Page 19 - BOSS Today Issue 1

Case study

the write stuff...

We found out how the HR Facilities of BOSS helped Staedtler reorganise

its UK Operations

OSS member and world association with BPIF. were not just meeting the minimum says Managing Director Duncan “If a manager were to handle a situation with a employee incorrectly
Brenowned writing instrument The first step in this was to legal requirements but wanted to Savage. “In the past, a departmental
manufacturer, Staedtler (whose Head upgrade their BOSS Federation adopt best practice. manager could refer all HR issues it could cost the business a substantial amount”
Office is in Nuremberg, Germany) membership to Platinum level To do this, Managing Director directly to the in-house HR manager
has recently gone through a which, to the management’s Duncan Savage called in the local but in the new structure these has a nominated competent restructured business. The solution safety awareness training day for we were fully compliant with all
major restructuring of its UK based surprise, was only a few hundred BOSS Federation HR specialist who managers have to be much more individual responsible for health was to outsource the position managers, and undertook to carry legislation – for less than the cost of
manufacturing and warehousing pounds extra per year. For this small undertook a free HR audit which self-sufficient so they need to know and safety implementation. of competent individual to the out all required audits on a two-year a good lawyer for a couple of days.”
operations in South Wales. This additional cost the business receives involved a complete review of all the do’s and don’ts. If a manager Staedtler (UK) did not have anybody local BOSS Federation specialist. basis. In summary Duncan Savage
resulted in staff numbers reducing a full on-site HR service as well as the Staedtler HR policies and procedures were to handle a situation with an either experienced enough or As with HR, a free audit was comments “The effect of this was n FOR MORE INFORMATION
from 150 at the end of 2008 to 30 more standard telephone and online and these were measured against employee incorrectly it could cost appropriately trained to handle this. undertaken which produced a that within a couple of weeks of the ABOUT THE BOSS SERVICES
in January 2009, with many of its support. industry best practice. The result the business a substantial amount, It also preferred not to dedicate full report and action plan. Again first discussions with BOSS, Staedtler AVAILABLE PLEASE VISIT:
senior managers retiring and a new was a comprehensive document but also we want our employees to an internal manager’s time to it, for a modest additional fee BOSS were operating best practice in HR www.bossfederation.co.uk
senior management team being New policies and procedures which was in effect an HR policy be treated properly and fairly”. given the tough trading climate undertook to rewrite all policies and and Health & Safety and could focus T: 0845 450 1565,
appointed. The company needed to totally gap analysis and highlighted the In addition to this initial set-up and the fact that it was a newly procedures, ran a full health and on running the business knowing E: info@bossfederation.co.ukk
In this restructuring process review and update its HR and Health areas which required attention, even work the company has on-going
a number of specialist managers and Safety polices and procedures. ranking these in order of priority. All direct access to a professional HR
left the business including HR and As most business managers will this was included as part of the BOSS specialist who can give advice and
health and safety people. The new know, these areas are fraught with HR services and came as part of the guidance to the departmental
business needed to replace this dangers for the unsuspecting upgraded subscription! and senior managers on specific
expertise and decided to do so by business. Legislation is continually From this audit an action plan issues and cases. The BOSS website
utilising the wide range of business changing and the penalties for not was agreed which included the (www.bossfederation.co.uk) with
support services now available from adhering to requirements can go all complete rewriting of HR policies a host of information, including
the BOSS Federation following its the way up to jail for directors and and procedures manuals, a review downloadable forms and letters, is
managers responsible. and re-drafting of the contracts also available.
For a reduced headcount of 30, of employment and a full day’s
Staedtler decided that they could HR awareness training for the Health and safety support
not justify the appointment of a team of departmental managers. In the area of Health & Safety
full time HR manager; however, the The company could have chosen the potential penalties are even
penalties for getting procedures and to implement this action plan greater than with HR. The law
processes wrong were just the same internally, but instead decided to use requires that the health of its
as with a staff of 150. In addition BOSS for a moderate additional cost. employees must be a Boardroom
Steadtler wanted to ensure that they “The training was very important,” matter and that each company

18 BOSS TODAY / August 2009 August 2009 / BOSS TODAY 19