RLT Associates

Personnel Advisers

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Business and Human Resource strategy

RLT Associates has worked across commercial sectors on all aspects of merger planning and business integration.

As one example, one of our overseas owned financial services clients in the UK initiated discussions with a competitor with a view to merging operations. Working closely with the executive management of both organisations, RLT Associates provided guidance on key steps that were needed in developing an integrated business and HR strategy, while ensuring continued compliance and effective communication/consultation. We then helped the new organisation, and its overstretched HR function, in all the post-merger integration activities over a year so that original objectives were successfully met.

Grievance investigation and mediation

A global services corporation was facing a significant grievance from one of its senior executives based mainly on alleged discrimination. All senior colleagues including the HR director had been involved so that an independent objective investigation was necessary. On the recommendation of their City lawyers, the corporation contacted RLT Associates. We then carried out a full grievance investigation over a two month period, reviewing all papers and interviewing key executives in the UK and overseas. The resulting report provided specific recommendations on how the situation could be remedied and advised on policy changes to mitigate future risks.

RLT Associates has carried out an average of two comparable investigations a year in the recent past on behalf of clients, as recommended specifically by their law firms; we have also helped in one to one mediation at a senior level, dispute resolution, and negotiated mutually agreed severances.

Where needed, we have project managed major litigation in liaison with lawyers and clients, substantially controlling costs and managing risks.

Training and Development

A medium size law firm was keen to develop its quality and Investors in People commitment. Partners and other senior professionals needed help with their people skills to reduce staff turnover and provide better client service. Two other clients, in financial services and pharmaceuticals, felt that some senior executives, while technically effective, had a negative impact on their staff.

For these clients, we used a range of techniques, including the audit and interview process developed under our PeopleScan ® methodology, to assess the scale of the problems and the barriers to change. The resulting actions included short tailor-made workshops followed by some individual coaching to meet pre-agreed objectives, and a further evaluation six months later to help reinforce progress.

To help quality initiatives, we draw on Roy's substantive experience on IIP issues and his ongoing role in Capital Quality London's review panels that assess IIP recommendations.

Performance management and appraisal

The MD of a Scandinavian energy company believed it would be useful to agree a values statement in advance of launching an appraisal process. Another client, a fund manager, found their existing appraisal process unworkable.

Using the principles identified in Roy's book, Constructive Appraisals, we helped the clients ( and others like them) establish their unique needs, devising policies, training and implementation processes.

Restructuring and redundancies

A company going through a major strategic and structural change process needed to restructure its workforce and at the same time ensure that the remaining staff were committed to its future success. Its HR function could cope with the essential mechanics, but felt that some additional help was needed.

We found that the identification and agreement of good practice was essential, but that managers had initially to be persuaded of the benefits. When eventually combined with adherence to legal requirements, the good practice adopted meant that the process was as painless as it could be in the circumstances. Both those who had to leave and the survivors commented positively, and the organisation has regained its profitability earlier than anticipated. I have since lectured, with a law firm, on the principles of this approach.

Remuneration and benefits

A medical equipment company needed to establish a bonus scheme for it sales staff that would incentivise and reward them. An accountancy firm wanted to know how it could improve its overall reward processes and felt certain that a job evaluation scheme was needed. A bank was unsure about the principles of variable rewards and also needed to amend its pension arrangements.

Working with the senior management and HR functions, RLT Associates analysed the key issues and helped prioritise them, so that essential concerns were also addressed and practical steps implemented in a cost-effective way. Those actions agreed and taken were different from those originally anticipated by the businesses. In all cases, we provided hands-on support. The outcomes resulted in a lower than expected financial expenditure by the businesses, but a positive response from staff.

Staff relations and legal issues; health and safety; communications

A government agency thought that its team briefing process might not be working properly as part of its IIP commitment. Two other client companies were unclear about the practical implementation of the latest legislative requirements on working time and employment rights, while confronting high sickness absence and staff turnover. A major employer needed to negotiate exits with senior people in difficult circumstances.

For the government agency, we ran focus groups to check effectiveness of briefing to recommend improvements in communication. For the companies, after diagnosing key priorities, we worked with the senior management to ensure legal compliance (verifying with lawyers as needed). Middle managers then needed to be guided and trained on practical implementation, including upgrading of the induction training and probationary review process. For the senior exits, we helped management negotiate their way through the sensitive and time-consuming process to ensure satisfactory outcomes, while maintaining support for employment tribunal appearances as needed.