The Met implements IT to transform HR

A new and improved HR service at the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is expected to generate significant efficiencies that will allow the release of additional funds for frontline policing.

In addition, the new system will help the MPS improve the quality and consistency of the service, bring the ratio of HR professionals to employees in line with the public sector, and more effectively support the strategic aims of the organisation.

The contract with IT specialists Steria will drive cost savings through the creation of a new HR service centre in Central London and implementation of HR business partnering.

The service centre will provide access to up-to-date and relevant information through the organisation’s intranet. The new self-service functionality will be a vital step forward in enabling managers to view and approve requests for job or personal circumstance changes for their employees. Steria will also manage the deployment of Oracle’s Human Capital Management, iRecruitment and Learning Management software as part of the new HR service, and the software company’s applications will also underpin the technology in the new service centre.

Martin Tiplady, HR director for the MPS, explained: “The HR requirements of the MPS are different to those of other organisations. Finding a partner that understood the unique needs of our service, from the organisational structure to our culture, was vital.”

The programme, which goes live in autumn 2009, will ensure a more efficient and effective HR service for the MPS’s 55,000 employees. Steria’s implementation team will begin working on-site this month to begin the next phase of the ‘Transforming HR’ programme.

Steria will also provide ongoing support for the technology implementation for two years after the service has gone live. The shared service and business partnering model that underpins the new HR provision will comprise of:

•A 24/7 advisory centre – which will be the primary point of contact for employees, managers and external contacts to obtain HR advice and guidance through a single telephone number and email address.
•An expert centre – qualified teams to manage the main administration and case management responsibilities and respond to queries that have been escalated from the advisory centre.
•Business partners to support the MPS’s strategic HR and organisational objectives.
•Strategic HR advisors who will support the business partners working closely with line mangers advising them on policy interpretation and delivering solutions which enable them to achieve their business objectives.
•A strategic centre – which will design and implement HR programmes, processes and policies, manage consulting projects, and monitor the compliance and effectiveness of HR strategies, policies and standards.
•Operational support teams managed by the HR shared service centre, providing face-to-face support for managers relating to performance issues, absence management, and recruitment interviews.