Case Studies
Southern Water

Case study 2: Southern Water

Southern Water chose Bond Talent's powerful web-based HR workforce management solutions to streamline its recruitment process. As a result, Southern Water has been able to absorb a 100% increase in recruitment volume with no new hires, enhance communication between HR and Line Managers, and improve the candidate experience.

About Southern Water

Southern Water is responsible for delivering clean, fresh water to around one million households in the South East of England. They also treat and recycle dirty water from nearly two million households. Southern Water has approximately 104 water supply works collecting and cleaning water before it is used, and 390 wastewater treatment works treating the water so that it can be returned to the environment. Their pipe network is huge, with 13,300 km of water mains. They also recycle sludge for use in agriculture. Strict European Union laws govern water and wastewater quality.

Southern Water uses these high standards as minimum targets and strives to provide efficient, cost effective services for all its customers. The way water services are paid for, and how much they cost, is also regulated. Southern Water is part way through a truly vast plan to improve services and protect the environment, with a £1.6 billion program of investment to maintain and improve services between 2005 and 2010. This is in addition to a £2 billion investment between 1995 and 2005.

Key Achievements of the Project

• Absorbed 100% increase in recruitment volume with no increase in fixed term employees.
• Average length of time to authorize a vacancy reduced from two weeks to two days.
• Increased responsibility passed to the Line Management population, requiring less intervention/resolution of issues by HR delegates.
• Vast decrease in the time taken to manage the approval process between Line Managers and HR.
• Controlled and structured recruitment process with increased ownership by Line Managers.
• Excellent feedback from Line Managers and Directors.
• Improvement of the candidate experience – Southern Water now has very specific online application forms that can be quickly set-up for new role types.

Southern Water HR Director comments:
"I think the Bond Talent online recruitment system is excellent, it avoids more paper and is easy to use. Well done to Bond, the providers of this software."

A Line Manager within Southern Water also commented:
"I think the system is excellent, it is easy to use, quick and efficient."

Bond International Software MD Tim Richards comments:
"The services that Southern Water provides are diverse and on a grand scale. As a large, complex organization it needed Applicant Tracking Software that could meet these challenging needs and save vital time. Bond Talent can deliver all this and more. We look forward to continuing to work with Southern Water to assist them in their remit to drive down costs and improve efficiency."

Bond International Software is the world's premier provider of human capital management software to global staffing and recruiting organizations. It has over 30 years experience in the development and creation of products and services that have become industry standards. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the group also has offices in the United States, Australasia, South Africa, Japan and Hong Kong with a global team of over 500 employees.

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