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UniChem, the UK wholesale division of Alliance Boots, is a leading distributor and wholesaler of pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare products in the UK. It supplies a wide range of pharmacies, including independent community pharmacies, supermarkets, hospitals and prisons. It also provides a full complement of added value services to pharmacies, including innovative marketing support, commercial support services, and ethical compliance and data services.

UniChem has eleven distribution centers within the UK and its head office is based in Chessington, Surrey.

Although UniChem was first assessed some eight years ago, it recommitted itself to attain the new IIP standard in late 2005. Rather than just be something that was led by Head Office, the new assessments were to be for each distribution centre in the UK so that each site could have ‘ownership’ of their achievement in IIP status. This meant coordinating and agreeing a way forward with all levels of staff at every site so that it could be embraced by all levels of employee. The main strategy was adapted by each site to allow for their individual needs and issues to be deal with and resolved.

This process involved a significant investment in time, as all eleven sites were visited on a number of occasions by Head Office staff, to assist in the programme and recommend the best way forward.

The first decision made was that not one single person would be in charge of facilitating the programme, although the General Manager of each site was central to the management of it. As a result, through a series of management and staff briefings, a range of people were able to suggest and devise an action plan to take forward.

This involved significant ‘employee engagement’ and also provided a clear indication of the employee’s perception of the business and its objectives, as well as making sure that a range of personnel focused on the programme.

The key benefit was that the company provided improved leadership and management to all its employees and, as a minimum standard, everybody now has a one to one meeting on a monthly basis with his/her line manager. These meetings often take place away from the workplace and can embrace a number of topics whether work related or not. This has created a stronger and more meaningful working environment for all parties.

Staff turnover was dramatically reduced. In 2004 the staff turnover rate was 45% and in 2006 it was down to 26%, and a significant part of this reduction is due to the new structures implemented by the IIP programme. Not only has it produced notable monetary savings for the company but by retaining staff for longer periods the level of employee commitment is enhanced. Also, it has enabled the HR department to focus more of its time on the current employees and less on seeking replacements for those leaving the company.

‘The company’s board of directors have been fully supportive of this strategy from the outset and felt that it was important that the regional distribution centres and head office functions led the initiative. Our application for corporate IIP status is now in progress so that the whole company will soon become totally recognised by IIP. We also felt that if we were going to embark on this then we should do it fully so we have always covered all ten areas of IIP recognition.'  Sheena Webster, Head of HR