Support Services Transformation
Client Context
Northumberland County Council was embarking on a strategic change programme to identify council-wide savings of £30m, while radically rethinking the way local public services are delivered in the county in support of its primary objective to reduce inequality. An analysis of the council’s workforce highlighted fragmentation of resources and opportunities to make Best Use of Resources for more efficient organisation, providing better corporate, enabling and administrative services at lower cost to taxpayers.
Our Approach
Detailed workforce analysis identified over 500 individuals in administrative roles, costing more than £15m p.a.
Sampling of live and historic job adverts highlighted that significantly out of date job descriptions were being used, advertising for roles, responsibilities and experience that were no longer fit for purpose.
We identified a significant amount of resource working on basic administrative tasks such as filing, photocopying, post handling, data entry and general office support. These tasks were prime candidates for automation or to stop doing them entirely.
Analysis of workforce and processes also demonstrated that professional support resources were fragmented, with teams in the corporate centre and large pockets of staff in frontline services undertaking Finance, HR and ICT related activities.
We calculated the total cost of administrating the council’s high volume internal processes as £4.5m p.a. Multiple hand-offs, high levels of manual intervention and variation in how things are done across the council identified opportunities for substantial savings across payroll, recruitment, transactional purchasing and ICT.
Outputs and Outcomes
A new Target Operating Model for corporate and support services created the following benefits:
By centralising administrative staff into a Corporate Business Support function, we identified savings of £1.5m through economies of scale and management savings, rising to £2.3m through better use of technology to automate routine tasks.
At the same time, the model set out clearer career pathways and better opportunities for staff in the new service.
The model separated general administrative tasks from Finance, HR, and ICT activities, organising work into teams based on task nature. Higher levels of professional activity were incorporated into corporate centres of expertise, with transactional Finance, HR and ICT being brought together in a new Employee Service Centre.
The model was supported by a blueprint for a new service desk management system, allowing for better data and insight, more effective management of demand and more joined up working between teams.
Cashable Savings
Corporate Business Support: £1,500,000
Other Professional Specialisms: £375,000
Employee Service Centre: £337,500
Technology Enabled Efficiencies: £800,000
Additional Benefits
Improved customer service
Empowered workforce
Reduced operational burden
Reduced cost per transaction
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.