16th July 2021
Meet Inductotherm and learn about the challenge they faced with their HR
Inductotherm Group is the industry leader in the development of advanced technologies, products and systems for heating metals and materials. The family-owned group has 40 companies around the world, with 70 people in its UK operation.
The UK business, which has one in-house member of staff responsible for HR, had been receiving a service from Reality HR since 2013 with support on day to day HR issues, employee handbooks, contracts and management training.
In 2020, Managing Director, Wayne Hine, asked for further support with a focus on improving communication and collaboration in the business, especially among the management team.
We wanted to change people’s attitudes and mindsets so that they were more open. Donna and Heidi took a very fresh approach – they were able to get a lot out of us.
They are very good at posing questions in a different way and getting an understanding from individuals about how they are perceived. WAYNE HINE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDUCTOTHERM
The action taken by Reality HR
Inductotherm’s senior team includes a number of managers who had progressed through the business with years of industry experience, but had not previously focused on softer skills such as communication and collaboration.
Reality HR consultants and trainers Heidi and Donna held Insights Discovery sessions with the team. Insights is a psychometric tool which uses a simple four-colour model to help individuals not only understand their own personalities and communication styles, but also those of their colleagues. Using this valuable awareness helps develop strategies for teams to work more effectively together by developing stronger, respectful relationships.
These sessions helped Wayne and the team understand the dynamics of their working relationships.
We wanted to shift the emphasis in the business from our technical abilities to soft abilities – communication, co-operation and customer service. Some of the managers had been here 35 to 40 years, and it was a case of breaking down some barriers between individuals.
The sessions were extremely valuable in helping us recognise how to effectively communicate with each other and, by understanding the personalities involved, adjust our approach when talking to different individuals.
From the sessions, it was identified that some line managers would benefit from support in developing their management skills, especially when it came to dealing with challenging situations or colleagues and improving customer service.
These line managers were given individual Insights Discovery Full Circle sessions, overseen by Reality HR. These offer 360-degree feedback in a respectful and safe manner through an informative profile, bringing to life how members of a team see each other and how that impacts teams working together to deliver business objectives.
The outcome
The team at Inductotherm are now much more focused on communication and have effective structures and systems in place to support day to day HR, employee growth and development. These include an appraisal system, updated contracts and handbooks and regular feedback sessions. Wayne carries out regular one-to-ones with his immediate reports and the next layer of managers, who have improved their skills in handling challenging situations, and know there is a support structure in place when they need additional support.
We view reality HR as an extension of our HR department. It’s a great comfort to us and our managers to know they are always there for us. More than just the service, we value the way the people interact with us. Without them we would struggle – they are professionals in every way. WAYNE HINE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDUCTOTHERM