Keith Gibbs

Said the following about High Output Transition Team:

“In April 2014 Network Rail decided to in-source the delivery of High Output Track Renewals (HOTR), worth approximately £100m per annum. Over the subsequent eleven months Network Rail’s High Output insourcing transition team delivered this multi-faceted change programme, successfully completing the transition of 507 individuals on 26 March 2015. This represented an example of high quality programme management in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, combining people, process and technological change.

Network Rail commenced HOTR in 2004, replacing rail, sleepers and ballast using a professional workforce and factory-like trains working in short-duration overnight access windows. Eleven years later the programme has grown to comprise six factory-like track renewal and ballast cleaning systems, collectively delivering 70% of Network Rail’s track plain line renewals programme.

It’s a seven-days-per-week operation employing 800 staff on site and 400 people in maintenance and office based roles and plays an important part in delivering our £38bn railway upgrade plan across Britain.

Challenges

The breadth and scale of the transition process was substantial, incorporating 14 different workstreams and over 100 full and part time staff, almost all of whom had their regular ‘day jobs’ to undertake too.

The High Output insourcing transition team really went the extra mile. It took a huge, collaborative team effort to overcome the numerous obstacles and significant challenges along the way, all within extremely demanding timescales:

• Communication: communicating with people in the offices and depots was fairly straightforward, but an extensive consultation programme of on-site meetings in the evenings and at weekends was needed for the majority of the delivery staff working track side in the complex High Output environment

• People/HR: caring for our people was an important part of the programme with over 500 colleagues transferring (under TUPE legislation) from their parent organisation in which they had been employed for many years. Network Rail colleagues were also concerned about how the changes might affect them so it was important to reassure and look after them too

• Safety: the team kept safety at the forefront of the transition without compromising Network Rail’s stringent H&S requirements and standards, whilst making sure the new High Output role was compliant with CDM regulations

• IT: investing in our people and overcoming the ‘technological’ challenge of providing phones and laptops, in many instances for the first time in their careers - and training them in all the new systems and processes

• Logistics: replacing 450 road vehicles, all within a matter of weeks

• Property: colleagues were located in 25 offices and depots, requiring careful transfer of leases and facilities management and proactive communication with individuals and teams to effectively manage the personal impact of change

• Commercial: engaging the extensive supply chain to ensure a seamless transfer, involving over 200 contracts with second and third tier suppliers

• Short timescales: only eleven months between making the decision and successfully completing the transfer

• Maintaining business as usual: throughout the transition process, safely delivering track renewals to the right quality to help Network Rail deliver a better railway for a better Britain.

Results and impact

The High Output insourcing transition team successfully insourced 507 individuals on the planned date of 26 March 2015 whilst maintaining continuity of the delivery of track renewals.

Since transition there has been no reduction in delivery performance, or health and safety issues attributed to the insourcing process.

In addition the programme has delivered a series of significant, tangible benefits, including:

• The creation of a less complex, more specialist and stable organisation: while the period up to, and immediately after transition was challenging, it has since become evident that the High Output team has started to develop into a safer, more effective and more efficient team.

• The HOTR brand is getting stronger, supported by a single culture and vision, all working for the same organisation. The team is now more collaborative, sharing good practice and information across the country.

• Fewer interfaces and reduced duplication of effort: the transition has led to a simplification of a range of procedures. For example, IT, procurement, human resources and finance are now consistent across the HOTR team. Crucially, safety management systems have also been amended and converted to ensure consistent and overarching systems.

• There are expected to be significant financial benefits from the programme. The target benefits for the contract transition equated to £35.6m over Network Rail’s Control Period 5 (CP5). Initial signs are positive that this saving will be exceeded. The transition is also the catalyst for a wider transformation forecast to save £119m over the next three years through technological innovation, improved process and interface management and continuous improvement.

• This insourcing has made HOTR a more economically viable solution and attractive proposition to the routes, the team’s client organisations. This programme has already yielded a significant financial benefit for the taxpayer, and through the increased and more effective deployment of HOTR, will improve the quality of the country’s rail assets without the need for long weekend blockades.

Celebrating Excellence

Shortly after transition the team held a lessons learnt workshop to review the programme. The satisfaction levels of the team who delivered this fantastic programme, both safely and successfully, has increased significantly; we’ve seen increased collaboration, continuous improvement and recognition. And many new friendships formed along the way.

Many of the models, tools and templates created as part of the process are now held up as good practice across Network Rail – a testament to the team’s enormous achievement who leave a legacy of showing their passion for the railway, whilst going the extra mile for our people.“