MyView. an insight into arvato through the eyes of our people

Transcription

1 MyView an insight into arvato through the eyes of our people

2 arvato UK arvato is a trusted global business outsourcing partner to the public and private sectors in the UK. With more than 50 years of experience in outsourcing, arvato combines expertise in business process outsourcing (BPO), public sector and citizen services, contact centres, loyalty and customer retention and supply chain solutions, to deliver innovative, individual solutions. arvato has long-term partnerships with some of the most respected companies in the UK and globally, as well as innovative public sector clients. It is a subsidiary of arvato AG, an internationally networked outsourcing provider with over 68,000 people employed in over 270 subsidiaries across 35 countries worldwide. arvato has annual revenues of 4.4bn, contributing over a quarter of the Bertelsmann group annual revenues of 16.4bn. 1

3 The view from the top I d like to introduce you to arvato and what makes us different. At arvato, we say that we measure our success in terms of our partner s success. It s our people that drive this success, so to help them, we create a culture that excites, motivates and rewards. To generate this inspiring culture, we create an empowering, entrepreneurial way of working that encourages employee participation at all levels. Managers are free to take a strategic leadership role and staff are actively involved in making decisions and proposing change. We know from first-hand experience with all our partnerships that people really enjoy our inclusive approach that listens to their views and values their opinions. Our aim is always to build on the good work already taking place within the public sector, invest in new technology and deliver an even better service. So you can take part fully in transforming services, we organise training courses that give you the skills to identify and implement improvements. Also every employee has an annual personal development programme that looks at your individual goals and enables you to reach your full potential. We strive to ensure a smooth transfer and we have a good track record. We also understand that the transition to a new employer is a time when you will have many questions about your role and the service you provide. To address your concerns and allay any anxieties you might have, we operate an open-door culture, so you can raise issues with our management team at any time. One-to-one discussions with managers and HR teams to discuss matters privately are also available. Of course, this is my view but read on and you ll find that there are many others who share my enthusiasm for arvato from staff at our other partnerships to independent bodies such as Investors in People. Debra Maxwell Managing Director arvato UK 2

4 We all work together We are unique in UK public sector outsourcing in that we offer our partners private sector expertise, gained from working with some of the world s largest and most highly respected companies, including British Airways, Bosch and Renault. Public Sector ethos What makes us special is that we combine this world-class private sector experience with a powerful public sector ethos. Central government partnerships As well as securing the contract to operate the UK government s first Independent Shared Service Centre, we have acquired the Cheshire HR Service from East Cheshire NHS Trust, delivering immediate cost savings and marketing the services to other public bodies. Our engagement with government is bringing together the public and private sectors to: facilitate greater working across departments share back office services to deliver efficiencies market services and know-how to generate additional revenue use our buying power to secure economies of scale ensure that all parties benefit from the gains and rewards Local government partnerships arvato is involved in a number of long-term public-private partnerships with UK councils to deliver a range of customer service, revenues and benefits, strategic and transactional HR, financial management, transformation and change, and ICT services. Our local authority partners include Derbyshire Dales District Council (2013), Derby City Council (2012), Slough Borough Council (2012), Chesterfield Borough Council (2010) and Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (2008). At all our sites, we have produced cost savings, raised performance levels and increased customer satisfaction by: Department for Transport engaging employees directly in improving services introducing new technology to support change personalising services based on meaningful consumer insights empowering citizens with greater access to and choice of services retaining the knowledge, expertise and loyalty of staff Non-profit foundations Chesterfield BOROUGH COUNCIL arvato is part of the Bertelsmann Group, a privately held company, which in turn is predominantly owned by non-profit foundations as ultimate shareholders. The Bertelsmann Stiftung is an independent, non-profit foundation which identifies social problem areas for which it develops and implements solutions. Its projects focus on education, economic and social affairs, health and international understanding. 3

5 Our way of working is based on the following Bertelsmann Essentials: Partnership Our involving approach stresses mutual trust and respect, and motivates our people, partners and suppliers to work together to serve our customers and their citizens. We believe in investing in people, infrastructure and facilities for the future. This long-term thinking cultivates enduring relationships that deliver sustainable results for our clients. Entrepreneurship We empower staff to think freely, act flexibly and behave responsibly. By encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit, we are able to respond rapidly to new opportunities and challenges; to take decisions at a local level; and to seek out continual improvements that drive performance. This entrepreneurial ethos helps promote a passion and enthusiasm among our people for our work and our clients business. Creativity arvato fosters and promotes a spirit of creativity and innovation. Our people are actively encouraged to propose new ideas that will not only meet, but exceed our clients expectations. We bring together best practice, based on our global experience, with a deep understanding of our clients business to create new approaches and ways of working that give our clients a real competitive edge. Citizenship Good citizenship is deeply rooted in our corporate culture with the ambition of creating a better, fairer society. We set the highest ethical standards for our company and our clients. We are also aware of our broader obligations towards treating our employees with care and respect, getting closely involved in our local communities and protecting the environment. 4

