CASE STUDIES

Case Study: Building Scalable Operations and HR Governance for a Growing SME

Client Overview

A rapidly expanding service-based SME experiencing growth across multiple teams. The leadership team sought to formalise operations, improve compliance, and strengthen organisational structure to support long-term scalability.

Challenge

The business had grown organically, with most processes handled informally. This led to inconsistencies in onboarding, compliance tracking, and internal communication. The company needed a structured system to manage people, policies, and processes — without adding unnecessary complexity or overhead.

Key challenges included:

  • Lack of a centralised HR and training framework

  • No standard process for onboarding, offboarding, or contract management

  • Inconsistent record-keeping for certifications and renewals (IR35 risk exposure)

  • Limited internal communication structure affecting team morale and accountability

Solution

Steinmark designed and implemented a complete Operational & HR Governance System, built to scale with the business:

  • Comprehensive HR Framework: Created an HR and compliance system including contracts, policies, onboarding/offboarding workflows, and audit-ready documentation.

  • Training & Competency Matrix: Developed a live certification tracker and training matrix for all staff, ensuring full IR35 and industry compliance.

  • Process Architecture: Mapped and documented end-to-end workflows across small works, admin, and operational teams, improving clarity and accountability.

  • Cultural Development: Introduced structured communication rhythms, social engagement initiatives, and uniform rollout to improve morale and brand alignment.

  • Strategic Enablement: Supported business strategy development, department setup (including a new Small Works division), and leadership alignment sessions.

Outcome

  • HR, compliance, and certification management fully systemised within 12 weeks

  • 100% IR35 compliance across contractor and employee records

  • Consistent onboarding and offboarding process implemented across all roles

  • Improved team engagement and retention through cultural initiatives

  • Leadership gained real-time visibility over training, contracts, and team performance

  • Foundation established for ISO9001 readiness and long-term governance

Key Takeaway

By creating a structured operational and HR ecosystem, the business gained both compliance confidence and cultural cohesion — enabling leadership to scale strategically while maintaining clarity, control, and team engagement.

Case Study: Streamlining Multi-Department Collaboration for a U.S.-Based Firm

Client Overview

A mid-sized U.S. organisation operating across five departments with a complex contract management process. Each department worked independently, resulting in miscommunication, delays, and bottlenecks when producing client documentation.

Challenge

Despite strong departmental performance, the lack of a unified process caused inefficiencies that slowed delivery and strained internal coordination.
On average, the organisation required 2–3 weeks to produce just two completed contracts, often due to fragmented workflows and repetitive manual review stages.

The leadership team needed a solution to:

  • Align multiple departments under a shared operational framework

  • Reduce contract turnaround time without sacrificing accuracy

  • Improve visibility and accountability across teams

Solution

Steinmark developed and implemented a Centralised Documentation & Workflow System, designed to streamline communication and unify processes across departments.

Key initiatives included:

  • Cross-Department Process Mapping: Analysed existing workflows to identify bottlenecks and interdependencies.

  • Collaborative Document Framework: Created a shared document system enabling five departments to work cohesively, standardising inputs and approvals.

  • Process Optimisation: Reduced redundant reviews, aligned approval stages, and built in automation to minimise manual handling.

  • Training & Implementation: Delivered team onboarding sessions and documentation guidelines to ensure consistent adoption.

Outcome

  • Contract production increased from 2 contracts in 3 weeks to 3–5 contracts in the same period — more than doubling output.

  • Review times reduced by 40%, with improved accountability and accuracy across departments.

  • Internal communication between teams strengthened, reducing friction and improving morale.

  • Leadership gained a clear view of project progress and documentation status through shared dashboards.