Customer success story

Technology-led workforce evolution for a UK high street retailer

Helping a pioneering UK retail customer integrate the latest tech into its staffing practices while improving efficiency, visibility, savings and workforce flexibility.

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Impact at a glance

A long-term contingent workforce programme spanning head office, warehousing and distribution. Driving visibility, consistency, savings and continued technology-led improvement.

£4m

Annual savings achieved

1,000+

Distribution workers delivered annually over Christmas

20%

Reduction in procurement costs

£3.8m

Annual savings increased to in 2015

111%

Savings increase from 2013 to 2015

Programme impact: Guidant Global helped the organisation evolve its contingent workforce strategy, improve processes and keep pace with fast-changing customer needs.

RetailIndustry

11 billion GBPCompany revenue

80,000Employees

UKRegion supported

The Situation

A people-centric retail business needed its contingent workforce to keep pace with digital transformation.

A trusted British retail brand

This modern stalwart of British retail has a visionary and successful way of doing business, boldly putting the happiness of its permanent employees at the centre of everything it does.

A fast-changing retail landscape

Retail is a fast-paced, innovation-led industry which has undergone unprecedented change over recent years, sparking a digital and technological transformation within this organisation.

A workforce built around flexibility

Their contingent workforce had to rapidly evolve and expand to offer the flexibility of resources needed to support the fast-changing needs of their customers.

Client profile

80,000

A major UK retail organisation with 80,000 employees and 11 billion GBP in company revenue.

Programme scope

Head office & distribution

The contingent workforce management programme spanned the organisation’s entire head office and warehousing / distribution business.

The Challenge

Managing an increasingly large and complex pool of contingent IT contractors.

Due to a period of sustained growth in its business, the need arose for this major UK retailer to outsource the management of its increasingly large and complex pool of contingent IT contractors operating across the organisation.

Sustained business growth

The organisation was experiencing a period of sustained growth, increasing the need for a more structured approach to contingent workforce management.

Complex contractor population

The client needed to manage an increasingly large and complex pool of contingent IT contractors operating across the organisation.

Rapid workforce evolution

Their contingent workforce had to evolve quickly to support the changing needs of customers and the wider business.

Consistency and control

The organisation needed improved visibility, greater consistency and a programme that could support both head office and distribution environments.

The Solution

A managed service programme built on visibility, consistency, trust and continuous improvement.

Over the first year, Guidant Global helped to streamline resourcing processes, improve visibility, provide consistency and embed a strong, honest relationship based on openness and trust.

01 Streamlined resourcing processes +

Guidant Global helped to streamline resourcing processes across the programme, supporting a more consistent way of managing contingent workforce needs.

02 Improved visibility and consistency +

The programme improved visibility and provided greater consistency across the organisation’s contingent workforce activity.

03 A relationship based on trust +

Guidant Global embedded a strong and honest relationship with the client, based on openness and trust.

04 Expanded managed service scope +

Due to the success of the programme, Guidant Global quickly incorporated non-IT head office contractors into the existing managed service programme.

05 Combined head office approach +

This combined approach was crucial in helping the organisation achieve annual savings of £1.3 million.

06 Technology-led improvement +

Guidant Global continued to integrate the latest tech into the client’s staffing practices, including vendor management system upgrades, CRM improvements, AI and machine learning.

Results

Significant cost savings, stronger seasonal delivery and improved procurement control.

The years spanning 2013-2015 saw significant developments for the partnership. Cost-saving initiatives were implemented across the business, creative approaches to staffing were introduced, and the contingent workforce programme became more efficient, more cost effective and more reflective of the brand culture.

£4m

Annual savings achieved

20%

Reduction in procurement costs

1,000+

Distribution workers delivered annually over Christmas

£3.6m

Savings reached by 2015

111%

Savings increase from 2013 to 2015

Cost-saving initiatives

Taking more creative approaches to staffing, including workshops, tactical SLAs and consistent benchmarking, the company made significant savings across the business.

More efficient supply chain

Guidant Global took on supply for a key distribution centre, became the primary supplier for PAYE roles and consolidated supply partners using performance and benchmark data.

Seasonal workforce delivery

Each year, Guidant Global delivered over 1,000 distribution workers across a number of different roles over the Christmas period.

Statement of work strategy

Guidant Global introduced an effective statement of work strategy, including a new buying strategy, access to procurement professionals and a bespoke sourcing toolkit.

Continuing to enhance the workforce journey

From upgrading the vendor management system, to improving UX and candidate experience with a class-leading CRM, to implementing AI and machine learning, Guidant Global continues to enhance the journey for both the client and the people it seeks to employ.

Advancing efficiency, productivity and year-on-year cost savings

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