6 We engage with our employees Sensitive transition The transition from working for a public sector organisation to arvato is a sensitive time and we ensure the TUPE transfer of staff is as seamless as possible and the hand over of services takes place without any disruption to citizens. As part of the process, we make sure transferred employees maintain links with their former colleagues, while embracing the new partnership. During our transitions 100% of employees have been retained, and the process has been commended by employees and trade unions as an outstanding success. To support the smooth transfer of employees, we have worked with organisational development companies to implement effective staff engagement and management awareness programmes. We believe it is essential to develop leaders with the right skills and capabilities to manage and drive change sympathetically and effectively. We have rolled-out management awareness programmes to create a common understanding in all areas, from HR, to our approach to transformation and change. To identify and promote the leaders of tomorrow, we have created a Futures Programme, which identifies outstanding talent for intensive training across our public sector partnership sites. Engaging employees Encouraging people to get involved in the transformation process is vital. We have organised engagement activities, such as Have your Say, asking staff for their improvement ideas. We have also trained people in process improvement methodologies to enable all members of staff to engage actively in reviews of services. As employees gain a deeper understanding of working processes, their training enables them to propose more ideas for efficiency and savings. From our experience, we have found that engaging people in coming up with new ways of working, and implementing their suggestions has not only led to greater efficiencies, it has strengthened working relationships and raised morale. Our involving way of working is no mere morale-boosting exercise though (vital though that is); staff at the sharp end are often best placed to know where the efficiency savings and service improvements can be made. Their front-line view helps us to achieve a smoother changeover to different ways of working. Citizen power Empowering citizens has made them feel part of the transformation as well. By developing a greater choice of service channels (online, contact centre, customer service centre) and implementing new self-service facilities, we have enabled local residents to access council services where, when and how it suits them. As citizens experience for themselves the improvements in service, they too get behind our change programme customer satisfaction at all our partnerships is now at a very high level. 5

7 Developing people Every arvato employee has a six-monthly Employee Performance and Development (EPD) interview, where they agree their role in achieving our business objectives, as well as their skills, training and development needs. It is an important part of our EPD scheme that every employee is encouraged to consider suggestions for improving service delivery. We are proud of the engaged, entrepreneurially-minded workforces that we have developed at our other partnerships, which are enabling councils to meet their challenging targets, while maintaining a happy and motivated team of people. Flexible working Promoting flexible working has also helped us maintain employee satisfaction, as well as retain valuable expertise. We have proven policies and procedures for homeworking and at our Sefton partnership over 30 of our staff currently work from home: 37% of the Benefits team, 13% of the Revenues team and 8% of the Systems & Compliance team. 6

8 We involve you in so many ways arvato believes that a happy workforce is a productive workforce. We undertake a wide variety of initiatives to engender a dynamic, enjoyable working environment, staffed by people who care about doing the best for their team, the people they serve, their local community and the wider environment. MyNet Thinking big Our corporate intranet, MyNet, keeps staff up to date with the latest news and events. It is very much a two-way process. People can also tell us their views via the system, for example nominating and voting for the charity of the year. In addition, we have an employee suggestion scheme, The Big Think! that allows people to put forward their thoughts for improving how they work. Rewards are given for proposals put into action. Book deals for staff arvato has some other big ideas too, such as The Big Read! and The Big Listen! staff benefit schemes. These offer arvato employees discounted prices on books, DVDs and CDs from other companies in the Bertelsmann Group, such as the world s largest book publishing group, Penguin Random House. 7

9 Charity and community Each of our partnerships has its own charity of the year nominated and selected by staff. As well as generating thousands of pounds for worthy causes, the fundraising gives people the opportunity to participate in a vast range of fun and fulfilling community activities. Citizenship is one of our core values and it something we live out rather than just talk about. Merry Christmas everyone Our partnerships annual Christmas parties are a great way for people to get together from across the organisation. Again, staff are actively involved in coming up with the theme, organising and running the event. We often announce teams and employees of the year at the event, as well as the fundraising total for the charity of the year. Being green We encourage people to think about green issues because it is good for efficiency and good for the environment. At our partnerships, we have launched The Big Switch Off of computers, printers and monitors to save energy usage. In Sefton, we introduced a managed print service that cut 1,500 desktop printers, copiers, scanners and fax machines from 250 manufacturers for 3,000 staff, down to 220 multi-functional units, saving more than 1m over the five-year contract. 8

