Project
O’Brien Fine Foods
O'Brien Fine Foods needed urgent external expertise to manage a complex, time-sensitive restructure involving 100 employees.
We successfully completed the entire, legally compliant process within 30 days, resulting in zero appeals and a 10/10 satisfaction rating.
The Challenge
Navigating a Complex Restructure Under Tight Time Constraints
O’Brien Fine Foods, a leading food production company specializing in meats, faced a significant challenge: a company-wide restructure impacting 100 employees. Their internal HR team lacked the immediate capacity and specialized expertise to manage the complex process within the required timeframe. This restructure demanded meticulous planning and execution, encompassing collective consultation, individual consultations, the creation of job pools and a robust scoring matrix, and the implementation of fair and robust selection methods to retain key talent.
The Solution
Expert HR Support and Agile Project Management from The HR Consultants
O’Brien Fine Foods discovered The HR Consultants through a Google search. Impressed by the depth of their team's expertise and their capacity to provide immediate support, they chose The HR Consultants as their sole partner for this critical project.
Their key requirements for a solution were clear: to significantly increase their HR bench-strength and to have a trusted partner lead the entire restructure and all associated activities.
The implementation process was swift and efficient. The HR Consultants established a clear timeline and a detailed project plan, defining roles and responsibilities collaboratively with the O’Brien Fine Foods team. The HR Consultants took ownership of all administrative tasks, meticulously managed the collective and individual consultations, and expertly crafted the selection criteria to ensure a fair and transparent process. As part of the project delivery, the HR Consultants provided critical support by conducting detailed calculations and developing bespoke scripts, templates, and automated spreadsheets to streamline the scoring process. Their proactive approach also ensured that the O’Brien Fine Foods team remained fully informed of all relevant legislative updates throughout the process, enabling compliance and informed decision-making at every stage.
The potential consequences of not completing the restructure on schedule were significant, including increased overheads at their site. O’Brien Fine Foods needed a swift and effective solution to augment their HR capabilities and ensure a smooth and legally compliant transition.
Aoife Hilliard, Head of People at O’Brien Fine Foods, explained the urgency: "We had a critical restructure to undertake with a tight deadline. We needed a partner who not only possessed the expertise but also had the bandwidth to hit the ground running and manage the entire process seamlessly."
Throughout the 30-day project, The HR Consultants provided daily support and expertise, seamlessly integrating with the O’Brien Fine Foods site team and senior management.
Specific Features and Benefits:
- Experienced HR Professionals: The ability of The HR Consultants to deploy the right experts at the right time provided O’Brien Fine Foods with the confidence and support needed to adhere to the demanding timeline.
- Agile and Adaptable Approach: The HR Consultants’ flexible approach and commitment to meeting O’Brien Fine Foods’ specific needs ensured a tailored and effective solution.
The Results
Successful Restructure, Enhanced Manager Confidence, and Zero Appeals
The partnership with The HR Consultants delivered tangible and significant results for O’Brien Fine Foods:
- Timely Completion: The entire consultation and restructure process was successfully completed within the critical 30-day timeframe.
- Skilled Agile Team: The restructure resulted in a skilled and agile team that is well-positioned to deliver on O’Brien Fine Foods’ future aspirations.
- Zero Appeals: A testament to the fair and thorough process managed by The HR Consultants, there were no appeals following the restructure.
- Improved Manager Confidence: Through coaching and support provided by The HR Consultants, managers experienced a noticeable increase in their confidence in handling HR-related matters.
Uninterrupted Business Operations: Despite the significant undertaking of the restructure, business-as-usual (BAU) operations were not negatively impacted.
The Future
A Continued Partnership
The relationship between O’Brien Fine Foods and The HR Consultants has evolved into a strong partnership built on trust and a clear understanding of each other’s needs. O’Brien Fine Foods is already considering engaging The HR Consultants for a potential smaller restructure project, demonstrating their continued confidence in the quality and value of the services provided.
Aoife Hilliard, Head of People at O’Brien Fine Foods, reported an exceptional level of satisfaction: "The HR Consultants were invaluable in helping us navigate this complex restructure. Their expertise, professionalism, and seamless integration with our team ensured a smooth and successful outcome, delivered within a tight timeframe. We were particularly impressed with their proactive approach and the positive impact they had on our managers' confidence. It was a 10/10 experience."