A specialized consulting company with offices in Berlin, Brussels and Munich had a growth problem. It was faced with the challenge of recruiting specialists in a very tight market on the one hand and introducing organizational structures in parallel on the other. However, the size of the company did not justify a position for personnel and organizational development at the beginning of the project. The HR interim manager therefore acted as an external HR business partner for almost eight years. Her work was roughly divided into three overlapping phases:
- Development of the leadership skills of the existing managers, analysis of the work processes
- Development and introduction of a performance appraisal system (LBS) based on a multi-level competency model, introduction and training of the annual employee appraisal with target agreement, revision of the remuneration model.
- Development and implementation of a personnel marketing and recruitment strategy with a focus on law and business schools in the EU, recruitment of high potentials.
In the first phase, the HR business partner taught the leadership basics and process know-how in several modules and analyzed the workflow together with the managers. The selective involvement of the sole managing partner and head of the company in fireside chats served to anchor and ensure quality.
In the second phase, a consistent LBS was created. The development was carried out in a participatory manner with some managers. The roll-out was presented in two workshops, at the end of which the participants received detailed handouts and forms for conducting annual employee appraisals including target agreements (JMAG). In preparation for the first cycle of the JMAG, the managers received individual coaching. At the same time, the HR business partner worked with the head of the company and the commercial director to develop the new remuneration structure.
Finally, the third phase focused on personnel marketing. Together with two employees, the HR Business Partner developed the company website, the recruitment processes including job profiles, a brochure in English and German, a trainee program, interview guidelines, case studies and the selection of universities in the EU where the company wanted to position itself as an attractive employer. At the same time, she conducted interviews with experienced candidates.
At the end of last year, an internal manager, who had originally been recruited as a high potential by the HR Interim Manager, successfully took over the role of HR Business Partner.
