The East London Line senior management team had to maintain operational and customer service levels up to the closure of the line. This was at a time when employees in a close-knit and strongly unionised community were naturally feeling de-motivated, disenfranchised and insecure about their futures.

Solutions provided

A full change management programme including:

  • A leadership programme for Senior Managers
  • Comprehensive survey to clarify communications, emotional and training needs for 150 staff
  • ‘Actions’ workshop for senior and middle managers
  • Leading Change Performance Management manual and training
  • Four-phase ‘Change’ training programme for managers
  • Integration training for the HR professionals to support new managers to integrate the ex-East London Line employees who were re-deployed
  • One-to-one leadership coaching

Business benefit

London Underground achieved its highest operational and customer service targets up to the point of closure and produced the highest levels of service in its history.

Around 150 staff were redeployed to other areas of the business with no trade union disputes.  The line closure process was deemed a success by Peter Hendy, Commissioner of Transport for London, and Harvard Business School have since used it as a case study.

Quote

“Biddy played a crucial role in helping me and my senior management team take on the challenge of maintaining performance on the East London line whilst preparing the employees for change. This included the redeployment of staff to other parts of London Underground when the line was being closed for upgrading ahead of its transfer to another operator. At the time of commissioning Biddy to help me on the East London line, I had known her for several years as she had worked on a number of other work-streams within London Underground. However her ability to quickly understand what I was looking to achieve and translate that into specific interventions was impressive. She also operated with a great deal of integrity, delivered on time and to a high standard.”

Lance Ramsay