, but also had a true partner in crime.”
