The Hastings team smashed silos in the business and took a strategic focus in its plans: to double customer numbers, become an employer of choice and to become a top 10 personal lines broker by 2014.
Since 2010, the Hastings HR team has, through consultation with employees, embedded a new culture and values at the company, so staff can relate to the vision and be inspired to be brave, decent, accountable, together and driven.
The team appointed change agents to become advocates - or transformers - in the business, to embed the values and give staff empowerment to have a genuine say in how the business operates and how changes would affect them.
Last year alone, the HR team launched a staff newsletter, revamped its internal communications through the staff intranet, overhauled its people development strategy, bolstered its training and reviewed its pay and reward provision. It improved the induction scheme, aligning new starts with the needs of the customer from the day they start work at the company, working across the business to engage line managers with the vision and to update them with every part of the HR strategy, to make sure managers are onboard and cascading information to their teams.
The strategy was spearheaded by HR director, Amanda Menahem, who with the team pitched the vision and strategy to the CEO: that without transforming people strategy there was no way the company could achieve growth and profitability. As the CEO admits: "The HR team pulled no punches."
The team's success is evident in the measurable results provided in the entry: 89% of employees understand what Hastings Direct is trying to achieve as an organisation; 81% feel encouraged to offer ideas; internal promotions have doubled over the past year; and 84% of employees take pride in working for Hastings Direct.
The judges thought the entry was 'outstanding', backed by a CEO who believes in what the HR team is working towards. The metrics Hastings Direct provided were high and demonstrated the 'extremely good' skills needed to succeed.
Judges agreed the HR team outlined exactly what it wanted to deliver and then went out and did it. They thought the entry was personal with an emotional and believable pull and clearly showed an ambitious team that takes pride, not just in its achievements at Hastings Direct, but in working in HR.
Finalists
• ADT Fire & Security
• Aegon UK
• Carphone Warehouse
• Merlin Entertainments
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