Empowering Managers and Improving Morale | The Success of a HR Policy Overhaul

A Case Study from MYHR Consultancy.
Key Outcomes
Improved morale through clearer, flexible policy applications.
Strengthened relationships between unions and the organisation.
Faster, more efficient handling of employee matters.

Problem

This education institution faced increasing difficulties in handling employee-related challenges. Their HR policies, such as disciplinary, capability, and absence management, had grown overly complex and rigid, often reaching 30 pages long.

This resulted in:

  • HR and line managers becoming entangled in complicated, outdated processes.
  • Policies being outdated and, in some cases, non-compliant with current legislation.
  • A lack of flexibility within policies, preventing managers from adapting to specific circumstances.
  • Employees struggling to understand how policies would be applied to them during difficult situations.
  • Frequent disputes with unions over policy interpretations, leading to deteriorated employee relations and severely damaged staff morale.

Solution

We proposed a full overhaul of the HR policies, modernising them to reflect the needs of a leading employer.

Our approach included:

  • Conducting a comprehensive review of all HR policies to identify key issues.
  • Creating a set of working groups involving managers, HR colleagues, and unions to ensure input from all key stakeholders.

Establishing clear principles for new policies, ensuring they were:

  • Brief and high-level, with procedural guidance for managers.
  • Flexible, allowing managers to handle situations in the most appropriate way.
  • Written in plain English to ensure they were easy to understand.
  • Designed to empower managers, reducing their dependence on HR for daily decision-making.

Key Outcomes:

After 18 months of collaborative work, the new policies were successfully implemented, leading to significant improvements in:

  • Handling of employee matters, with more efficient and effective processes in place.
  • Working relationships between the organisation and trade unions, thanks to clearer, mutually understood policies.
  • The overall employee relations environment, where morale improved, and disputes were reduced due to more transparent and flexible policy applications.
  • These changes have had a long-term positive impact on how the institution manages its workforce, setting them up for continued success​.
HR Policy Overhaul

Overview

Client:

A leading higher education institution, the largest employer in the region.

About:

This organisation plays a pivotal role in the local economy and community. Known for its leadership in research and innovation, it also sets benchmarks for modern workplace management in the education sector.

Sector:

Higher Education

Org. Size:

15,000

Services Delivered:

  • HR Policy Development
  • Employee Relations Management
  • Union & Staff Group
  • Consultation
  • Change Management
  • HR Case Management

Book Your Free Consultation
On 01772 846 146