CIPD – West of England Branch

Independent Consulting Group

Role of the HR Interim

Introduction“The HR interim market has faced a number of challenges in the past couple of years”.What are they? Simply it’s this “This is probably the toughest market most interims will have faced in their careers. The volume of assignments is down, while the number of candidates has shot through the roof as newly redundant people turn to interim (temporary) positions.” People Management

There are 103% more candidates now than in December 2009 – Agency Central Employment Index

• Who is Tom Mornement and what is Purple House?• What is the Role of an HR Interim?• What the Client Wants...• The Future• Introducing Yvonne Payne…

Tom Mornement, who’s he?

A recruiter who launched Purple House Recruitment with Lindsey Newman in July 2002. The aim then was to create a recruitment consultancy with quality standards that we felt were lacking in the industry as a whole.

As well as having a client base, Tom is responsible for the ‘internal’ workings of Purple House such as finance, IT, administration etc. Before Purple House, he didn’t really exist…

• Lindsey Newman – Co-Founder Director• Martyn Melvin – Director – Coach, HR Consultant, Search• Fiona Vennbrook – Consultant, Private Sector• Lee Burman – Consultant, Public Sector• Sam Higgins – Office Manager

Purple House Recruitment –here to provide “specialist insight”

• We work with …. a wide variety of businesses across a range of locations and sectors

• Who have a requirement …. to recruit talented HR professionals

• So what we do …. is work with them to get lasting results

• Therefore our customers get …. a great service that is focused on their needs

• And the reason our customers buy from us is.… we always try to make sure we get them the right results

What is the Role of an HR Interim?

We are often asked "what is the difference between an Interim and a Consultant"; in truth very little, apart from crucially how they work and what they cost! Stolen from PHS Interim Management’s…

Attribute: Interim: Consultant: Key strengths: • Hands on with full responsibility, recommends

and implements based on practical experience • Has control over the budget • Personally delivers tried and tested solutions • Leads from the front • Reports directly to the Client • Provides coaching and mentoring of existing staff • In place within days due to extensive talent bank

• Provides valuable analysis and advice based on an in-depth subject understanding • Aware of the very latest techniques • Standardised approach

Potential weakness:

• Success very dependent on individual's ability and experience - They may not have the breadth and depth of knowledge available to a large technical consultancy. Careful selection minimises this risk

• Implementation is primarily the client's responsibility • Response and quality of service may be dictated by who is not currently engaged

Cost: Interims cost between £250 - £1,000/day Consultants can cost approx 2 to 3 times

• What marks out successful interim managers is that the way of working – fast-paced, delivery focused, project-based – suits them better than conventional corporate life.

• A good interim is commercially savvy, delivery focused and happy to go in and not be status orientated.

What an Interim is not though is…

• HR people who have been made redundant, looking for temporary roles and calling themselves Interims – because their ultimate focus is on a permanent/corporate role – it’s not what a Client wants.

What is the Role of an HR Interim?

What do Clients look for from an Interim?

• Hitting the ground running and quickly – understand the brief and make a plan to achieve it

• Relationship Builder – identify the key players and get them on side

• Change Agent – currently the most sort after experience, not always positive though…

• Politics - appreciate the internal politics but stay out of them

• Flexibility – going the extra mile, staying the extra hour or finishing it off at home

• Commitment – to getting the job done

• Ultimately Clients are buying a professional EXPERT with credibility, integrity and passion

The Future – what does it look like?

• The good news for Interim HR professionals and those considering a switch to interim work is that HR is the most likely function to use interim managers. According to the Interim Management Association, 19% of all interim assignments in the UK last year were for HR roles – a trend that is unlikely to be affected by the credit crunch, when many companies are looking to restructure.

• The future for interims in general looks rosy as organisations begin to change the way they work: “Organisations need a core nucleus of staff to deal with the essential day-to-day processes, while experts (interims) are brought in as and when they’re needed.” People Management.

• In today’s competitive climate, interims need to be savvy. That means picking assignments that will increase their experience, not merely their bank balance!

Guide to being an HR Interim – now and in the future!

Know yourself!

• Being an interim is very different from being a permanent employee

• You must thrive on change and challenge and be focused on implementation and delivery

• You need confidence in your ability and a good understanding of your strengths (and weaknesses!)

• You must be able to enter a new situation and instantly grasp the issues

• A true interim doesn’t want a permanent job and, if faced with the choice of a plum permanent role or a juicy interim assignment, would always go for the latter

• If you are new to interim management, you need to be able to convince agencies and clients that this is a positive career choice, not a desperate second best. So rehearse your story well and find evidence from your career history to back up your assertions

Perfect your CV

• An interim CV is all about showing what you have achieved

• Clients want to see a track record that suggests they are not taking a risk in appointing you

• Have a bank of case studies that you can slot in as appropriate from previous interim assignments

• Be very clear about what the challenge was, what you did and what the outcome was.

Network, network and network!

• It’s impossible to overstate the importance of networking for a successful interim career, especially in a recession

• It has never been easier with tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and email.

• Meet people regularly, accept invitations and attend events (even speak at them!)

• If the organisation you are working for gets a training company or consultants in, introduce yourself and let them know what you do

• It’s not difficult, but it does require time and commitment

Prepare well for interviews

• Interim assignments often involve only one interview – so make it count!

