The following case studies provide you examples of services we provide to a variety of clients using different service levels. The following case studies provide several descriptions of clients in different sectors using our Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Services. Scroll down the page and select examples you wish to view. Each case study provides a brief description of a client and the services we provide to support them.
Since May 2009, OPS has provided an outsourced HR service to a business involved in highly bespoke office design and refurbishment services to an impressive list of clients in the private sector including banks, insurance companies, industrial as well as in the healthcare, media, IT, legal, property, recruitment and telecoms industries.
The HR Service was previously outsourced to a national HR service provider; however, dissatisfaction with the quality of services being delivered and the lack of on-site service capabilities led the Company to bring services back “in-house” under its Finance Director pending a search for alternative suppliers able to meet its specific requirements. OPS was able to satisfy the Company’s requirements from an HR Service Provider.
Key features of our service include:
Development of revised contract of employment templates tailored to the Company’s requirements.
Development of a completely revised ‘suite’ of HR policies for employees including a staff handbook, procedures, staff and health and safety induction presentations with the aim of reducing the complex administrative arrangements set up by the previous service provider.
Provision of HR services including the management of ‘core’ HR functions and services e.g. revising policies and procedures in response to legislative changes, issuing contracts of employment, liaison with payroll and employee benefit providers as well as undertaking more ‘routine’ administrative tasks such as taking up employment references and maintaining employee records etc.
Providing advice and support to directors and managers remotely or ‘on site’ in the management of employment related issues which to date have included poor performance issues, disciplinary events and the development of compromise agreements.
Identification and procurement of a web based appraisal and development tool for managers and staff.
Implementation of a web based HR database with employee ‘self-service’ facilities. Previously, the Company maintained records manually with holidays being managed electronically which did not allow line manager access to view records. The new system implemented required the verification and uploading of employee data into the system. The HR database has enabled all employee records and data to be stored on-line. The HR database’s ‘self-service’ functionality has enabled employee and manager access to records and the ability to change personal records on-line as well as the ability to confirm absences electronically removing the need for inefficient paper based records.
Supporting a project to relocate all employees into a single office in central London in 2011 including advice on group and individual employee consultation arrangements, establishing the impact of relocation on employees and determining termination costs.
Case Study #2
Environmental & Property Services Company
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Client Profile
Location: Essex & Yorkshire
Employees: 30
Service Level: Gold Service
Contracts of Employment
Employee Handbook
HR Policies & Procedures Manual
Library of template HR Documents
Employment Advice & Support
Ad-hoc on-site support
Following a project to undertake a review of an environmental service company’s HR policies, procedures and employment contracts, this Company commenced use of OPS’s Gold Service providing advice and support to the Directors and Managers including:
The re-drafting of employment contract templates for permanent and fixed term employees as well as the production of zero hours and casual worker contracts.
Development of an Employee Handbook covering a wide range of employment and workplace issues updated as legislation changes and the business needs.
Production of a suite of customised employment policies and procedures within and HR Polices & Procedures Manual including equality, harassment, maternity, paternity and parental leave rights, disciplinary, grievance, flexible working requests and right to work check procedures. In addition OPS has produced a number of bespoke policies on alcohol and substance abuse / vehicle provision and the use of IT.
Provision of a telephone and e-mail support service which provides the management team with advice and support in the provision of ‘routine’ employment activities relating to statutory rights and employees’ contractual entitlements. OPS also provides support to managers in the handling of employment issues such as disciplinary events and poor performance ensuring that rights and obligations are understood; options and their relative risks are evaluated and practical guidance is provided to managers including the production of correspondence as appropriate.
Providing template letters and forms on a wide variety of employment related issues.
The management team has also been supported with occasional on-site support:
Attending disciplinary and appeal hearings.
Supporting the management team with restructuring and redundancy plans.
Providing advice on TUPE following a business service transfer.
Undertaking workshop training on employment issues including employment legislation, managing discipline, grievances and sickness absence.
Case Study #3
IT Consultancy (Business Management Solutions)
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Client Profile
Locations: UK - London & Manchester
Employees: 70 in the UK
Service Level: Platinum Service
Fully outsourced HR Service
Employee Administration
HR Database Management
HR Policies & Procedures
Employment Advice & Support
HR Consultancy
Since 2002, OPS has provided a completely outsourced HR service to an IT Consultancy providing Business Management and Network Systems Solutions to a diverse range of Blue Chip Companies. The Company was formed in 2002 following the demerger of a business into 2 separate legal entities. The Company has undergone considerable change in the past 7 years with its acquisition by a major European information system infrastructure group in 2006 and the subsequent acquisition of a network solutions business in 2007, an IT Consultancy in 2008 and a Telecoms business in 2009. As the Company’s HR Managers in the UK, we have fully supported this business through all these changes.
