Aligning talent with business strategy
As part of a broader transformation, Rolls-Royce set out to become a more competitive and agile business. A key element of this journey involved rethinking how the organisation defines and manages talent ¨C shifting from static job roles to a dynamic, skills-first approach.
This shift enables better alignment between workforce capabilities and business priorities while giving employees clearer visibility into growth and development opportunities.
¡°It centres around the skills people have ¨C not necessarily the ones linked to their current job,¡± says Sharon Etheridge, head of People Services, Strategy and Transformation. ¡°That shift helps us better align our people with where we¡¯re headed as a business.¡±
Creating a common language for skills
To bring this vision to life, Rolls-Royce partnered with ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ to create a consistent, enterprise-wide approach to skills. With ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Skills Cloud and the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ taxonomy, the business now uses a shared framework to describe, map and report on skills across its global workforce.
Tools such as career hub and manager insights provide personalised development recommendations, while ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Prism Analytics and discovery boards offer visibility into skills by business unit, geography and diversity attributes.
¡°²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ gives us a common currency of skills across our HR processes. It allows us to connect the dots ¨C so we know where we have the right capabilities, where we don¡¯t and where we need to grow.¡±
Head of People Services, Strategy and Transformation
Meeting compliance with greater efficiency
Operating in a regulated industry, Rolls-Royce must track workforce training and competencies with precision. Previously managed manually via spreadsheets, these processes are now embedded in ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ ¨C streamlining operations and improving oversight.
¡°We¡¯ve built our assessment criteria directly into ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ using the skills taxonomy,¡± says Andrea Hyde, ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ practice lead. ¡°What used to be tracked in offline processes is now centralised ¨C so we can quickly ensure we¡¯re meeting our obligations.¡±
Empowering employees to drive their own development
²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ is also helping Rolls-Royce deliver a more engaging employee experience. Colleagues are encouraged to maintain their skills profiles and access learning and mentoring opportunities that match their interests and career goals.
¡°Employees are responsible for managing their own destiny,¡± says Hyde. ¡°They can see what¡¯s in it for them ¨C whether it¡¯s personalised learning, mentoring or visibility into new career opportunities.¡±
This data-driven approach is helping managers better support their teams ¨C and helping HR make smarter, faster decisions.
¡°I¡¯m really excited about how ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ is embedding AI. It releases our people from labour-intensive tasks and gives us more time to steer the business ¨C not just report on it.¡±
Head of People Services, Strategy and Transformation
Unlocking capacity with AI and automation
²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ automation and AI capabilities are freeing up HR teams to focus on high-value, strategic work. With less time spent on repetitive admin tasks, leaders can prioritise organisational development and long-term workforce planning.
¡°AI takes away repetitive tasks and allows HR to be a strategic partner,¡± says Hyde.
¡°I¡¯m really excited about how ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ is embedding AI,¡± adds Etheridge. ¡°It releases our people from labour-intensive tasks and gives us more time to steer the business ¨C not just report on it.¡±
Building a workforce ready for what¡¯s next
By putting skills at the heart of its workforce strategy, Rolls-Royce is gaining the agility, insight and structure it needs to prepare for the future. With ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ, the company has created a consistent and connected skills infrastructure that empowers people and drives performance.
¡°²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ gives us the insight we need to support people development and drive transformation across the business,¡± says Etheridge.