Recruitment
“The IP Track HR team have not just developed and delivered the Track people plan but really lived and breathed it. Multiple initiatives delivered over the last 18 months have helped drive the business forward – as indicated by impressive and increasing engagement levels. The 2015 employee survey showed a 6% increase to 81%, which has since risen over the last three quarters to 85% - a further 4% increase. .
The team have recognised the link between safety and employee engagement and have played a key role in helping reduce the LTFIR by 21%. This has been achieved by leading from the front, making numerous close calls and getting out track-side to have the all-important safety conversations.
By focusing on increasing health and wellbeing awareness and promoting positive action at both team and individual levels, the team have seen a significant shift in how people think about health and wellbeing at work. In fact a recent survey showed the physical age of Track employees to be seven years younger than their actual age.
There has been a tangible move towards promoting health and wellbeing both at work and home, with the following initiatives:
• Testicular cancer briefings to c600 colleagues; including advice on what it is and how to spot it, using prosthetic props,
• 32 mental health champions trained with the support and guidance of Steve Scott, regional director of MIND
• Worked with the Track Safety Alliance and the RMT to design and implement training to help colleagues identify and address mental health issues not just in Network Rail but right across the rail industry
• Raised resilience awareness to 500 employees and shared a free resilience self-assessment tool
• Introduced regular Walk Out Wednesdays where colleagues are encouraged to leave their desks and go for a lunch time walk
• Hosted Sweet Dreams webinars that looked at the importance of sleep and how to get a good night (or day) of rest!
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The team have pioneered the only true HR matrix model within Network Rail with tangible results- including mitigation of strike action and gaining the unions’ support for new T&Cs with lost work savings circa £600k; the realisation of £13m worth of benefits in 12 months following a major insourcing project. and the facilitation of a major business re-organisation encompassing 350 people which resulted in efficiency savings of £1.5m.
The team have also championed performance management to further engage and motivate their employees, delivering numerous workshops which have resulted in over 70% of the Track team having regular 1:1s and an effectiveness rating of 90%.
With a massive headcount gap of 150 last year due to growth in the Track renewal programme, their focus on resourcing has been game-changing. The gap has now been closed and a pipeline of entry level candidates, including graduates and apprentices, developed.
The team have led the way in the use of social media and they now personally have over 55 000 connections. A proactive and conscious drive to reach a wider and diverse audience during recruitment campaigns has resulted in an increase in gender diversity from 18% to c22%, and a doubling of the average number of applications for each role has helped drive the diversity and inclusion agenda even further.
The celebration and recognition of success has been shared publically at leadership events, with internal and external awards forming an integral part of the engagement and communication strategy.
The HR team’s ownership of the Corporate Social Responsibility programme led to the Track Charity Challenge which has been the glue that has really bonded all the teams and has resulted in around 250 employees raising over £200k for CLIC Sargent. This year the focus has moved away from fundraising to volunteering and over 220 days have been booked so far this year, three times more than during the whole of last year
Whilst these results speak for themselves, the entire HR team have continued to lead by example, remaining focused and determined to succeed. Never afraid to have the challenging conversations that ensure that the right outcome, their passion for delivering high quality HR advice, and support is obvious. Even down to their own personal development, with two team members now CIPD Fellows and many of the others actively progressing their professional qualifications.“
“As the Project Director for our Northern Alliance, the Track HR team have really stepped up to support not just the Network rail employees, but also our Contractor Partners. Balancing the needs of 3 different employing entities has been no easy challenge. Recruitment has been a real success and only by mapping out step by step each of the alliance partners processes and work flows were they able to define, agree and implement a recruitment solution that delivered on the Alliance Principals of right person for each role irrespective who was the employer.
Creativity and Pragmatism have been demonstrated numerous times with really positive results – strong relationships have been built across the Alliance HR teams and whilst testing at time engagement and mutual respect is strong. Best practices are shared openly so that employees are not disadvantaged and this has really helped to shape and build the Alliance Delivery Culture.
These have helped close a recruitment delta of circa 50 over the year which in turn has enabled the Alliance to meet all of its Track Renewal Deliverables and winning more work.
For this collaboration and teamwork alone they are worthy nominees.“
“My nomination is for the IP Track HR team who were instrumental in helping to avert strike action.
