Royal Voluntary Service rollout improved measures
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Results & ROI
In a short project time (10 days), The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) was enabled to establish a new performance framework, allowing it focus on measuring and reporting what really matters. This has improved communication between teams and reduced time spent on reporting.
The client
The Royal Voluntary Service exists to enrich the lives of older people and their families. With a 75-year history, 35,000 volunteers and a plan to reach 2 million older people over the next 10 years, the RVS works alongside hospitals, local authorities and other organisations. Having emerged from an improvement programme, RVS has established a foundation ‘Platform for Growth’ to ensure a better future for those it serves.
The challenge
RVS had gone though many and significant changes and wanted to make sure that new structures and approaches were delivering a business where there are volunteering opportunities that work for everyone, with more older people being served through the 67 nationwide offices. Measuring and monitoring performance is a real issue for dispersed organisations seeking to serve localities, but with national standards maintained.
The approach
Working with RVS staff we undertook the following programme of support:
- Current measures, performance progress and reports were reviewed
- An ‘as-is’ picture of the performance process was pieced together
- The Executive Team were introduced to the principles of Lean Thinking, asked to consider current KPIs and supported to identify new and more appropriate forms of metrics
- Key organisation objectives were agreed as a basis to drive performance and inform local teams about objectives and measures
- A number of teams were supported in developing and using Information Centres to monitor and improve performance
- Working with managers we developed a balanced scorecard, which cascaded from the Executive to local teams, minimising data collection
The benefits
A number of benefits have been realised. These include:
- Both IT teams are working in unison through the Information Centre with collective responsibility for resolving help desk issues and developing systems
- The Retail unit has used the Information Centre to identify gaps in availability of volunteers in order to focus recruitment on filling those slots
- The Hub is developing their measures for each service they provide, analysing how the use of leaflets impacts on awareness. Improved monitoring of inactive volunteers means better targeting to reactivate thus reducing the need for costly recruitment
- HR, Data processing and Administration teams within General Support are working together through, identifying gaps in services due to annual leave or sickness and providing support across the teams.
“I have been amazed by the commitment of our teams and that is as a direct result of the way in which Ad Esse supported us in taking this forward.”
Sally Rivers | Director of Business Performance