Why outsource?

In the current economic climate, with massive strain on public finances, the need for efficiency in the public sector is clear.

All public sector organisations, but particularly local and central government, the NHS and education, are working to meet the stringent efficiency targets set out in the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP). The OEP report, published in 2009, set out how the public sector could deliver £35 billion in savings by 2011. 

Why now?

However, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, only £8.5 billion of efficiency savings have actually been found so far. This leaves a further £26.5 billion of savings to be found by 2010-2011.

This year’s budget has forced the pace of change even more.

You are not alone

HR outsourcing can provide a compelling way to help drive much-needed efficiency in the public sector. According to the CIPD, around one third of organisations already outsource some or all of their HR function, and our experience shows it is not unusual to reduce administrative costs by as much as 50% in the first year of an outsourcing contract.

Better planning

Along with upfront cost savings, HR outsourcing aids financial budgeting and forecasting. It can be delivered to a fixed monthly cost, backed by a Service Level Agreement (SLA) tailored to your specific needs and priorities.  

Expert advice

Successful HR outsourcing isn’t just about finding savings. Outsourcing also provides your organisation with access to the expertise to help you build and maintain a skilled, motivated workforce – providing you with a valuable competitive edge.

Focus on delivering value

Outsourcing means your HR team is free to focus on strategic initiatives, where their experience and in-house knowledge is most valuable. Outsourcing routine functions means staff no longer need to focus on time-consuming tasks that aren’t adding value to your organisation. 

The key to achieving these benefits is understanding which HR functions to outsource, and choosing the right partner to deliver outsourced HR services.

Why Deminos?

Working with a specialist HR outsourcing provider such as Deminos provides your organisation with fast, reliable access to a bank of world-leading skills and specialist knowledge.

A dedicated public sector team

Our clients all have access to a named account manager who provides a personal point of contact, but with the reassurance of a network of hundreds of specialist lawyers and HR consultants behind them.

Deminos can provide a full range of outsourced services and support services, from disciplinary handling to providing effective, smooth TUPE transfers of in-house staff to our own team.  But because we have a dedicated public sector team of specialist, our advice is tailored, relevant and specific to your situation.

Consistent service

Outsourcing can drive excellence and reduce costs, but it’s also about consistency and peace of mind. Deminos provides guaranteed levels of HR support and advice, backed by clear service level agreements (SLAs) that are tailored to meet your team’s specific needs. The result? You know Deminos will be there when you need us, with fast, reliable support.

Targeted benefits

We have an established and successful process for managing outsourcing which includes first administering a survey to identify the positives and negatives of your current HR function and highlighting areas where improvements can be made. This means that when it comes to outsourcing, you not only save money, you improve service levels.

Innovation and a fresh approach

Above all, working with the right outsourcing partner gives you fresh insights and the opportunity to drive innovation and best practice. At Deminos, our experience of working with hundreds of clients in the private and public sector means that we have a wealth of knowledge of HR procedure and what works, as well as what doesn’t!  We are ambitious for our growth and that of our clients. We work in partnership with our clients to build our organisations together, learning from each other.

Specialist advice when things go wrong

An effective HR outsourcing provider can give you access to fast, reliable advice when things go wrong.

Speed of response

If your organisation faces a disciplinary or grievance hearing, or even a tribunal, Deminos will provide rapid access to support you can trust. When time is short, getting access to the best advice can be difficult and expensive, but Deminos has immediate access to a team of specialist solicitors, as well as providing practical information and support for staff who need to handle disciplinary and grievance procedures, or mediation activities.

Flexibility

Whatever level of support you need, we can help – from providing policies and procedures for in-house staff to follow, or putting you in touch with one of our specialist legal team. Deminos can even provide on-site support when and where you need it.  And as we work in partnership with you, we understand exactly what you might need at any given time.

Cost effective

In this respect, outsourcing with Deminos provides a highly cost-effective alternative to maintaining an on-staff legal team, or trying to find a suitably qualified legal team at short notice.  We do not maintain expensive overheads so we can provide a credible alternative to established outsource providers at a lower cost.  If you’re going to outsource, we believe you should try to deliver the most cost savings you possibly can and Deminos can help you do that.

Employment Tribunal Support

All our clients have access to pragmatic and procedural support, alongside industry-leading tribunal representation. Deminos have in-house tribunal representitives to guarantee you always have access to the very best advice – at a substantial discount to using a firm of solicitors.

Mediation not litigation

Mediation is now a required part of most alternative dispute resolution procedures. Deminos has a team of highly-trained and accredited workplace mediators, whose aim is to resolve disputes before they escalate into litigation.

Help and Support with TUPE Transfers

A core part of many outsourcing agreements is the transfer of staff from in-house roles to new roles working for a service provider. Deminos can provide a full TUPE transfer of your in-house staff to our team, with support and advice every step of the way. 

It’s vital to get TUPE transfers right, because this period can prove a real flashpoint for HR department. Poorly handled transfers can lead to confused, anxious or disgruntled employees – potentially undermining the benefits of outsourcing.

Experience

At Deminos, we have many years of experience of TUPE transfers of staff, and can ensure the process goes smoothly, and staff morale and engagement are protected. We provide full holiday cover to TUPE staff, and on-site support for disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Opportunities to grow

We are able to support any form of staff transfer to our own workforce, whether you choose to outsource the entire HR function to us, or wish to outsource administrative roles and keep executive level HR staff in-house.  And outsourcing to Deminos provides your staff with an exciting opportunity to work in a rapidly growing, innovative organisation as part of a team of dedicated, client focused professionals.

Ongoing Training and Support for HR and line managers

Deminos fully understands the importance of training during all stages of an outsourcing relationship. We can provide and recommend a wide variety of courses that will enable managers to fully understand and support the outsourcing process, as well as training to increase line manager self-reliance.

Additional Services

Implementing Staff Surveys that Deliver Insight

When outsourcing, it is critical to keep a close watch on the engagement levels of staff.  A good survey can provide early insight into potential problems and also helps employees to feel engaged and valued by their employer.

Deminos can help you to devise, deliver and understand staff surveys, whatever sort of organisation you work in. Prior to outsourcing, we will work with your executive team to devise a survey that will identify the positives and negatives of the current HR function, and provide valuable insight into areas where improvements might be made, or where the status quo should be maintained.

A well-designed survey will also help to identify any current gaps in HR administration, allowing these services to be built into any service contracts.  So your organisation ends up with a better service, not just a more cost effective one.

Other Supporting Services

Deminos can also provide a range of supporting services alongside the HR outsourcing services discussed above.

If your organisation is going through a period of change, or implementing new processes, Deminos can provide support for change management, alongside training where it may be required.

We will work with your executive team to devise and implement performance management programmes, ensuring you always have visibility of who within the workforce is performing well, and where improvement might be needed.

Finally, Deminos can provide extra hands when needed. Whether it’s during a period of maternity leave, or for the period before a key position is filled, our consultants can provide support for as much or as little time as required.

Contact us to find out how Deminos can help your organisation drive improvement through better HR.  Call Neil Atkinson now on 020 7870 1090.

Useful links

Gershon Review - Releasing resources to the front line

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B2C/11/efficiency_review120704.pdf

Delivering efficiency in local services

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_localgov/documents/downloadable/odpm_locgov_032674.pdf

http://www.hmg.gov.uk/media/52715/oep-assetportfolio.pdf

HR Outsourcing: threat or opportunity?

www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/55AE4621.../hr_outsourcing_function.pdf

A guide to OEP

http://www.hmg.gov.uk/media/52715/oep-assetportfolio.pdf