The key elements of our service include:
Initial implementation and ongoing management of a web-enabled HR database (NorthgateArinso) with ‘self-service’ facilities enabling employees to make electronic requests to change information and book leave and absence.
Provision of personnel administration services including the management of ‘routine’ personnel functions and services e.g. issuing contracts of employment, payroll and employee benefits administration.
Advisory services - supporting directors and managers remotely or on site with the management of employment related issues including, absence management, poor performance, disciplinary and grievance issues, redundancies and TUPE transfers.
Consultancy services - supporting the Company to address a wide range of employment issues e.g. the development of policies and procedures, graduate recruitment, staff training and development programmes.
Key highlights of our service include:
Supporting managers in the restructuring and reorganisation of the business following its initial establishment, acquisition and subsequent change management programmes. Each phase in the Company’s development over the past 10 years has involved restructuring and redundancies and we have supported these changes through the provision of employment advice to managers, employee communications and implementation of structural changes.
Supporting the Company to acquire 3 businesses - undertaking due diligence exercises (one relating to the Company’s own acquisition) providing advice re employee entitlements and benefits arrangements; the others (external acquisitions) relating to the establishment of employee data, contractual entitlements, obligations and potential redundancy liabilities as well as advising the Company of its obligations under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) and managing the transfer process including the management of staff ballots to elect representatives for collective consultation purposes.
Supporting business service transfers resulting from won and lost service contracts under TUPE.
Development and on-going revision of HR ‘systems’ including contracts of employment, Staff Handbook and HR Policies & Procedures.
Consolidating HR policies and employment arrangements in 4 group companies into a single set of HR policies, procedures and processes.
Development and implementation of a staff appraisal and development system.
Case Study #4
Case Study Chartered Accountants, Business & Tax Advisers
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Client Profile
Location: London & Bucks
Employees: 60
Service Level: Platinum Service
Fully outsourced HR Service
Employee Administration
HR Database Management
HR Policies & Procedures
Employment Advice & Support
HR Consultancy
Since September 2012, OPS has provided a completely outsourced HR service to a firm of chartered accountants and tax advisers employing 60 staff in their London and Bucks offices. The rationale for outsourcing HR resulted from the departure of an in-house HR Manager working on a part-time basis and the need to enhance the HR function in a growing business.
Our HR Managers deliver a fully outsourced Human Resource Service, key highlights of which include:
A complete audit of individual employee working arrangements and contractual entitlements and establishing a single set of HR records.
Implementation of a web based HR database with employee ‘self-service’ facilities. Previously, the Company used a single desktop HR package which did not provide employee or line manager access. The new system implemented (SMB) required the verification and uploading of employee data into the system with separate structures and arrangements for the two group companies. The HR database has enabled all employee records and data to be stored on-line and the removal of traditional ‘hard’ files in support of the Company’s wider aim of achieving a ‘paperless’ office. The HR database’s ‘self-service’ functionality has enabled employee and manager access to records and the ability to change personal records on-line as well as the ability to confirm / holiday, sickness absence and study leave electronically removing the need for inefficient paper based records.
Undertaking the management of all ‘routine’ administration personnel functions and services e.g. issuing contracts of employment, administering payroll and employee benefit arrangements.
Complete revision of the Company’s HR policies, procedures and ‘systems’ including staff handbook, employment policies and personnel administration processes.
Revision of employee permanent and fixed-term contracts of employment to ensure compliance with legislation and re-issuing contracts of employment.
Providing remote and ‘on-site’ advice and support, assisting in the management of employment issues.
Undertaking HR projects including:
Development of a staff induction programme for new employees, accountancy trainees and work placement students including an introduction to HR issues in the workplace, health and safety and HR database utilisation.
Complete revision of the Company’s staff appraisal process and introduction of electronic appraisals using the HR Database.
Setting up and running an on-line staff survey utilising Survey Monkey.