• Talk to your network – to people who have completed similar jobs or who have previously worked in that organisation

• Be sure you sound convincing as an interim, especially if you are new to it

• That means demonstrating an interim mindset – a focus on delivery and love of change and challenge

Take advantage of recruitment agencies and consultancies

• If you are new to the business, try to talk to established interim recruiters

• Pick their brains about the market and how you can best position yourself

• Even if you are well established, cultivate a relationship the recruitment agents

• Stay in touch!

• The good ones will give you advice and help you to keep up to date on market trends

Use the internet cleverly

• Staying in touch with your network has never been easier

• Register on jobsites and make sure you get job alerts

• Research, research and research – it’s free

Ask people to refer you – and return the favour

• If you can put your CV forward with a personal recommendation from someone the client knows and trusts, that’s the best calling card – put think about doing the same for others

Explain your gaps

• Everyone knows it’s a tough market and many good people are not finding assignments as quickly as in the past

• Use your time out wisely – do some personal development or training; travel or learn something new

• Rehearse your “story” so that it sounds like a positive decision, not an act of desperation

Be flexible

• Given the competition for assignments you may have to be more flexible than usual

• Even highly experienced interims are finding that rates have come down

• If you are new to the interim market, be prepared to take an assignment at a slightly lower level than you were hoping, and/or be prepared to travel

• It may also be a time to consider some pro bono work to generate contacts, although this is obviously best kept to a minimum

Summary

• Generally speaking the future’s bright for interim’s, the market is picking up and interim’s are a good choice for businesses that are still re-structuring

• Organisations have streamlined but will need “expert’s” or “specialists” to help with projects, change, integration etc now and in the future

• BUT, Research provided by Interim specialists Russam GMS indicates that the market is improving although it is unlikely that there will be a boom in demand anytime soon. The recession mood is still there but we seem to be getting closer to the promised recovery

• About 40% - 50% of work comes through agencies the rest through an interim’s own personal endeavour – therefore it’s important to develop your network and relationships

• Introducing Yvonne Payne

hr4now ltd Yvonne Payne

Interim LifeOpportunities & Challenges

NHS, Great Western Hospital – OD Lead

NHS, Great Western Hospital – Policy Review

Sovereign Housing Projects re Harmonisation & TUPE

Arval UK Ltd Project Manager to improve Business Partner relationships

NHS, Wiltshire PCTProjects to reposition HR

Police CENTREXProject Manager, TUPE quality assurance

Arval UK Ltd Project Manager to improve Business Partner effectiveness

H Wycombe CouncilProject Manager, substantial change

Arval UK Ltd Project Manager, Redeployment and Redundancy

NHS, Sussex TUPE Specialist, 300 staff, 9 organisations

Arval UK Ltd Project Manager, Site closures

ThreadneedleMaternity leave cover, Redundancy

Arval UK LtdCase Management

Start

Why hire an interim?

Fill a gap………fastMaternity, ill healthBreathing space for a decisionSpecialist knowledge or skills Provide project specific resources

IIM built on LinkedInReturn On InvestmentSpeedExpertiseObjectivityAccountability EffectivenessCommitment

What attitude helps an interim?

Self aware; confident in your ability

Go where the work is

Treat getting a job as a job

Sell yourself in 1 meeting

Be open to new sectors and locations

No hidden agendas!

Not status consciousbut good at DIY

Clear personal benefits from life style

Resources & strategies for “assignment gaps”

Clarifying & feedback

Listening & analysing

Deciding & influencing

Leadership

Implementer

Escapologist

One person – many skills

Results focussed project manager

Project manager

What status?Day rate basis• Contract of service• Indemnity Insurance• Spectre of IR35

– Limited Company– PAYE & NI - Dividends– VAT– Freedom of operation– Project not job– Home office – Website– Opt out of Employment

Agencies & Employment Regulations

Fixed term contractContract of employmentAchievement or durationRegular payRight to same benefits

– Accrue holiday– Sick pay– Car allowance etc– Pension ??????

Stake in the day rate groundAnnual Salary Equivalent £ 50,000

Bonus £ 10,000

Car Allowance £ 9,000

BUPA £ 1,500

Sub Total £ 70,500

NI employer & employee 20% £ 14,100

Pension Contribution £ 5,000

Total Remuneration £ 89,600

Average working days per year 220

Target day rate £400.00

Minimum day rate £350.00

Interim Performers calculator £355.00

Some “gurus” say 1 %

In Demand

Successful delivery of change via effective line and project management

RewardHRIS, Payroll, e-HR, Shared Service CentresTUPE & MergerReorganisation & RedundancyOrganisational Development

How to find work• CV that is fit for purpose plus hard graft• According to IIM Networking is key

– 66% of jobs via networking – but 78% for new interims– recent Linkedin poll much higher – unless public sector

• Agencies – marketing and cash flow!• Specialist Agency

– Commitment and track record– Limited Company, VAT, indemnity insurance

• General Agency – Day rate for market share– Fixed term – less admin & easier to get first job!

• Job Boards like Total Jobs

A happy ending

• Agree clear objective • Report progress against objectives• Plan exit – audit trail and “tool kits” • Proactive PR and marketing• Value added • Leave on a high note • Keep in contact • Enjoy the break!

SummaryEvaluate your own skills & resourcesDecide on fixed term contracts or a day rateGetting a job is like having a jobHit the ground running Take “ownership” of objectivesDeliver and manage exit“Welcome” periods of not working

hr4now ltd