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CASE STUDY

Essential HR Transformation at the Diocese of St Albans

The Diocese of St Albans is the Church of England in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Barnet, including over 400 churches with…

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Clear, swift, and careful HR support .... it has been a pleasure with the Redway team, and I warmly commend them.

Venerable Dave Middlebrook, Archdeacon of Bedford
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The Diocese of St Albans is the Church of England in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Barnet, including over 400 churches with over 20,000 regular attendees. The work of the Diocese is supported by the Diocesan Office who provide governance, support and guidance.

In December 2021 the Diocesan Secretary contacted Redway to discuss plans to bring about significant change to terms of employment, operational effectiveness and their approach to people management. The brief was to include provision of regular HR support to the Diocesan Office and senior staff (Bishops and Archdeacons) and to be a ‘preferred supplier’ for the parishes, each an independent employer in their own right.

Project 1: HR Transformation and Outsourced HR

There was a clear need to improve transparency, create consistent people processes and need to reduce expenditure following significantly reduced income due to church closures during COVID. We conducted an HR Audit to identify other needs from a compliance and good practice perspective. Then moved to planning, working with the Diocesan Secretary and Leadership Team to develop a comprehensive change management plan.

As well as the project work Redway HR was asked to act as the Diocese Office’s outsourced HR function, supporting line managers with all aspects of people management as well as attending leadership and staff meetings.

Project 2: Support for Parishes

The parishes in the Diocese of St Albans rely on a complex web of different people, with various arrangements in place, including volunteers, office holders, employees and contractors. It is often challenging for leaders in the parish to make sense of the arrangements they inherit from their predecessors. The Diocesan office asked Redway HR to provide HR support to the parishes when requested and give them someone to call who understood their challenges and who was able to give them clear advice.

Solution

Project 1: HR Transformation and Outsourced HR

  • Staff consultation group set up, trained and working well discussing all areas of employment
  • Change training delivered across all leadership roles to facilitate the change process
  • Pension scheme changed, significantly reducing contributions to a sustainable level for non-clergy staff
  • 100% of employees successfully moved onto revised, consistent terms and conditions
  • Job evaluation and grading completed covering 55 roles
  • New pay structure implemented
  • Employee Handbook written and rolled out
  • PDR system in place and all managers and employees trained in its ethos, aims and mechanics
  • Employee assistance services and flexible benefits in place
  • Sound, timely advice delivered on a range of topics, including employee relations cases; bringing those to successful conclusions
  • Outplacement for individuals where they have been made redundant
  • Team development for the leadership team, including psychometrics, building the team to work together more effectively
  • Recruitment into various senior roles
  • Effective training needs analysis to identify learning needs

Project 2: Support for Parishes

We have successfully provided employee relations support to various individual parishes. We identified common themes from those cases and implemented broad, accessible solutions for the parishes to ensure these themes weren’t replicated across the diocese.

  • Parish HR and Employment Training delivered
  • HR and Employment Document created and introduced to all parishes
  • A number of employee relations cases managed and resolved

Results

Project 1: HR Transformation

  • Clear, equitable and sustainable terms and conditions now in place
  • People systems and processes are transparent and consistent
  • Communication around employment and management is improved and expectations are clear
  • Improved culture of openness
  • Transparency and consistency on pay and benefits decisions
  • Easier attraction of new applicants to vacancies
  • Planned training meeting organisational needs
  • Successfully resolved a number of employee relations issues
  • A reduced risk of expensive grievances and tribunals going forward
  • Peace of mind for managers

Project 2: Support for Parishes

  • A reduced risk of expensive grievances and tribunals going forward
  • Financial savings for parishes, using a central source of up-to-date information

 

Venerable Dave Middlebrook, Archdeacon of Bedford:

I have worked extensively with Jenny, Liz and others from Redway since early 2022, when they began to support St Albans Diocese with our HR needs. They have always provided clear, swift, and careful HR support to many of our churches dealing with any issues with both employed and volunteer staff. Redway have provided zoom training for our churches which has been encouraging, helpful and well-attended, with positive feedback from attendees. They have worked hard to fully understand the nature of our work across the churches in the area and it has been a pleasure with the Redway team, and I warmly commend them.

David White, Diocesan Secretary

When I arrived in post in September 2021 it was clear that a programme of substantial HR review and improvement was required. It was an easy decision that outsourcing to HR professionals would be likely to be the best option, and Redway HR quickly emerged as our chosen partner. Not only has the HR deficit been addressed but Redway have demonstrated a most effective contribution to the diocese, truly operating as our HR partners and very much part of the home team. Redway are thoroughly professional, consistently insightful and totally trusted to deliver our HR agenda.

Redway HR - Outsourced HR Services | Training and Development | Leadership Training | Hertfordshire

Just a note to say thank you for the support Jenny and Bronwyn have given me in the last 2 weeks. The circumstances have been very “difficult” and “sensitive” in parts and I can say with hand on heart that without your team’s support, things could have had a drastically different outcome.

They have shown nothing other than complete professionalism and have steered me in the right direction where the situation has proved testing and I was out of my depth. Please pass on my thanks to both Jenny and Bronwyn. They are a credit to you.

James Long

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