HR Process Review
Client Context
Science Museum Group (SMG) commissioned Human Engine to undertake a review of HR business processes across the employee lifecycle to support service modernisation, improve consistency and strengthen operational resilience. HR processes were largely undocumented, with inconsistent hand-offs, limited performance management and reporting and significant reliance on manual activity and mailbox-driven workflows. The organisation was also exploring future options for its HR and payroll systems following the rollout of ServiceNow across IT support services. SMG sought to establish clearer processes, improve governance and controls, identify opportunities for automation and self-service and develop a prioritised improvement roadmap to support a more efficient, customer-focused and data-driven HR function.
Our Approach
Our approach comprised the below key elements:
Process Review and Mapping: Undertook a comprehensive review of HR processes across the employee lifecycle, mapping c.45 processes covering recruitment, contractual changes, employee relations, payroll, benefits, leave and absence management and leavers processes.
Collaborative Workshops and Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitated workshops and working sessions with HR leaders, operational teams and business partners to understand current ways of working, identify pain points and capture opportunities for improvement.
Design Principles and Future-State Thinking: Developed agreed design principles focused on efficiency, standardisation, automation readiness, accountability and customer experience.
Gap Analysis and Risk Assessment: Completed a thematic gap analysis assessing operational inefficiencies, governance weaknesses, compliance risks and opportunities for process simplification, self-service and workflow automation.
Future-State Process Design: Developed “to-be” process maps and prioritised improvement opportunities across tactical, system and strategic change categories, aligned to wider organisational ambitions and technology considerations.
Implementation and Benefits Planning: Produced a detailed implementation roadmap, benefits realisation framework and supporting action plan containing 230+ improvement actions across a 19-project transformation programme.
Outputs and Outcomes
Key outputs and outcomes from this work included:
HR Process Review: Reviewed and documented c.45 HR and payroll processes across the employee lifecycle, improving visibility, consistency and operational clarity.
Future-State Process Maps: Developed 45 “to-be” process maps identifying opportunities for simplification, automation and improved customer experience.
Implementation Roadmap: Produced an 18-month roadmap supported by a 230+ line action plan and 19-project improvement programme.
Governance and Risk Improvements:Identified key operational, compliance and control risks linked to manual processing, inconsistent decision-making and fragmented process ownership.
Performance Framework: Developed a benefits realisation framework and performance register to support future reporting and continuous improvement.
System and Workflow Recommendations: Produced recommendations and MoSCoW requirements to support future HR/payroll system development and workflow automation.
Operating Model Improvements: Established clearer roles, responsibilities and service expectations across HR functions to improve accountability and consistency.
Transformation Foundations: Created a roadmap to support a more efficient, customer-focused and data-driven HR function.
About Us
Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects.
Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures.
Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership.