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HDA OVERVIEW
HDA Case Studies

Organisational Restructuring and Career Transition / Outplacement Support - Tertiary Education

 

Background

A London Medical School embarked on a financial recovery plan which included the rationalisation of academic, academic support and central services staff roles across the University.

HDA was commissioned by the University to support the rationalisation process, including support for those directly affected by the restructuring project, (via the provision of outplacement, career consultancy and retirement support), and those indirectly affected by the changes, (via the provision of an employee helpline facility).

Given the complexity of the project, (eg. consultation took place with four Trade unions, and each step of the restructuring process required ratification by a series of committees within a complex structure), HDA added value to the entire process by creating a R.A.C.I. project management matrix for the people-support element of the entire restructuring process; effectively establishing levels of accountability and information-sharing rules for the parties involved. This was viewed as highly beneficial by the organisation. See illustrative excerpt below. In this regard, HDA strongly partnered with the medical school by delivering beyond the scope of the original commission:

HDA Project

Medical school managers, staff placed at risk and indirectly affected staff were comprehensively supported on the following basis:

1. Manager Support

HDA provided Breaking the News training to all of the organisation’s managers tasked with breaking the news of redundancies to the school’s academic, academic support and central support employees. The training used an 8-point plan and recognised a range of potentially difficult situations to focus on achieving the following broad objectives, both via group and one-to-one coaching:

• Less Distress for the Individual
• Less Guilt for the Manager
• Positive ongoing Working Relationships
• Smooth Transfer of Work

For managers involved in breaking the news of redundancies, HDA’s workshops enabled them to deliver difficult news, whilst minimising disruption to the organisation during a difficult period. Overall, the school’s ‘’employer brand’’ was strongly supported by this process.

2. Staff Communication

HDA partnered with the HR and Internal Communication teams to provide staff across the organisation with a set of answers to likely ‘’Frequently Asked Questions’’ (FAQ’s) about the restructuring process, (timing, implications, etc), and the support that directly and indirectly affected employees could expect.

Information about HDA’s service was included on the organisation’s intranet, and was covered during regular ‘’Principal’s Meetings’’ with staff.

HDA also encouraged contact from employee reps from all unions involved in the process, including the AUT, the BMA, Amicus, and Unison, to cover specific constituencies, departmental concerns and so on.

3. Employee Helpline

A dedicated toll-free helpline was provided to all staff members who’s roles were at risk, and a separate toll-free helpline was provided for staff who’s roles were not directly affected, but who might experience distress as a result of the restructuring process, and who would thus benefit from receiving support.

In this way, eg. directly affected staff members could gain comfort that support was at hand during their notice periods, and indirectly affected staff members – often having spent many years working in close-knit research teams about to be affected by redundancies – could obtain clarification about the likely knock on effect of the restructuring on themselves and their teams. (Redundancy criteria included a calculation of research vs teaching time, and this was an important issue of clarification with both leavers and those remaining with the organisation).

4. Outplacement/Career Transition Support

Professional outplacement consultancy support was provided to affected staff members from the date that their roles were placed at risk. This support was provided by at all levels to help affected employees to secure re-employment, become self-employed, enter retirement, or re-skill themselves for a complete career change.

Importantly, many of the organisation’s academic and academic support staff HDA worked with were specialists in the strongest sense; many having spent many years researching quite specific areas of medicine and medical conditions. This being the case, albeit being well recognised in their specific fields, many members of staff were experts in very narrow areas of research, and this was an important factor in effectively supporting members of staff with their career transition process. Markets for their skills and knowledge were likely to be very narrow.

Depending on individual needs, unlimited outplacement support was provided by the school for a period of between three and six months from the date on which individuals were advised that their roles were at risk.

HDA’s support was hi-touch, and focused on the individuals’ specific needs within the limits of their specific programme, (ie. specifically focused on re-employment, self-employment and start-up assistance, retirement, or re-skilling for a career change).

On this basis, customised programmes included the following potential elements:

• One-to-one consultancy with a dedicated career consultant, including :
  • face-to-face,
  • telephonic,
  • e-mail and/or
  • online
• Practice interviews
• Psychometric assessment
• Specialist financial and tax advice
• Specialist self-employment advice
• Specialist legal advice
• HDA online resources and databases, including specifically calibrated database coverage to accommodate the medical school’s specific needs
• Group events and workshops, including group Job-search Workshops and Networking Workshops
• Specific training programmes
• Networking coaching
• Coaching for long-term effectiveness
• Counselling related to specific personal and behavioural issues

Outcomes

HDA worked with and successfully settled a significant number of staff members and their spouses (where applicable), at all levels, including:

• Successful retirements
• Successful semi-retirements
• Successful placements elsewhere in tertiary education and research
• Successful placements in commerce
• Successful redeployment (following funding grants) elsewhere within the organisation
• Successful career transition for those not made redundant, but nevertheless electing to transition their careers as a direct result of the restructuring, and the break-up of their research teams, (this was an area where HDA’s helpline and strong partnership with the organisation proved highly beneficial)
• Successful spousal career transition support

HDA and the medical school continue to be strong partners, and HDA provides the medical school with ongoing support in a number of areas.

 

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