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University of the West of England

No of Staff: 4,635 in academic year 2022/23 (according to HESA)



Their Challenge:


The University of the West of England embarked on the ‘HR Reimagined’ project to align their services and capabilities within HR and support the University’s 2030 strategy and operating model.


This initiative was seen as necessary to enhance customer service, employee experience and operational excellence.


The primary aims of the project were to:


  • Streamline the Job Evaluation process to improve efficiency and reduce delays during peak times or absences.

  • Enhance HERA Expertise across the HR staff.

  • Improve process and value to allow the Reward team to focus on strategic activities such as creating job families, reviewing pay grades, and developing reward strategies based on attraction and retention data.

  • Ensure consistency and parity in terms of equal pay.

  • Align with the University’s Target Operating Model


 

The Solution:


Firstly, the university conducted a detailed review and analysis of the activities and queries received by the Reward team. They then began to develop new job evaluation processes.

 

ECC provided training to a large group of staff to enable them to successfully use HERA and evaluate roles. The training was tailored to UWE’s processes, and was designed to meet different needs reflecting the various levels of involvement delegates would have in the HERA process. Expectations were set for each team and a suite of resources was developed, as well as the creation of a safe space for engagement and feedback.

 

The university held regular briefing sessions and created a ‘Job Evaluation Handbook’ containing processes, examples, guides, and checklists. Also, bi-weekly support sessions were set up to share best practices, score roles, and discuss benchmarking. These sessions evolved into scoring meetings run by the Reward team, ensuring consistency and alignment with benchmark and authorised roles.


 

The Result:


The project has had a significant impact and delivered numerous benefits, which is a testament to the hard work of the team and the support from their ECC Consultant.

Initially, the university faced challenges from staff, for instance resistance to change and the need for extensive training. However, through effective communication and comprehensive training programs, these challenges were addressed resulting in a more efficient and knowledgeable HR team. Staff enjoyed the opportunity to learn new skills and there is now greater collaboration and a better understanding of roles across the University.

 

The new approach has meant that processes have become streamlined, which has freed up time for the Reward team to focus on more value-added activities. The customer journey has become more efficient, especially by placing expertise where it is needed and thus reducing the need to pass work between teams.

 

Importantly, by extensively training staff in job evaluation, there is now more role analyst resource available and greater knowledge across departments, avoiding single points of failure or bottlenecks. As the University undergoes a transformation in professional services structure, having a pool of HERA-trained Role Analysts allows for quicker and more efficient role allocation and response. It has also supported talent pipelines within People Services.







Reward Manager:

"The 'HR Reimagined' project successfully streamlined the job evaluation process, enhanced HERA expertise, and improved operational efficiency within the HR department, aligning with the University’s 2030 strategy. We recognised that by matching with the ECC levels of awareness training programme we were able to ensure that our processes and expectations were consistent resulting in a more collaborative and knowledgeable HR team. Our ECC consultant supported this alignment, helping us tailor the training to UWE’s specific needs and ensuring a consistent approach.  Colleagues who have been on the training have been very positive and have been able to help support the transformation programme."


Comment from Vicky Jones who has been on the training:

"As someone who was new to HERA and job evaluation, being given the opportunity to learn in this area allowed me to gain understanding of how grading works and see first-hand the time and effort that goes on behind the scenes in getting roles evaluated. The initial training itself went well and we had a good session with the ECC Consultant. Follow up training sessions were then arranged by the Reward team who gave us additional support, whilst allowing us to put our training into practice. The project has given the wider HR team the chance to expand our knowledge and skills, and aligns with our goal to achieve more collaborative ways of working - huge thanks to the Reward team for their support and encouragement!"


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