10 TUPE transferred in 2012 What our people say about us I am one of the first lines of contact for dayto-day transactional HR queries, supporting recruitment and processing pre-employment checks. I started with Slough Borough Council as an apprentice in September I was really looking forward to the transfer to arvato in April 2012 because I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to develop as a person and in my role. Initially, arvato ran briefings and held oneto-ones for staff who had any questions. After the transition, arvato have continued to communicate well with staff through s and the Employee Platform. They have organised sessions to understand the concerns staff have, and to try and answer them. Most recently, they brought in an organisational development company to pick up any problems or issues. This is a completely confidential process to encourage staff to make their opinions heard. I still feel very positive about the transfer and believe it will be a fantastic chance to further my career. Anisa Khan HR Support Officer Slough partnership TUPE transferred in 2012 My job is to ensure we pay staff accurately and on time, and carrying out filling, data inputting, liaising with employees, and dealing with internal as well as external enquiries. One day I hope to be in a more senior, managerial role within the company. arvato was very welcoming to all staff, which made the transition from public sector to private sector a very seamless experience. My views are still very positive about working for arvato and I m looking forward to the opportunities ahead. Zenub Raja Trainee Payroll and Pensions Officer Slough partnership 9

11 Joined in 2005 I started with arvato as a work placement student in Gradually progressing through the organisation, I am now the Site Director at Slough our new arvato UK headquarters. I look after operations for clients such as Slough Borough Council, Renault and Shell, totalling about 350 staff. arvato gives you the freedom to explore new ideas and our company culture fosters a creative, entrepreneurial way of looking at your career. Often this leads to opportunities, suiting your skill set and ambitions. I am a good example of this organic way of progressing within the organisation. Peter Schriewersmann Site Director Slough Partnership 10

12 TUPE transferred in 2012 arvato takes employees view into account, and provides advice and guidance, along with access to training and career opportunities. It s great to work with people that care about their company and doing a good job with honesty, hard work and integrity. I m learning new things every day and see myself as a professional systems trainer or a professional buyer for the company with a Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply qualification. Naznin Nawaz Purchase-to-Pay Officer, Customer & Transactional Services Slough partnership 11

13 TUPE transferred in 2005 In 2008, I was voted ICT Employee of the Year and in 2010 I was part of the Corporate Team of the Year with my Transformation and Change colleagues. I was a 2009 arvato Futures programme trainee, which was enlightening, exhilarating but also exhausting! I now improve services using Lean Six Sigma methodology. Recently, I completed a taxing four weeks of Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training and hope to be arvato s first British Quality Foundation accredited Black Belt. arvato is fast building an excellent reputation within the world of Lean Six Sigma. I d like to win more contracts to deliver our consultancy and training services to external clients. Nick Wells Consultant, Transformation and Change All partnerships TUPE transferred in 2008 As Head of Revenues, I m responsible for collecting around 225m a year in Council Tax, Business Rates and sundry income. I m my own boss and I m encouraged to be innovative. Other than the goals set by clients and our overall business strategy, how my service operates dayto-day is entirely down to me and the people who work for me. You are encouraged to be yourself and not to fit in to some predetermined profile for your role. If things go wrong the emphasis is on understanding the issue and finding a solution rather than apportioning blame. Consequently, I feel I can take risks in order to succeed. Mark Barry Head of Revenues Sefton partnership 12

14 Joined in 2008 I provide health and safety advice and training, facilities management and ensure the working environment is a safe place to work. Part of my role involves working with our other arvato partnerships in East Riding and Slough. I like arvato s open door approach with management, the flexibility in resolving issues and having personal ownership over the decisions I make. In my spare time, I help run the Scouts & Guides Sailing Club in Crosby Liverpool, which was voted the 2012 arvato charity of the year in Sefton. Rob Morgan Health, Safety and Facilities Manager Sefton partnership TUPE transferred in 2008 Initially a graduate HR Officer, I provide professional HR advice and guidance to senior managers and employees across Sefton, and work closely with HR teams across arvato UK. Initially, I was apprehensive about working for the private sector as I only had public sector experience but it was the best thing that could have happened. My role has developed at a much faster pace since joining arvato. Kathryn Parry Senior Corporate HR Officer Sefton partnership TUPE transferred in 2013 I am a Training Manager but have been given the opportunity to work with the data migration team, where I am responsible for helping our existing and new businesses migrate their data to arvato s IT solution. This has allowed me to learn new skills and develop myself in different areas, which proves you don t always need to attend a formal training course to learn something new. Susan Jones Training Manager Shared Services arvato 13

