Success story: Wilmington plc

Wilmington plc is a UK-based public limited company operating in the Governance Risk and Compliance markets, helping customers to do the right business in the right way. 

Wilmington acts as a trusted partner to customers operating in regulated sectors and the governance, risk and compliance markets. They provide critical data and information to enable customers to make the decisions needed to maintain compliance with the rules and regulations that apply to them and provide training and education to equip customers with the knowledge and skills to carry out their activities in line with best practice. 

Operating through a portfolio of businesses under trusted brand names such as the International Compliance Association, AXCO, Mercia, Pendragon, Astutis and Phoenix HSC, Wilmington serves customers internationally. FRA is their US-based business working predominantly in the media sector. 

Here, Esther Osborn FCIPD, Head of People Operations & Services at Wilmington, shares the experience of implementing the Access suite, including PeopleXD Evo, Talent Management, Access Learning, Access Personalised Learning, Access Payroll, Access Screening, EarlyPay, and the employee benefits platform. 

Wilmington has also invested in our Premier Customer Success Plan. 

As an international matrix organisation that regularly acquires businesses, Wilmington needed a people system that could accommodate the intricacies of their business setup whilst remaining accessible to employees across all their employment processes. 

"We are an international matrix organisation and finding and implementing a system that works with the intricacies of our business set up, while being accessible to our employees to facilitate all our employment processes had led us previously in 2023 to implement Access PeopleXD Evo as our chosen people system provider," explains Esther Osborn FCIPD, Head of People Operations & Services at Wilmington plc. 

The breadth of offering: Building an integrated suite 

"One of the main reasons for choosing Access was the breadth of offering and the ability to add to Access PeopleXD Evo with other solutions to create an end-to-end system for all our people requirements," says Esther. 

This modular approach proved crucial as Wilmington's needs evolved. Their previous benefits provider and platform had become outdated, with disparate access and confusing content for employees. Combined with rising benefit policy costs, this prompted them to expand their Access suite. 

"Our previous benefits provider and platform had become outdated and the disparate nature of separate access to and platform content [was] confusing for our employees. This alongside rising benefit policy costs led us to consider adding the benefits platform to our Access suite." 

"Access was very much the right fit for our organisation," says Esther. "The key winning aspects of the Access system is that it's really intuitive and easy to use, it's flexible, and we can add to it if we want to as we have with EarlyPay, which is really attractive. And the cost wasn't at all prohibitive." 

The power of integration 

For the benefits platform specifically, the integration with existing Access solutions was the primary driver: 

"First and foremost was the link to our Access PeopleXD Evo data. Anyone that has worked with multiple systems or even excel sheets will know how difficult it is to maintain 'one version of the truth' but having the ability to pull through data from the one existing accurate source is invaluable," Esther explains. 

"This and the work that Access were undertaking to link the benefits platform to the managed payroll service, creating efficiencies and reducing manual admin was also a key factor." 

Intuitive design aligned with organisational branding 

When the team received the demo, they were encouraged by what they saw. "The team were really encouraged by the intuitive layout and access to the various benefit areas as well as the ability to brand the system, something that we had already done with the other areas of the platform and wanted to continue with in conjunction with our 'one system' strategy." 

Implementation: An enjoyable experience 

"I haven't found many people in my career that would say system implementation is enjoyable, but this one certainly was!" Esther reflects. 

The success came down to collaboration between teams. "I am incredibly lucky to have a high performing, long serving team who are a joy to work alongside and bringing Anthony and Steve into the mix cemented the team. Regular meetings, great communication, their suggestions of what works well and how to improve alongside my team's brilliant attention to detail helped us to creating our engaging platform." 

Esther acknowledges the reality of implementation work. "I can't deny there is always work involved in a system set up that is often alongside the day job for subject matter experts involved, but the engagement with the Access team made this feel very achievable and rewarding." 

The relationship has evolved beyond a typical vendor partnership. "Our meetings now with Steve and Anthony are more like friends catching up with regular discussions on which retailer to use on instant discounts and who is in the lead on how much we have saved." 

Platform design: Flexible and accessible 

From the outset, the Access team made it clear that flexibility was at the heart of the design process. 

"From the first meeting it was made very clear to us that we could design the platform to be flexible to our needs and that the Access design team could not only give some guidance and examples but then also do the design for us," says Esther. 

"Working with Wilmington brand guidelines and our recently developed people platform branding, the Access team came up with some modern engaging graphics that tied together the various Access modules as well as enabling us to then use these on people communications via our intranet." 

