Kinetic – Our Story Over the Last 15 Months
Kinetic became a 100% employee owned business in April 2018. The driving force behind the decision was to ensure a company of 35 years would remain in employee ownership for the future, protecting its independence and culture. It also was to recognise all the value generated in the business was created by the long serving employees.
From diversifying the Kinetic contract recruitment business, to establishing Pay Partners and Kinetic Nursing recruitment, all these fundamental changes to the business over the years were driven by the employees with a total focus on customer value.
Another important part of the change to employee ownership was to bring together the three quite different businesses within the Kinetic group.
The goal was to enable each business to share knowledge, best practice and gain an understanding of each other’s values and purpose as employee owners and equals. This was something the company had already started, but we saw this key as part of the change of ownership, recognising everyone had a part to play in all the businesses regardless of their role.
The businesses to recap are
- Kinetic Recruitment Services – contract recruitment in manufacturing and engineering
- Pay Partners – payroll management services
- Kinetic Nursing – domiciliary care provision
So, you can see their services and markets are quite different. So, what could they have in common?
Much that pre COVID there was a plan to get the businesses together and start to share values and purpose, the impact of COVID was a significant shift in executing that plan.
So, what happened?
Like most companies when the pandemic hit, our IT support team were magnificent in enabling all the business to work remotely wherever possible. Within 24 hours of lockdown all our consultants were set up at home with access to all I.T. and phone systems.
There was in Kinetic Recruitment a complete change in the recruitment process interviewing all candidates on line and setting up on line client meetings to discuss constantly changing recruitment requirements. Additional services were provided including health and safety briefs for candidates and clients as well as management of testing processes both for COVID and also other related tests.
Kinetic Nursing were though on the front line out in the field visiting people houses and providing the even more important part of domiciliary care. Someone to talk to each day and give reassurances to their safety and well being
Pay Partners were partially at home with core staff rotating in the office responding to clients queries on furlough and pay arrangements as well as running payrolls.
Then the change began to happen.
Furlough
Pay Partners clients saw us as a “go to” company for all advice on planning furlough and associated payroll changes. From being a pure payroll provider, we were suddenly turning into an advisor on associated Human Resource support services.
Furlough also was extended to our 1000 contract recruitment personnel. This was not offered up by a lot of recruitment companies due to its complexity, but was totally embraced by Kinetic Recruitment Services. Jobs transform lives and this action of managing the furlough process for over 1000 contract personnel and our associated user clients was a fundamental part of our purpose
As a result, far more detailed conversations and relationship building with end user clients and the contract workers ensured we reached the common goal to keep workers in employment.
As a consequence, 95% of the contract workers furloughed are now back in work. This has led to enormous respect from all parties and already serving us well going forward.
Whilst our goal was always to add value and be consultative with clients, the government furlough scheme has brought everybody together in a strong collaborative way.
Jobs transform lives and we truly lived our values working with customers to keep people in work.
Nursing, experts in their field of care and mental health had a wealth of experience to share with the all the Kinetic companies not only on providing policies and procedures but also specific advice on handling mental health challenges. This again was extended not only to our employee owners but to temporary contract workers who were worried about potential job loss.
Going forward today the “vison” for all companies to share knowledge and best practice has become the norm. Our communication channels throughout gave all our employee owners the knowledge to know Kinetic and all its businesses were pulling together.
More friendships have been formed (admittedly on line!) and a vast respect for each other enhanced.
Our purpose as a group of companies is being truly brought to life although we still have work to do!
Kinetic has a strap line which we now truly live and breathe :
“Kinetic is your company, we work together, We are stronger as a team. We all play a part in building and sharing in the success of all the companies. “
We hope you enjoyed our story over the last 15 months