“People Consequences”

Implementing a successful structure and critical staff development to allow for growth in an expanding business.

“We were a medium-sized organisation experiencing growing pains as we expanded our business. Our turnover was increasing, and we were battling to maintain our growth. We were going through a number of changes to our processes and had to cope with a completely different way of working – but as these changes took place, we had not considered the ‘people consequences’.”

Making sure that all of the staff are on board is vital when implementing changes:

“Those consequences soon came to the fore, and we discovered that our organisation structure was not fit for purpose. Too many roles had evolved rather than been properly considered and specified. This resulted in unclear job roles – with some duplication in activity, which led to difficulties concerning accountability, poor management and inferior performance. With changes being made throughout our business, we were also battling with very poor staff motivation and a resistance to these changes. We needed help to rectify the situation, and without an HR department, our finance director (who was responsible for HR) was simply swamped.”

By observing how the business is currently run and understanding the processes, we gather information for an initial diagnostic that forms the basis for future improvements:

“We engaged with Fourth Dimension Expert Resource through a recommendation. Their approach was great – very down-to-earth, forthright and exactly tailored to our situation. They completed a diagnostic to fully understand our organisation and to be clear of our objectives. They very quickly came back with firm recommendations and a road map with timings and costings to complete what was needed.”

Identifying the crucial issues is essential to pinpoint the changes that will deliver immediate results, lead to continuous improvement and ensure compliance:

“The diagnostic clearly identified our problems and gave a clear strategy for the reorganisation of our company and how we could deal with poor performers. We went through a complete audit of our procedures and manuals – all of which were rewritten and brought up to date with employment legislation to ensure full compliance.”

Our guidance through the implementation stage with practical, hands-on support and advice allows you to run your business without interruption:

“The organisation of the business was then tackled with a consultation process that involved all employees, and a new structure was put in place with new roles and clear job descriptions. 4th Dimension did all the work behind the scenes and basically held our hand throughout the whole reorganisation process. The process did lead to some redundancies, but 4th Dimension was there throughout the proceedings, giving advice and supporting our needs. This not only made sure that we followed the correct procedure, but it also ensured that we did it in the most cost-effective way, saving thousands of pounds. The whole project was completed from start to finish within two months and was remarkably pain-free.”

Key to ensuring sustainable levels of superior performance is committing to the continuous development of your most valuable business assets – your people:

“Our organisation is now absolutely in tune with what we need, and fully compliant. We are now in a position to move on to the next stage of real, meaningful employee engagement, training and development. We signed up to 4th Dimension’s ongoing HR support, which means that we have an outsourced and very cost-effective solution and that we are insured against any legal action.”

Result: Peace of mind

“Our engagement with Fourth Dimension Expert Resource has had a huge impact on the success of the company and has meant that we can focus on the running of our business with the peace of mind that we have our people taken good care of.”