Assessing talent to take on new ways of working

Client: Natwest
Sector: Financial services
Service: Assessment and development

The client

National Westminster Bank were introducing a significant cultural change to their audit function, moving from a retrospective checking approach towards a more forward-looking risk management approach. They were concerned that not everyone working in audit would be able to make this mental adjustment.

Edgecumbe’s contribution

Edgecumbe was invited to assess 80 senior managers within the audit function to determine who would be able to make this change to a new approach. Of those who would find it more difficult, our role was to determine their development needs and make recommendations accordingly.

We assessed these managers using a combination of in-depth interviews to assess their personal qualities, and psychometric tests including personality questionnaires and a cognitive ability measure to determine ability to make complex business decisions.

We identified through our assessment reports, those audit managers who had the highest potential to change to the new audit approach, as well as those who would need further development. These individuals were given detailed development plans which they discussed and worked on with their boss.

The outcome

The bank introduced a new organisation structure within audit, populated by managers who were effective in their new role. When the bank was subsequently taken over by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the new approach was adopted by the combined entity. The original Head of Audit was asked to take over the new merged group audit function, thus ensuring that the new culture would persist.