National Trust for Scotland

Protecting Scotland’s natural, cultural and historic places

CloserStill

THE PROJECT

    NTS had an existing version of PeopleXD in place but were unhappy with the functionality which was available to the team and system updates had not been implemented consistently. Having reviewed the options with the Access Group, it was decided to re-implement the solution from scratch to enhance the user experience for the People team and employees and to add additional functionality which had not been previously available. ReThink HR joined to project manage and provide hands-on support for the re-implementation.

    This was the opportunity to review and amend the system set up entirely, to ensure that it was optimal for now and to be updated with changes as the Trust evolves over time. The organisational structure, role profiles, cost centres and all other key data points were assessed and options considered to make it as future-proof as possible.

    Process mapping and re-design was undertaken to improve processes and the whole People team were engaged with the project including system training, vastly improving their knowledge and understanding of the capabilities of the system. This resulted in the whole People team being able to work together to design new processes to optimise and maximise the usage of the system within the Trust.

    After data migration and initial system configuration, a thorough testing program was undertaken (nearly 1000 separate tests) to cover all areas of the system set up including payroll, prior to a parallel run of payroll. The detailed testing ensured that the parallel run was a success and the launch could go ahead as planned.

    The changes including online timesheets, recording of absences and bringing payroll back in-house resulted in the Trust utilising significantly more of the available functionality and therefore increase the return on investment significantly. The project has enabled the team to develop an optimisation mindset to continue developing the system capabilities into the future.

    AT A GLANCE

    WEBSITE

    INDUSTRY

    Conservation charity

    EMPLOYEE COUNT

    800 employees working across multiple properties and locations throughout Scotland

     

    PROJECT STAGES

    System Implementation

    CHALLENGES

    • Existing configuration was not ideal and difficult to maintain.
    • Limited self-service functionality in place for employees and managers.
    • Absence management was being maintained manually outside of the system and no reporting was available.
    • Outsourced payroll to be brought back in house.
    • Seasonal employee timesheets were managed manually which was open to error.
    • Low manager engagement caused issues with data accuracy

      System Selected

       

      PROJECT  STAGES

       

      Review of the existing system set up and analysis of what was working and what had become impossible to maintain due to design decisions made during the initial implementation.
      Design sessions in conjunction with the Access Group consultants to re-design the configuration.
      Project management of the re-implementation including main point of contact for all NTS and Access teams for resource coordination.
      Hands-on support with data preparation and upload, system configuration and UAT testing.
      Change management planning and communications including design of resources to support the roll out to employees.
      Further development stage to re-implement the Talent module including process re-design to improve the employee and manager experience with this annual process.

       

      “Philippa worked collaboratively with our internal teams and system vendor, ensuring that the system was not only delivered on time but genuinely met the needs of the organisation.”

      Pam Milne, People Director

       

      PROJECT  OUTCOMES

       

      Easy access to reliable and accurate data
      System design allows for organisational structure changes to be adopted more easily. Reduced options across multiple areas have streamlined processes for all
      One integrated system for HR and Payroll which is now run entirely in-house, resulting in a cost-saving
      HR team confident and engaged with using PeopleXD as part of their daily work
      Employee and Manager Request task flows implemented, enabling automation and efficiency
      Mobile access via the PeopleXD app was enabled which has had very positive feedback from employees
      PeopleXD rolled out to and well received with high user engagement

       

      TESTIMONIAL

      “NTS had the pleasure of working closely with our ReThink HR consultant, Philippa, for our project to re-implement PeopleXD within NTS. Philippa acted as Project Manager and hands-on systems specialist throughout and combined strong project leadership with deep practical expertise, providing configuration and testing support at every stage of the implementation.

      Philippa worked collaboratively with our internal teams and system vendor, ensuring that the system was not only delivered on time but genuinely met the needs of the organisation. Philippa consistently encouraged the team to optimise and significantly expand our use of the system, helping us unlock functionality that has had a lasting impact on how we operate.

      Her pragmatic approach, attention to detail and clear communication gave us confidence throughout the project, and her ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery was invaluable. The result was a well-embedded HR system that continues to add value across the organisation. I would not hesitate to recommend ReThink HR for complex HR systems and transformation projects such as ours.”

      Pam Milne, People Director