Building a healthy relationship

The membership division of Bupa, the private health insurer, suffered from a culture clash when it first tried outsourcing recruitment for call centre staff in 2006. The original supplier couldn’t understand that “our people aren’t selling a product,” says Phil Knight, head of HR for Bupa UK Membership. “They’re dealing with people who are suffering from health problems or calling on behalf of someone who is”.

The company switched to Ochre House, with a two-year deal to source all Bupa Membership’s hires of less than £40,000. The contract contains 22 key performance indications that it has to satisfy. Bupa works with a dedicated Ochre House talent manager, and has found retention rates have improved.

“Ochre House has changed our thinking about where to attract people,” says Knight. “Before, we went through agencies; now we attract primarily through the web”.

Source: The Sunday Times

Posted by The Sunday Times