Case Study #5
Catering Maintenance Services Company
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Client Profile
Location: UK Wide & Ireland
Employees: 100
Service Level: Gold Service + HR Database
Contracts of Employment
Employee Handbook
HR Database
HR Policies and Procedures (UK & Ireland)
Library of template HR Documents
Employment Advice & Support
Ad-hoc on-site support
Since July 2015, OPS has provided HR Services to a Company involved in the maintenance of catering equipment in cafes, pubs and restaurants throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Our Managers have supported this Company with HR services to meet their specific requirements including:
The re-drafting of employment contract templates for employees in the UK and the Irish Republic.
Development of separate Employee Handbooks for employees in the UK and Ireland covering a wide range of employment and workplace issues updated as legislation changes and the business needs as well as a suite of customised employment policies and procedures reflecting statutory obligations in the two countries and the needs of the business.
Implementation of a “cloud” based HR Database with self-service functionality to manage employee records, company documentation, holidays and absence. One key aspect of the HR Database was the ability of the supplier to create an interface with the payroll service provider to enable timesheets to be uploaded directly into the system.
Provision of a telephone and e-mail support service which provides managers with advice and support in the provision of ‘routine’ employment activities relating to statutory rights and employees’ contractual entitlements. OPS also provides support to managers in the handling of employment issues such as disciplinary events and poor performance ensuring that rights and obligations are understood; options and their relative risks are evaluated and practical guidance is provided to managers including the production of correspondence as appropriate.
Access to suite of template HR documents covering all areas of employment from recruitment to termination.
Case Study #6
Building Maintenance Services
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Client Profile
Location: Nationwide
Employees: 80
Service Level: Bronze Service
Contracts of Employment
Employee Handbook
HR Policies & Procedures
Since September 2015, OPS has provided HR Services to a Building Maintenance Services Company. Our HR Managers have supported this Company with their requirements including:
A review of the Company’s employment contracts, policies, procedures and handbook to establish non-compliance issues.
The re-drafting of employment all contract templates.
Development of a new Employee Handbook that covers a wide range of employment and workplace issues, policies and procedures. OPS is responsible for keeping the Handbook up to date following changes in legislation and the Company’s business needs.
Case Study #7
Boutique Hotel
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Client Profile
Location: Oxford
Employees: 10
Service Level: Silver Service
Contracts of Employment
Employee Handbook
HR Policies & Procedures
Employment Advice & Support
Since January 2016, OPS has provided a Boutique hotel and café in Oxford with its Silver Service. Our HR Managers have supported this Company with their requirements including:
A review of the Company’s employment existing contracts and employee handbook to establish non-compliance issues and were good employment practice can be improved.
The re-drafting of employment contract templates for full time and part time staff as well as casual workers.
Development of a new employee handbook that covers a wide range of employment and workplace issues and importantly reference to key health and safety issues relating to food handling.
Development of an employment policies and procedures manual including, disciplinary and grievance procedures, an equality policy, family leave (maternity, paternity and parental leave), flexible working requests as well as policies on internet use in work time and a social media policy.
Establishing administration procedures on right to work checks, sickness absence reporting and holiday request management.
Case Study #8
Vehicle Crash Repair Centre
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Client Profile
Location: London
Employees: 55
HR Level: Gold Service + HR Database
Contracts of Employment
Employee Handbook
HR Database
HR Policies & Procedures
Employment Advice & Support
HR Administration
Library of template HR Documents
Since 2010, OPS has provided HR Services to a Company involved in the vehicle accident repairs in their “state of the art” auto-repair centre (panel beating, repair and paint spraying) working for some of the UK’s leading vehicle insurance companies.
Our Managers support the Company with a wide range of HR services including:
Drafting of employment contract templates for day, part-time and shift working employees.
Development of an Employee Handbook covering a wide range of employment and workplace issues updated as legislation changes and the business needs as well as a suite of customised employment policies and procedures reflecting statutory obligations and the needs of the business.
Provision of a telephone and e-mail support service which provides managers with advice and support in the provision of ‘routine’ employment activities relating to statutory rights and employees’ contractual entitlements. OPS also provides support to managers in the handling of employment issues such as disciplinary events and poor performance ensuring that rights and obligations are understood; options and their relative risks are evaluated and practical guidance is provided to managers including the production of correspondence as appropriate.
Access to suite of template HR documents covering all areas of employment from recruitment to termination.
In 2016, the Company took the decision to implement a “cloud” based HR Database with self-service functionality in order to better manage employee records, company documentation, holidays and absence requests moving away from paper based systems and spreadsheets. Our HR Managers have established the system and will maintain it on behalf of the Company.
Providing consultancy services in a number of areas including redundancies including pool election arrangements, TUPE transfers, HR database selection.
