From spreadsheets to smarter hiring

Worcestershire County Council (WCC) supports over half a million residents across Worcestershire, within the West Midlands region. From protecting the most vulnerable to driving economic growth and improving lives, their services reach every part of the community, making effective recruitment essential.

Central to this is the resourcing team, a small but mighty team tasked with recruiting the people who deliver these services. Before joining the West Midlands Talent Acquisition (WMTA) service, recruitment processes were slowing them down.

The team were managing a high volume of vacancies, providing brilliant customer service with limited tools: • Recruitment was tracked using spreadsheets and email chains

  • Manual coordination increased the risk of error
  • Service remained strong but was hard to sustain and evolve
  • Time and accuracy were under constant pressure
  • Candidate experience and support was limited to Mon to Fri, 9 – 5pm
  • Tailoring the system and adapting for different processes wasn’t easy and as it was part of the HR/ Payroll system, meant it received less priority

WCC needed a simpler, more consistent approach – one that reduced workload, supported candidates and empowered managers.

It’s not just about systems. It’s about team culture, wellbeing and leading people through change. We can also make changes ourselves and adapt to what the organisation needs, without extra cost. That’s what’s made this a success.
Helen Young, HR & Organisational Development
WCC partnered with West Midlands Employers (WME) to implement Tribepad via the WMTA service. The council could access the platform without a need for procurement as this had already been completed – saving time and money.

From day one, the team had support from WME and Tribepad teams, access to WMTribe peer learning, and a clear plan to roll out the system. Launching a new platform alongside everyday recruitment was challenging. Demand was high, resources were stretched, and vacancies were under tight financial scrutiny. WCC adopted a phased rollout, assigned a part-time lead to focus on system build and testing.

Face-to-face planning and virtual workshops helped the team map workflows and build confidence. The project team were supported through tailored training and regular check-ins. Leadership reinforced a “marathon, not a sprint” approach, giving the team space to learn and adapt. The Resourcing Team Leader at WCC, Paul Denslow, set clear expectations for the team and brought a consistently positive, can-do attitude that inspired those around him. Working closely with HR & Organisational Development lead, Helen Young, provided strategic support to help manage expectations effectively.

Twelve months on, WCC’s recruitment is faster, simpler and more consistent. Hiring managers are confident running their own campaigns, while the resourcing team focuses on service quality and improvement.

  • The team own the system, they can flex and adapt for different recruitment types
  • Email traffic dropped from an average of 140+ per week to fewer than 10
  • Manual spreadsheets replaced by automated workflows
  • Finance integrated into approvals, improving audit and budget checks
  • Time to hire reduced by 4 days › Fairer, more consistent recruitment across services
  • Increase in applications for hard-to-fill roles

The platform has also reduced risk of error, improved GDPR compliance and made the process more accessible for candidates

The adoption has been fantastic. We wouldn’t have believed 12 months ago that we’d be where we are now. We filled an engineering role we’d struggled with previously. The manager was amazed by the number of applications.
Paul Denslow, Resourcing Team Leader
Future focus

With core recruitment now embedded, WCC is focused on what’s next.

The council plans to roll the system out to maintained schools, using the same phased approach.

Other goals include: › Strengthening reporting and setting recruitment KPI

  • Introducing digital contract generation
  • Exploring talent pooling and proactive sourcing

There’s also a strong focus on continuous improvement, using data and feedback to shape better services and support long-term workforce planning.

Shape your workforce

We can support you in aligning your talent strategy with your organisation’s future goals.

Chloe Herrmann

Principal Consultant - Resourcing