CASE STUDIES
Cabrini Health
Sale of Business
BACKGROUND
An established client of Dakin Partners (formerly Dakin Mayers), Cabrini Health sold a subsidiary business, Cabrini Linen Service (CLS) to Spotless, a large public company. Cabrini, a Catholic not-for-profit healthcare service with caring values and conscious of their responsibilities, put in place processes to facilitate a smooth transition of the business to ensure that staff felt well supported. Integral to this was engaging Dakin Partners to provide Career Transition and Outplacement (CT) support to all 132 staff.
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Spotless advised it would offer roles to some of the management team but not guarantee employment for any of the 120 shop floor employees. CLS had an excellent record of quality service, a great staff culture and was growing in the market. The highly multicultural shop floor staff were paid above the award and greatly appreciated the “home away from home” environment that existed. All staff were extremely sad that the business was being sold.
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ACTIVITIES
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Group Workshops
Dakin Partners conducted 10 workshops of 3 hours duration focusing on resume preparation, job search techniques, applying for roles and networking. Each staff member was provided with a comprehensive manual, sample resume formats and their current position descriptions. All staff were offered follow up one-to-one sessions with a Senior Consultant.​​
1. The CEO
The CEO chose not to join the new organisation and before the announcement of the sale we commenced a CT program focusing on his career goals. We assisted in improving his resume, applying for roles, building a marketing / networking program, developed a LinkedIn presence and honed his interview technique. His plan was to change sectors and we facilitated networking towards this target segment and within a few months he secured a new executive role in Aged Care.
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​2. Management Team
During the ‘offer period’ we held several small group and individual sessions to support the management team with our CT services. Some decided to move on as soon as possible but most waited for a possible job offer from the new owners and a couple were offered exciting new roles with Cabrini Health. In the meantime we assisted with upgrading their resumes and held confidential discussions with each individual about their options. We supported those who decided to leave, or who did not receive an offer, in determining their career options apply for new roles and conducted role plays to improve interview techniques.
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3. The Shop Floor Team
The new owners eventually did not directly employ any shop floor staff, instead hiring many indirectly through an outside labour hire firm. As a result these employees needed a resume whether they received an offer from the labour firm or looked elsewhere. Most of this group did not have resumes and spoke English as a second language, requiring highly personalised support. We met with individuals up to 4 times, often with their interpreter, to discuss their skills, attributes and plans. We drafted individual resumes for most of this group, had them typed and met again to confirm the resume was correct. Some of the employees requested additional meetings with their Consultant as they were understandably concerned about their future and needed clarification regarding their redundancy and leave entitlements. For those who did not receive offers, or decided to look elsewhere, we provided networking ideas including relevant recruitment agencies and the names of many other businesses which could be looking for staff or had positions available.
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OUTCOME
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The CEO achieved his goal of working in Aged Care, a sector he was passionate about and all the management team were either offered roles or found external employment. By the time our work was completed 112 of the 132 people had gained ongoing employment and a number retired. Cabrini Health facilitated employment for a number of management staff in their hospitals.
BACKGROUND
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Our client, the Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) in the not-for-profit Health Sector had offices around metropolitan Melbourne each being the home base from where their direct client nursing staff traveled. Our client restructured the business reducing 14 offices down to 4 regional offices, operational staff were absorbed into the larger bases and up to 30, mostly long standing female employees, were made redundant.
They were offered the services of Dakin Partners and another Career Transition provider. Our Consultants assisted staff in a prompt, proactive and caring manner and virtually all of them selected Dakin Partners (formerly Dakin Mayers) for Career Transition and Outplacement Support.
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ACTIVITY
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Building rapport with each individual was most important to the success of our work. Many were very attached to the RDNS and quite anxious about having to leave. Our initial meetings with each participant to explain our program and how we could assist were held in relaxed surroundings either local to home or work. Discussions that followed focused on future career plans and we helped with resumes, job applications, networking and interview techniques.​​
RDNS
Royal District Nursing Service
​​OUTCOME
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Discussions revealed that while staff enjoyed working with RDNS some had other initiatives they wished to pursue. Outcomes included returning to the direct patient care they had enjoyed previously, undertaking contracting or working part-time as the flexibility suited their life styles and we assisted several to start up their own business.
Overall the majority of participants turned an initial negative situation into a positive result and a new lease of life. Dakin Partners played an important role in the process of realising that opportunity.