This UK insurer provides property and liability insurance products for a number of market segments:

• The electronics and other technology related industries
• Local authorities, public utilities, universities and colleges
• The motor trade and the transportation industry
• Manufacturing companies, private medical companies
• Marine industries
• Professions including solicitors, advertising agencies and chartered surveyors.

The company also underwrites specialist business classes to meet the varied demands of brokers and clients through the Lloyd's insurance market.

The company knew that in today's markets it is the quality of its people and the tough decisions they make that differentiates them from the competition. With several hundred staff and a network of offices serving the broker community there were concerns that the performance bar was not as high as it should be.

It was felt there was a need to improve employee motivation, and there was evidence to suggest that the organisation's values were not properly articulated, understood or believed.

An Employee Motivation Survey was completed which examined a number if issues grouped around 4 key questions:

1. Do you feel your ambitions can be satisfied at the company?
2. Are your individual achievements properly recognised?
3. Does the company’s management team properly explain decisions?
4. Are work meetings effective?

It became clear that there were two core needs.

The first was the need to change the organisational culture – to move it from one which exhibited a high degree of paternalistic and discretionary characteristics, to one where management and staff believed in and practiced the values of a meritocracy.

Secondly and consistent with the first objective was to achieve transparency and accountability around the organisation.

The Management Group worked with staff representatives to revamp and relaunch the Employee of the Month, and communications around the business have become more relevant to the audience, more open and business-centred.

The meritocracy model for compensation is the new standard.

The framework is set for differentiating performance between individuals and for the training and development culture the company wanted to promote. Greater flexibility in job roles and rewards, and a wider range of opportunities for personal development at all levels have both moved significantly on.

The business results format has been revitalised, and the way information flows is more consistent and effective. Short training sessions on running meetings effectively are making team meetings more productive.