Case Study: Partners at Work
The Situation:
A medium sized manufacturing company came to us with a problem. They had made the decision to part ways with their Director of Human Resources and had several issues associated with this decision. The first, of course, was determining the best way to accomplish this (after all, the HR Director usually handled these actions- but how do you fire the HR person?). Secondly, they were concerned about continuity of HR operations while they embarked on a search for a replacement. And third, again because the HR function normally initiated searches and hires for the organization, they needed assistance in sourcing potential replacement candidates.
The Solution:
- Our first task was to plan the approach, timing and communication of the decision; we designed a game plan that was legally sound, respectful of the incumbent, and with the appropriate severance and support considerations.
- Next, Crandall/Partners provided an interim HR Director working 2-3 days a week to provide continuity of services and HR operations for the company. The interim manager was on site and was introduced immediately following the incumbent’s departure so there was a seamless transition within the function.
- During the interim period, an assessment was conducted regarding the position, skills needed and the particular needs of the organization as they considered the parameters for a new person in the position. This was a great opportunity for Crandall/Partners to help design the position, using the knowledge gained by our temporary assignment and by the careful interviewing of management and other users of the function.
- With the job description and needed candidate qualities and skills defined, we engaged one of our strategic partners, William Charles Search Group, to source the new position. Crandall/Partners continued in an interim capacity until a suitable candidate was found.
- As part of the sourcing process, we engaged Dr. Ed Murray and his Digital Couch™ psychological assessment tool. The combination of professional sourcing and diligent evaluation provided the best candidates for consideration.
Through the internal interview process, a final candidate was determined and the position was filled. Our interim briefed him on current HR activities and commitments, and then terminated the assignment.
The Result:
Through this process and the engagement of the proper entities, Crandall/Partners was able to provide the organization with a seamless transition of managers while maintaining continuity of HR operations. The entire process took less than 3 months, and the new HR director was able to accelerate his learning because of the interim management solution.