Case Studies

Real businesses. Real challenges. Real results.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to people and HR. Every business is different and the challenges that come with growth can vary considerably, from finding and retaining the right people, to developing confident managers, improving processes or navigating more complex people issues.

That’s why we take the time to understand what’s really going on in a business before recommending a solution. Our approach is practical, tailored and focused on making a genuine difference, not simply adding more policies, processes or paperwork.

Our case studies share real examples of the challenges businesses have faced, the support we’ve provided and the difference it has made.

The Cooperative Property Company

Helping a growing property business hire better, lead better and scale with confidence

When The Cooperative Property Company entered a period of rapid growth, it needed more than recruitment support. It needed the people structure, leadership confidence and practical HR support to grow well.

PeopleWise Solutions supported the business to make eight key hires, save £40,000+ in recruitment costs and strengthen its approach to onboarding and leadership.

Read the full case study below to see how we helped put the right people foundations in place for continued growth.

At a glance

Client:

The Cooperative Property Company

Sector:

UK Property

Support provided:

Recruitment support, onboarding and leadership coaching.

Supported 8 new growth hires across senior, specialist and operational roles.
Delivered an estimated £40,000+ recruitment cost saving over 12 months.
Improved hiring quality through structured selection and psychometrics for key roles.
Strengthened onboarding and probation processes to reduce early misalignment.
Built management confidence through practical coaching and people support.

The challenge

As The Cooperative Property Company grew, its people approach needed to become more structured and scalable.

The business was creating new roles to support expansion, not simply replacing leavers. Roles had to be clearly defined, hiring decisions had to be consistent and new starters needed the right support to settle quickly and perform well.

At the same time, the leadership team was managing day-to-day growth pressures alongside acquisition activity. Without a more robust approach to recruitment, onboarding and people management, the business risked costly hiring mistakes and avoidable disruption during a critical stage of growth.

The approach

PeopleWise Solutions partnered with the CEO and leadership team over 12 months to put a more practical, commercial people framework in place.

The work began with recruitment across seven brand-new roles, including a Financial Controller, Financial Analyst, Strategic Partnership Director, office administration support and maintenance operatives. The focus was on improving hiring quality from the start by sharpening role scope, defining clearer success criteria and introducing a more structured selection process. Competency-based interviews improved consistency, while more disciplined shortlisting supported better decision-making. Psychometric assessment was also used for selected roles to add further insight and reduce hiring risk.

But the support did not stop at offer stage.

To improve early success and reduce the risk of misalignment, managers were supported with practical onboarding plans, clearer objectives, regular check-ins and more confident probation conversations. This helped new starters integrate more effectively and gave managers a stronger framework for addressing issues early.

Alongside the recruitment and onboarding work, the CEO received ongoing coaching and practical guidance to strengthen management capability and develop a more strategic approach to people management. Over time, this helped create a calmer, more consistent and more supportive management style across the business.

The results

The difference was having the right people support in place at a time when the business was changing quickly.

The Cooperative Property Company was able to recruit into key roles with confidence, strengthen the way new people were brought into the business and give managers greater confidence when dealing with people challenges. PeopleWise Solutions helped the business maintain stability and consistency while it continued to grow. Alongside this, the recruitment support delivered an estimated £40,000+ saving over the 12-month engagement.

Client feedback

“Working with Karen Orr and PeopleWise Solutions has made a significant difference to how we recruit and manage people during a period of growth. Karen supported us to hire eight brand-new roles using a structured process that improved decision-making and delivered significant cost savings.

“Her coaching and mentoring also helped me build a more strategic, confident approach to leadership and strengthened the management style across the business. We’re now looking to continue the partnership on a fractional HR basis because the value has been clear.”

Ayo Jenyo, CEO, The Cooperative Property Company

Why this matters

For growing SMEs, people issues tend to show up commercially before anyone calls them “people issues.”

Poorly scoped roles, inconsistent hiring, weak onboarding and under-supported managers can all create slow growth. This case study shows what happens when recruitment, onboarding and leadership support are joined up properly: better hiring decisions, stronger management practice, less disruption and a more stable platform for growth.

Growing your team, navigating change or trying to avoid expensive hiring mistakes?

PeopleWise Solutions helps UK SMEs put practical, commercially focused people support in place - from recruitment and onboarding to manager coaching, psychometrics and fractional HR.

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We are HR consultants based in Beaconsfield. Offering a personable approach, listening carefully to your concerns and objectives, before offering you practical solutions that have a real impact on your success.