Farrelly Facilities & Engineering
Ltd. Increasing sales and profits by reducing staff hours
The company
Farrelly Facilities & Eng Ltd, work in the construction industry,
supplying design, installation and maintenance of heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, power wiring and controls, throughout the UK to
both the private and public sector.
Sector: Manufacturing
Location: West Midlands
Workforce
50 employees
12% female
2% ethnic minorities
5% turnover
90% women returning after maternity leave
The challenge
To increase both sales and profits through reducing staff hours. Creating
the TGI Monday feeling.
Response
We decided to improve staff satisfaction and effectiveness by reducing
hours to a standard 35 hour week (Organisations within the construction
industry are well known for working hours of up to 50-60 hours week).
The reduction in hours was implemented through careful planning and
preparation, staff training and, above-all, team-work. When 4pm is
upon us it is common to ask around the office to find out who needs
help to tie up loose ends for the day. Our motto is to “do first
things first”.
In addition we introduced several “work-life balance”
policies:
Policies for all employees:
- Individuals’ specific needs are assessed
every 14 days in a personal development review
- Directors door is always open and all employees
may request time-off and flexible working
- Home working when necessary is encouraged
Policies for parents:
- Parental leave
- Leave for children’s medical treatment, school
holidays
- Parents can leave as and when needed to fit around
child care and school arrangements
- Football and entertainment evenings encouraged within
the organisation
Take-up and outcomes:
- Parents with school/ nursery runs start work
around 9.15 - 9.30am and finish around 3pm
- 100% of administrative and managerial staff have
taken up job sharing. This means that any employee requiring extended
leave can do so without having to run through their work as we are
all a team working together
- 80% of staff take extended annual leave for school
holidays and other family matters
- Up to 85% of employees take advantage of our flexible
working hours scheme
Business benefits
Since 1999, when we implemented Work Life Balance policies:
- Sales increased fivefold
from £2m to expected sales of £10m for 2003. Profits
also increased significantly
- Increased staff retention with 5% turnover rates
(very low for the sector)
- Vast reduction in customer complaints
- More innovation by employees
Because staff are more satisfied with their working
conditions, they more readily take ownership of their work and provide
a better service for customers. Cost-savings are impressive, boosting
profits as wasted project and management time is
almost a thing of the past.
In practice
Padma started working in the accounts department at Farrelly
Facilities & Engineering Ltd. eight years ago. She started
as a part time employee working two to three days a week, due
to her having young children. Since then Padma has increased
the number of days she works to five days a week, starting at
9am and leaving at 3.15pm. This means she is able to take her
children to school and pick them up at the end of the day. As
Padma said in an interview with the NSPCC: “ As they’re
flexible with me, I will be flexible with them - it works both
ways”.
The future
Gerry (MD): The future looks much brighter for the employee,
client and the company. Our aim is to provide the client with
world-class service, good enough is not sufficient in a world
where competition is reaching boiling point. To succeed you have
to be different and the competitive edge at Farrelly Facilities & Engineering
Ltd comes from competing with our people. The pay cheque is no
longer the trophy, today the real job is the trophy and employers
need to create a great work place. Competing on price alone you
will not win. Competing with the best men and women - you
will always win.
‘Getting a life is the key’.
September 2003
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