A manager within a leading national not-for-profit organisation understood that her department was not functioning as well as it might. There was a lot of history and the department had just split off from a larger entity and was struggling for its own identity.

On the face of it, the problem centred around interpersonal issues between staff. But the department manager and her HR business partner knew that there was more to it – they recognised that fundamentally, the department had to be structured right, with the right capability, processes and resources. And it was possible that the department was simply broken following its separation.

The task was to undertake an analysis with the department manager and HR business partner and to re-build the department for efficiency and effectiveness. The department was to provide excellent service to internal customers while offering staff a valued career structure.

The department manager and HR business partner were brave to ask for assistance. But the important point was that, as managers, they had to own any solution and implement any restructure that came from the project. Any work therefore had to show the department manager and HR business partner in control, aided by TimelessTime as consultants.

To aid subsequent re-structuring, it was also important that staff were involved in the activities and could have their opinions heard and considered. The work should provide all the evidence needed to run an effective staff consultation to implement the conclusions of the project.

TimelessTime was asked to assist. Its consultants worked with the manager and HR business partner, and directly with the staff.

TimelessTime took an evidence-based change-management approach using modelling to design the future department and its capability.

The work started with confirmation of the department strategy. It then took a systems approach to develop the necessary capabilities, processes, competencies and behaviours, ending with the development of a number of new job descriptions.

The manager and her HR business partner and staff were involved in a number of meetings facilitated by TimelessTime consultants to build the department as a series of models, each offering a perspective on what was to be achieved. The deliverable was a blue-print for the future.

The manager then met with senior management, set out her plans and agreed the new form of department. She then commenced consultations and other development activities to build the capability using the TimelessTime deliverables. TimelessTime completed the work with re-drafted job descriptions. In due course, all jobs will go through job evaluation.