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The Client
A leading University IT Department
The Requirements
We were contacted in late 2008 and asked if we could
advise the University’s IT Department on the likely issues they
would face and on how these should best be addressed, when
proceeding with their plans to in-source a number of IT functions
that some 10 years previously had been out-sourced to a private
sector supplier. The University’s intention was to not renew the
existing outsourced contract on its expiry. They needed a
preliminary assessment and due diligence exercise to be carried out
on the technical TUPE issues, and were seeking recommendations on
how to address the HR implications of proceeding with a wider
transformation of all their IT services.
What we did
We reviewed all the available historical and
contemporary documents relating to the original outsourcing and the
proposed in-sourcing of various IT services and conducted a series
of interviews with key stake-holders. We applied the standard TUPE
definitions and were quickly able to confirm that the proposed
in-sourcing would indeed be subject to the TUPE regulations. The
contract with the existing private sector supplier precluded any
early formal due diligence activity and therefore one of our early
recommendations was that the University should seek early informal
discussions with the supplier with a view to ensuring a positive end
of contract experience for the supplier in return for being able to
undertake valuable pre transfer and pre transformation preparations
with both the affected outsourced staff and their representatives
and with existing University staff.
We made a series of recommendations including:
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The
development of a relationship with the trade unions that will
facilitate the early implementation of the detailed HR Due
Diligence process and of the consultation machinery and process.
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The
development of a Communication Plan designed to articulate and
sustain:
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The creation
of an appropriate and efficient organisational structure with
appropriately defined roles and responsibilities especially at
management level
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The creation
of an appropriate and integrated organisational culture for the
IT Department
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The
transition/integration of appropriate outsourced staff into the
ITS organisation following detailed due diligence.
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The buy-in of
customers; stake-holders; staff; and elected staff
representatives to the overall transition and transformation
process.
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Issue a formal
HR data request to the outsourcer as early as practicable and
agree the HR information that Unisys is to provide.
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Conduct
detailed HR due diligence based upon the above data. Establish
special consultation machinery to allow the appropriate
participation of Unisys staff representatives (probably
elected); Unisys Management representatives; University Staff
Representatives (from the appropriate trade unions); and
University Management representatives, in both the transition
and the transformation.
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The
development of an appropriate Competency Framework to describe
and map the behavioural competencies and technical skills
required by the new organisation at all levels.
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The
development of an appropriate Career Framework linked to the
above Competency Framework and to the University’s Grading,
Remuneration and Reward structures. The purpose of which will be
to show staff the various career paths available within the
Department and to therefore help the process of staff and
organisational development.
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The
development of appropriate Job Families and summary Job Profiles
to describe the types and levels of the various jobs within the
new organisation. These should be integrated with the above
Competency and Career Frameworks.
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Conduct
initial Staff Appraisal and Development to ensure staff are
appropriately equipped with the necessary skills and
competencies (from both technical and behavioural
perspectives) to discharge the responsibilities of their roles
within the transformed department.
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