- National Grid concludes Shared Services review at offices in Warwick, Newcastle and Northampton
National Grid has finished an extensive review of its internal UK Shared Services department.
The review was carried out to ensure the company is delivering its services to customers as efficiently and effectively as possible. The review looked at how the Shared Services department delivers its support functions including finance and human resource activities, which are currently carried out at offices in Warwick, Newcastle and Northampton.
The review considered many options, including asking external companies for their views and recommendations on how we might deliver these services more efficiently and effectively. Staff also identified a number of internal improvements that could be made to improve efficiency and effectiveness, but these improvements were insufficient to meet the savings required.
As a result of this review, National Grid proposes to transfer delivery of some of its services to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a business solutions company which already provides information systems development and support to National Grid.
The Shared Services department will continue to have a significant presence in the Warwick and Northampton offices, where National Grid also has many other departments and functions. However, it is proposed that the office in Newcastle will close.
Approximately 300 employees are expected to be affected by the proposed changes and they will be encouraged to apply for alternative positions with the company, including those available at other locations.
National Grid employs around 10,500 staff in the UK and recruited more than 250 employees across the business during the first eight months of 2009. In addition, National Grid invested around £2bn in its UK networks during the year ended 31 March 2009. This investment indirectly supports thousands of other jobs in the supply chain. The company remains committed to consulting with employees and unions throughout the implementation of the proposed changes over the coming months.
Steve Noonan, Director of UK Shared Services said: “We recognise that these are sensitive and difficult times for those employees affected by the result of the review.
“However, National Grid has a great track record in looking after its employees through change. We strongly encourage staff to take up positions elsewhere in the company and to investigate retraining for other available roles.
“And for those who choose to leave the company, we offer generous severance packages, and we provide outplacement support to help them find alternative work.”
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For further media information only, please contact Graham McQuarrie, National Grid Media Relations on 01926 655273