Remploy - complex modernisation programme

 

When Remploy was set up more than 60 years ago, the only way for it to fulfil its mission of providing employment for disabled people was through its own factories – which had grown by 2007 to a network of 83 sites, in every area of the country from Scotland to Cornwall.

 

Opportunity

But the world has changed in the past six decades. The latest thinking among disability groups and leading charities is that many disabled people will have better prospects working in mainstream employment, rather than on specialist sites.

For example, Jo Williams, Chief Executive of Mencap, has said: "When the factories were started 60 years ago they were making an important contribution. Those days have gone really. We're looking forward to seeing people with disabilities fully integrated into society.” Bob Warner, Remploy’s Chief Executive, shares Mencap's views.

As he says, "Remploy have a great opportunity to help more disabled people find jobs, but we have to change how we work in all areas of Remploy. There is now an acceptance that disabled people would prefer to work in mainstream employment alongside non-disabled people rather than in sheltered workshops from which they do not progress and develop. Therefore the company had to change."

Remploy realised that, with the changing dynamics of employment today, for the cost of employing one person in a Remploy factory it could place four people in jobs with mainstream employers. Furthermore, some of the businesses that had been set up in the post war years were in urgent need of refocusing to ensure that they were meeting current market needs.

Approach

Bob faced a formidable challenge: first to convince all those who had an interest – including politicians, disability groups, the media, disabled employees and their families, and unions – that the company had the right approach.

“The vision was clear and the change made complete sense. It was a great day for Remploy when we were successful in securing government approval for our modernisation plan. It meant that we could increase the number of disabled people supported into work from less than 2,000 a year currently to 20,000 a year by 2012.”

“Planning, preparation and discussions took three years of detailed work”, said Bob. “Even with the green light from government and agreement from other stakeholder groups, we were faced with a major logistical challenge.”

Following a rigorous supplier selection process, Remploy turned to project and programme management specialists CITI for advice on how to manage a change programme of this kind, and for help in bringing it about. Remploy had to merge factories, close some sites and transfer people and production within a limited time and a defined budget, in the media spotlight and in a highly charged climate where emotions, understandably, were running high.

“Throughout its history, the company had never executed a programme of this scale and complexity.” said Bob. Building a foundation for Remploy to master change and develop its true potential was essential.

An early decision was made that, rather than bringing in external project managers, CITI would train and develop Remploy’s own staff as project and change managers, and would provide appropriate systems and support to allow Remploy’s own people to undertake this major change programme for themselves.

Geoff Vincent, CITI’s Principal Consultant leading the engagement said, “Transferring capability is exactly what CITI is about. We strive to give our clients the confidence to manage major change and are delighted that we have been able to ensure the change programme was a success, and also leave Remploy in a much stronger position to tackle the future challenges that may lie ahead”.

Outcome

Over the 12 months to the end of March 2008, Remploy has found 6,600 jobs in mainstream employment for people with disabilities - an increase of 27% on the previous year. The figures include 4,600 jobs under the government's Workstep programme, which is aimed at those who experience the greatest barriers to finding and keeping a job - a rise of 47% on the previous year.

Bob Warner, pleased with the outcome of the modernisation programme so far, added “Remploy with its own project and programme management capability, working to the highest professional standards, has what we need to meet the new challenges the company faces, including the building and development of successful businesses following the restructuring. Refreshed and revived, Remploy are now in the ascendant and can apply its skills to helping many times more disabled people into employment, for the next 60 years and beyond".