15 Joined in 2009 I work across all arvato public sector sites, in charge of the day-to-day service development and training functions for Customer Centric Services. In my opinion, the transfer to a public-private partnership has presented me with opportunities that would not have been available to me previously. The transition was smooth and completely painless! arvato is a good company to work for with nice people, where personal development is encouraged, supported and rewarded. Samantha Musselle Service Development Manager Shared Services Sefton partnership 14

16 TUPE transferred in 2013 As a Shared Services arvato Technical Support Specialist, I maintain and administer the IT infrastructure. My responsibilities range from providing technical support for site users, to offering portal help for our customers, and maintaining our systems and networks. The job is an important one, and I m constantly aware of customer expectations and the demands to ensure there s as little disruption as possible, and business as usual is maintained. Since joining arvato I feel my role has become more fulfilling and my job satisfaction has increased dramatically. I ve developed my knowledge in those areas that I was familiar with and enhanced my skills in new aspects of the business. I m really excited by the existing challenges and those that lie ahead. Daniel Oxenham Technical Support Specialist Shared Services arvato TUPE transferred in 2008 I ve worked for arvato for four years in a number of roles. I was transferred to arvato as part of the Sefton contract. After 6 months in IT, I was accepted onto the Futures Programme arvato s fast track management development programme, where I worked on various projects including the Chesterfield bid. When I had completed the programme, I worked for the Head of Customer Services in service development before accepting the role of Project Manager for service development across the organisation, developing products that could be sold to outside organisations. In January 2011, I became Programme Manager of Project Sunrise to realise income from selling our services one success was securing benefits processing work from Derby City Council. And that led to my latest role in Transformation and Change. The opportunities are available for you at arvato. If you want to progress you can and you are actively encouraged to do so. David Cleary Consultant, Transformation and Change All partnerships 15

17 Joined in 2010 My role in the bid team is researching potential new opportunities, writing bid responses and providing bid support. At arvato, you re given a degree of autonomy to make your own decisions and use your creativity to make things happen. If you have the desire to progress, the opportunities are there for the taking. Nicola Shannon Assistant Bid Manager Central Bid Team Joined in 2008 I work with four line managers, with overall responsibility for the Sefton site, which comprises over 400 employees. Under arvato I have completed my MBA and the Bertelsmann Management Programme. The benefits of working for arvato are the flexibility and freedom that come with the job, and the ability to develop the service. Michael Ripley Site Director Sefton Partnership 16

18 TUPE transferred in 2013 I am Site Director for arvato s shared services in Swansea a government independent shared services initiative. We act as the delivery point for all our central government clients, providing a whole raft of back office services from a single technical platform. My role is to ensure that our services are of the right quality and standard, and that we meet the service level agreements and Key Performance Indicators for all our clients every month. I have also become involved in business development activities, this includes being arvato s ambassador in South Wales, and engaging with local stakeholders and influencers to ensure we are well connected locally and play our part as a significant employer in the region. Being part of arvato has allowed me more discretion about how I reward staff and recognise high performance. It s often the little things that make a difference and help employees feel valued. Being able to reward our top performers, nurture talent and create opportunities for individuals are the best parts of my job. Susan Barnes Site Director Shared Services arvato TUPE transferred in 2013 I work in the Shared Services arvato communications and marketing team, specialising in graphic design. I produce internal communications materials for the Swansea site as well as the arvato UK & Ireland business. I looked forward to transferring to arvato in June 2013, as creativity and innovation are core values of the company. Thanks to these values, my role has developed greatly since I started, with arvato keen to use my design skills and innovative thinking. Culturally, I feel arvato s values have added to the business in Swansea, making Shared Services arvato a great place to work by implementing colleagues improvement ideas for our business, our customers and the wider arvato. Wayne Gourley Graphic Designer Shared Services arvato 17

19 TUPE transferred in 2010 I provide advice and guidance to Council managers on terms and conditions of employment, such as restructures, disciplinary, grievance and sickness absence management. Recently, I completed a Masters qualification in Human Resources Management. The transfer to arvato has created a greater focus on the need for efficiency, and I like that there are clearer goals and stronger motivation for the improvement of HR and payroll systems. Ashish Kaushik HR Officer Chesterfield partnership 18

