Graduate Management Flexi-Placement: Achieving Staff Engagement at United Utilities

The NHS North West HR Graduate Training Scheme gives its trainees the opportunity to spend two months working on flexi-placements in organisations that are external to the NHS. Such placements are a great opportunity for trainees to gain experience and share good practice. This develops their skills and confidence, whilst also benefitting the NHS through the knowledge they gain. This case study forms part of a series of three, all of which are based upon placements undertaken by graduate trainees in August and September 2013.This case study is specifically based upon the flexi-placement that was undertaken at United Utilities, where a staff engagement project was designed to learn about the approach adopted there, and to help develop a strategy to improve engagement.There were two main parts to the employee engagement project:The pulse surveys and barometer sessionsThe engagement and communication strategy