The team also engaged with Wilmington's Media and Communications Officer to ensure all graphics and pages complied with accessibility guidelines. "The look and feel of the site now is very different to our previous offering and is bold, colourful and engaging." 

Intuitive, flexible HR with PeopleXD Evo 

Access PeopleXD Evo is an end-to-end, AI-enabled HR solution with built-in payroll and people analytics. Designed for medium-to-large organisations to manage the entire employee journey in one place, PeopleXD Evo helps supercharge HR tasks, make informed decisions and drive business impact. 

Wilmington's challenge was to find an HR solution that could cater to the varying rules of its numerous companies. PeopleXD Evo delivered this solution alongside a host of other benefits. 

Managed payroll accuracy 

"100% the biggest improvement for us has been our payroll. We went for a managed payroll service and the accuracy is a world away from where we were with our previous supplier. It's a much slicker process, both for the people who do the work within Wilmington, and for our employees who don't have to experience all the pitfalls of when things go wrong," Esther told us. 

EarlyPay: On-demand pay for financial wellbeing 

Having embedded its new managed payroll service, Wilmington then added EarlyPay as an offering for its people. EarlyPay is our on-demand pay solution which gives employees instant access to pay they've already earned. 

"EarlyPay has been a real benefit for us. We've just been through Christmas and January and people have found it hugely helpful, especially with the cost-of-living crisis," says Esther. In fact, 93% of people say on-demand pay has helped them through the cost-of-living crisis. 

Talent Management: From Word documents to streamlined processes 

One of the requirements that kick-started Wilmington's search was to find a talent management and engagement solution. "We didn't have anything, short of Word documents or Microsoft forms, for all our talent and engagement," says Esther. 

"When it comes to the talent piece, just having the ability to record objectives and do regular check-ins has made the process so much more efficient. And our managers now see that as a really positive experience, rather than one you don't look forward to, or even dread. Likewise with annual reviews. We've got them to look back on, and to make sure we're targeting the areas we need to target as a business." 

Analytics: Turning complex data into actionable insights 

PeopleXD Evo Analytics has given Wilmington the ability to turn its complex data into easy-to-understand charts, dashboards and tailored reports. 

The team now produces a monthly people report full of KPIs using Access PeopleXD Evo data, which helps demonstrate the value of the platform to the executive team. 

Digital learning: From spreadsheets to systematic tracking 

Learning management software was one of Wilmington's initial requirements. "All our training was being recorded in Excel spreadsheets or worse, in emails!" Esther told us. 

Our LMS has delivered the solution Wilmington needed by working in tandem with our talent management software to empower and engage, elevate performance and track compliance. 

Employee benefits platform: Integration drives efficiency 

Wilmington has now implemented Access Engage, our employee engagement platform, which includes Salary Extras – the all-in-one employee benefits platform. 

The integration between PeopleXD Evo and the benefits platform has been transformative for the organisation. 

"The integration has really helped us to streamline our offering and create efficiencies in the administration processes undertaken by our shared services team as well as providing clearer access and information on our benefits to our employees," Esther explains. 

Supporting a complex group structure and acquisitions:

As a matrix organisation that regularly acquires businesses, the integrated setup has proved invaluable. 

"As a matrix organisation we regularly acquire businesses. The set up in PeopleXD along with the connection to the benefits platform has helped us to bring new teams into the system with the ability to maintain any legacy/TUPE benefits that may differ to the current Wilmington offering." 

"Individual employees only have access to their plans and levels of cover etc. because of the information held in PeopleXD and the benefits platform so the integration is proving a great success with reduction in admin with a much improved employee experience for the selection and management of their benefit offering/choices." 

Platform features delivering value: 

Scheme eligibility: "As we have worked through the implementation of the system, we have highlighted disparities between offerings and endeavoured to streamline where possible to create efficiencies. Where this has not been possible, and to the point above about the variety of businesses and acquisition model, the eligibility settings have been invaluable to make the system feel seamless to all our employees and that they are getting the same experience as their other colleagues whatever their benefit package." 

Total Reward Statements (TRS): "The TRS is a new offering and launching ahead of our annual benefit window enabled our employees to make informed decisions about what they wanted to opt into and could afford for the next year." 

Flexible benefits and instant discounts: "The flexible benefits have provided a point of conversation in competition of how much you can get out of the system in savings and are really helping our employees to make the most of their salary in a time when cost of living is so high and the wage/tax burden on employers increasing." 