20 TUPE transferred in 2010 I d been a printing assistant with the Council for 15 years and saw the transfer to arvato as a new challenge. Having only worked in the public sector, experiencing the private sector for the first time has given me a fresh start. If you show willing then arvato will back you all the way the support of your bosses is everything when you re trying to achieve things. It paid off in 2011, when I won Employee of the Year. Wayne Church Printing Assistant Chesterfield partnership TUPE transferred in 2013 I joined arvato from the Department for Transport and moved into the project management office. I manage document control, arrange project board and project management office meetings, ensure governance of projects is adhered to and carry out day-to-day administration duties. My goal is to become a project leader and I believe arvato will enable me to develop my project management skills to achieve my ambition. arvato is a dynamic company to work for. It focuses on setting out clear, obtainable goals, and actively encourages you to further yourself within the business. Cat Blower Project Management Officer Shared Services arvato 19

21 TUPE transferred in 2008 My role is based from home and mainly involves quality checking benefits work, providing feedback to staff and making changes to procedures where appropriate. I am encouraged to use my wide range of skills and get involved in projects outside my strict job role, where I can be of benefit. I m currently getting involved in Customer First projects. This is due to having supportive managers and arvato s ethos of staff development. Gillian Beard Quality Assurance Officer, Systems and Compliance Sefton partnership Joined in 2009 I started as an apprentice and I m now training with the supply team on transactional HR tasks, such as sending and receiving job application packs, and checking clearances, such as medicals, CRBs and references. Since I started with arvato all my colleagues have been really helpful and I ve had a lot of support while being in this new role. Natalie Smith Trainee Transactional HR Officer Sefton partnership Joined in 2011 I currently rotate work as an assistant in ICT project management and reprographics, and as a service desk analyst. I personally like working for arvato because there are so many opportunities to help me progress with my career it is a worldwide company that has a good reputation. I am eager to gain experience and my motivation must show because I have been nominated for arvato Apprentice of the Year Hannah Barnett Assistant ICT Support Officer Chesterfield partnership 20

22 Some final views... Staff were very comfortable working for arvato... the general feel [at Chesterfield] was of a contract that could have been in place for several years. Credit for this must go to senior staff for their effective approach to change management. (IiP Report, November 2011) One of arvato s key attributes is the ability of management at all levels to manage change... at Chesterfield the transition has been remarkably smooth, with staff starting to feel very much a part of arvato and comfortable with working for a private employer. (IiP Report, November 2011) [In Sefton] there are regular meetings with staff representatives, who are consulted on policy changes. This fosters a sense of involvement in higher level decision making and promotes good relations with management. Equally, the staff perspective on improvements has produced a smoother change process. (IiP Report, November 2011) 21

23 Awards and Accolades Public Sector 2013 NOA Outsourcing Professional Awards - Skills Development Programme of the Year 2012 National Outsourcing Association Awards Winner: Outsourcing Works - Award for Delivering Business Value in Outsourcing (with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council) 2012 National Outsourcing Association Awards Finalist: Outsourcing Service Provider of the Year, Outsourcing Contact Centre Provider of the Year, Public Sector Outsourcing Project of the Year (with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council) 2012 National Business Awards Finalist: Business Enabler of the Year 2012 Institute of Revenues, Rating & Valuation (IRRV) Performance Awards Winner: Partnership Working (Silver - with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council) and Benefits Team of the Year (Silver - with East Riding of Yorkshire Council) 2012 Institute of Revenues, Rating & Valuation (IRRV) Performance Awards Finalist: Most Improved Team of the Year (with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council) and Revenues Team of the Year (with East Riding of Yorkshire Council) 2012 Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards Finalist: Best Service Award Medium and Large Businesses (with Chesterfield Borough Council) 2012 LGC Annual Awards 2012 Finalist: Public-Private Partnership (with Chesterfield Borough Council) 2011 LGC Business Partnership Awards Finalist: Partnership in Professional Services (with Chesterfield Borough Council) 2011 National Outsourcing Association Awards Winner: Public Sector Project of the Year (with Chesterfield Borough Council) 2011 Government Business Awards Commended: Chesterfield Borough Council was commended for its work with arvato and Kier in the Outsourcing Award 2010 Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) Winner: Excellence in Social Inclusion (with client East Riding of Yorkshire Council) 2007 LGC Awards Winner: Best Public-Private Partnership (with client East Riding of Yorkshire Council) 2007 Association for Public Sector Excellence Winner: Best Public-Private Partnership (with client East Riding of Yorkshire Council) 2007 Audit Commission Winner: Best Authority for Managing Finances (with client East Riding of Yorkshire Council) Accreditations and Standards ISO 9001:2008 ISO 14001:

24 arvato UK & Ireland Phoenix One Farnham Road Slough SL1 3TN Tel: +44 (0)