In April 2015 the High Output management team and union met for the first time since the tupe of AmeyColas colleagues to Network Rail in March 2015 to resolve a long running dispute that would provide the framework for a flexible work force, working nights and weekends, with a roster system allowing for peaks and troughs in the workbank. The union were also looking for parity between T&Cs which have evolved following previous TUPE’s which had resulted in 53 different contract over 500 employees.
The IP Track HR team have embraced matrix management and by working cross functionally reviewed existing Network Rail t&cs to see if any could replace the disputed terms and conditions and prepared numerous business cases for proposed changes to salary bands, working with senior management, reward and employee relations teams to obtain required approvals.
The IP Track HR team have been instrumental in facilitating and leading the discussions with the union and supported the senior management team when the recent strike action ballot took place, taking the initiative to write to all employees to explain the proposed changes to t&cs.
Although the dispute is on-going, it is nevertheless moving forward with all parties committed to finding a solution.
Strike action was avoided, – a result which I believe is directly attributable to the hard work, commitment and determined effort of the HR teams, working collaboratively and breaking down divisional silo’s that are helping to build excellent and long lasting relationships with colleagues across the business, and indeed with union representatives.“
“I joined the Track HR team as a short term contractor to help with a specific project. From day one, I was made to feel one of the team, involved in wider initiatives, encouraged to support our community activities, and to improve my own health and wellbeing. As a contractor, this level of inclusion is rare, and made a real difference to how quickly I settled in and was able to start contributing. Another good example of this positive experience has been our regular team meetings; these being really two-way, with suggestions taken forward and improvements made. Openness and sharing of the key strategic themes has also helped me understand how my detailed analysis of over 50 different terms and conditions shape the business. This enhanced understanding has also focussed my contribution at subsequent union negotiations over a set of new terms and conditions of employment for our track workers.
My project has come to a natural conclusion, and I’m sad to be leaving the team. I wish them my thanks and every success in the future. I really hope that this nomination will help recognition of the true value of team spirit, inclusion and shared delivery.“
“The HR Team have worked sensitively, pragmatically and collaboratively with my managers and this resulted in a very positive outcome for both the business and a member of my team.
The outcome related to a team member who suffered a debilitating and life changing disability following a stroke and wished to continue his recovery outside of Network Rail.
The team worked to identify potential solutions that could facilitate the needs of the individual and those of the business. This resulted in a planned approach to the timing of activities prior to the individuals exit from the organisation. Ensuring that the individual was able to exit the organisation with a pension and maintain their benefits were key priorities for all concerned and an enabler to the individuals rehabilitation without financial concerns.
This team successfully delivered on their commitment to a much-valued member of my team and this was down to the way all parties were engaged, individual needs met and the way the difficult subject matter was handled. Consummate Professionalism.“
“The IP Track HR team deserve recognition via the rail staff awards as they provide dedicated, seamless and committed support to High Output Track Renewals. Over the last year they have facilitated a national business reorganisation that has helped to improve our efficiency by circa £5m that encompassed 350 people. This was a real team effort and the connectivity and business understanding really helped to ensure this was delivered on time, on budget and with positive results. The day to day support provided by the team is excellent. Strong relationships with my management team have been developed with challenge and win win solutions looked for at every opportunity.
Health and wellbeing has been a real feature and one example of real tangible success has been with the introduction and training for mental health champions. This has saved the lives of at least two members of the general public who were spotted acting suspiciously late at night on the rail network – my Track team stopped work and spoke to them, lead them away from danger and helped them gain professional support via the Samaritans. If we had not provided the training I shudder to think about the consequences. The HR team have also helped to ensure that each depot and core worksite now has a defibrillator and whilst so far these remain unused, their visibility demonstrates our focus and commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of our staff.
The HR team are the only team in NR who truly follow a matrix management approach and this whilst challenging at time, helps to ensure by business has the right support at the right time and in the right place.“
“The IP Track HR team really did lead the way on delivering an improved recruitment programme using social media – not only did the LinkedIn network increase to over 55,000 connections but the engagement level rose to 3.87% (Network Rail average is 1%).
The design of new job adverts, with a focus on audience engagement and inclusion of the Network Rail logo, have resulted in a dramatic increase in responses with an average of 23,000 people viewing each new advert, a potential candidate click-through rate of over 3.5% and almost 10% then going on to visit the website.“
“This team live and breathe safety which is absolutely fantastic! They are always so full of energy, helpful and friendly.“
“Saturday night was a great evening and we enjoyed it more than last year. The comedian was truly funny without any smut, and we all seemed to gel at the table. Our thanks to you for the hospitality and looking after us so well.”
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