Significant time savings and process improvements:

"Looking at it from a risk perspective it has really helped us to ensure that we are compliant with data protection. Sending large reports of employee data from a system to an external 3rd party is a key concern for any people team so removing this task has been beneficial both administratively and in reducing risk." 

The benefits continue to develop. "The offering keeps developing so even over the course of the last 9 months since we went live, we continue to find ways of using the platform and the data to inform and engage also helping reduce admin burden in other areas." 

"It would be difficult to put a figure on it with the various peaks of a benefits cycle through the year, but it has certainly freed up several hours a week in my team therefore allowing us to focus on additional functionality, improvements and streamlining in other areas of the system and our processes with more time to support team members and a reduced number of email queries in the inbox." 

The Access team has played a crucial role in driving benefits uptake at Wilmington through webinars and ongoing support. 

"The webinars were invaluable! Steve guided our team through the new platform and set up (preferred by some to have a demo even though it is as intuitive as internet shopping), highlighting all the key benefits and features and was a great salesperson with the added benefits and instant discounts!" 

The support extended beyond the platform itself. "One of the other positives from the new platform and engaging with a new broker allowed us to improve our Private Healthcare Offering with a new provider and where Steve supported us in highlighting this leading to exceptional engagement in the providers' webinars as a result and the uptake higher than anyone, even the broker, predicted." 

Dedicated Customer Success Manager support 

Wilmington benefits from working with their dedicated Customer Success Manager, Steve Lapham, whose support has been instrumental in maximising the value of the platform. 

"Great in terms of regularity of contact, emails between parties in between meetings responded to swiftly, great tips/hints and guidance and an overall feeling that he is as invested, engaged and excited about our platform as we are and continues to be helping us develop further and make the most of the offering." 

The monthly statistics provided by Steve have proved valuable for internal reporting. "The monthly stats are also great as we use these in our people report to show the executive team the engagement we are getting and the savings our employees are achieving as a result." 

Premier customer success plan 

"Investing in a success plan is worth it! We've been able to make tweaks that have improved things for us. You don't know what you don't know! And if you realise there's a better, more effective way of doing things, having that resource is really useful," Esther says. 

Find out more about our customer success plans. 

"There is always a deep breath when you launch something and wait for the feedback (usually from those who don't like it) but it has been very positive," Esther reflects. 

The statistics tell a compelling story. "The stats have shown regular usage every month, even consistently after the usual peak at benefit window, and this is supported by the verbal feedback where employees have commented on how they like the look, feel and easy use." 

The engagement extends to the People Team itself. "In our own People Team meetings we are all engaged on the subject and what we have signed up to or used and great ideas of what else we can add to it to streamline communication to our teams." 

The results:

Measurable business impact across the suite 

Wilmington has achieved significant outcomes across multiple areas since implementing the Access suite: 

Compliance and risk reduction: 

Improved compliance with data protection, reducing risk on the risk register 

Data-driven decision making: 

Monthly people report full of KPIs produced using Access PeopleXD Evo data 

Workforce management: 

Improved management of absence and understanding of reasons 

Improved turnover as a result of monitoring levels, particularly during probation, leading to improved recruiting techniques 

Benefits engagement: 

Increased uptake of benefits, such as private healthcare 

Usage of monthly metrics to increase engagement through 'competition' 

Regular platform usage even after the initial benefit window peak 

Operational efficiency: 

Improved payroll accuracy 

Streamlining of benefit offerings, reducing the different schemes and levels of schemes 

Several hours per week freed up in the People Operations team, allowing focus on additional functionality and improvements 

Reduced number of email queries 

People development: 

Usage of banding/benchmarking with ability to structure and translate this for employees into benefits packages and reward 

Improved internal process with performance management and reviews.

The Access Group's HCM division, Access People, offer an unrivalled suite of solutions for businesses, including HR and Payroll, Absence Management, Workforce Management, Compliance, Recruitment, Talent, Learning, Employee Benefits and Engagement, Health & Safety, all of which are underpinned by the powerful Access Workspace platform. 

The Access Group is one of the leading providers of business management software to small and mid-sized organisations in the UK, Ireland, and Asia Pacific. We help over 100,000 customers across commercial and not-for-profit sectors become more productive and efficient.

Discover how Access PeopleXD Evo and our integrated HR ecosystem can streamline your processes, boost engagement, and deliver measurable results. 

Looking to see how it can work for you? Book a demo!