Grant Thornton UK achieves centralized resource management with Dayshape

Grant Thornton UK now uses Dayshape, AI-powered resource management software, across its audit & assurance, advisory, and tax service lines. 

After successfully leading the change management project, Laura Brierley, Project Implementation Director and Head of Agile Talent, highlights the key impacts and benefits made from centralized resource management. 

For more details on the firm's change management approach, click here.

The goal:
Centralize resource management across all service lines

Before implementing Dayshape in 2020, Grant Thornton UK was using legacy resource management software supplemented by spreadsheets across service lines. This decentralized approach to resourcing resulted in inconsistent resourcing processes and an inability to share resources across the firm. 

The challenge:
Replace outdated resource management software

The solution:
Dayshape as an integral part of centralized resource management

Grant Thornton UK's key objectives made it clear that the firm was looking for an advanced resource management solution with AI capabilities. After thoroughly researching the market, Dayshape was selected to deliver the firm's centralized resource management goal.

"One of the key things we wanted out of the project was a future-fit system, not just a system for now, and Dayshape offered that with advanced AI functionality."

 

Resource scheduling efficiency 

Then: Inability to share resources across the firm

Previously, resources were not shared regularly or efficiently between locations and service lines. 

Now: Objective, commercially led, resourcing decisions with Dayshape

With Dayshape, Grant Thornton UK can objectively outline to teams why somebody is allocated, taking away any subjectivity. A lot of this is margin or risk related, taken from the firm's set criteria and benchmarks within Dayshape. This allows the firm to show the commercials or risk profile of the client is considered in resourcing decisions, making them challenging to dispute. 

Impact: Ready to work remotely prior to COVID-19 outbreak

Grant Thornton UK were ahead of the curve when the pandemic triggered remote working. The firm already had the technology and processes in place and the firm's people quickly saw the benefits of working in the same way, having access to the same information in one resource management system, and sharing resources objectively across the whole of the firm. 

"We wouldn't have been able to get through the pandemic the way we did if we weren't working on a national basis with Dayshape. Having everyone working in the same way allowed us to tap into our international member firm network and quickly mobilize remote support because we could see in our Dayshape overview exactly how much additional capacity we needed and for how long."

Explore Gantt chart scheduler.

People-focused resource management initiatives

Then: Traffic light system to indicate resource availability

A part of Grant Thornton UK's practice previously used a traffic light system for individuals to indicate whether they were busy using a self-assessment of red, amber, or green. 

Laura noted: "One of the challenges for teams who hadn't really used a resourcing tool much previously, was an underlying sense of apprehension regarding how the data would be used and the impact on themselves and their teams."

Now: Objective utilization metrics to ensure resourcing decisions are fair and consistent

"It was important for us to communicate that using Dayshape helps to drive positive action, not catch people out. The utilization metrics allow us to ensure fairness, provide better people experiences, and support the firm's financial performance."

Impact: Not overutilizing high performers

With clear visibility of utilization, the firm can ensure that high performers are not overloaded by proactively redistributing work to other team members when flagged. This helps to retain the best people and provide more opportunities to those who may not be as confident to put themselves forward. 

"People generally stay at Grant Thornton UK because of the culture and how much freedom people have when it comes to how and where they work. Dayshape's software has allowed us to enhance this part of our culture even more." 

Explore people-first planning.

Seamless integrations

Then: Disjointed systems with no integrations to HR, CRM, or timesheet data

Grant Thornton UK's previous resource management software was completely standalone with large administrative efforts needed to keep it updated with the latest information. 

"We were previously doing a lot of double keying into multiple systems. This was highly frustrating and distracted from client delivery as well as more interesting development opportunities."

Now: Real-time data with Dayshape's seamless integrations to HR, CRM, and timesheet sources

Laura notes: "One of the key reasons why teams want to move to Dayshape is that all holidays are approved in one system, automatically creating a leave booking in Dayshape to show their unavailability. Having that visibility of who's available and who isn't is a key selling point and removes the need for us to go into our HR system." 

Impact: Increased user adoption

"From a user experience and therefore adoption point of view, it's been critical that we've been able to demonstrate that with Dayshape we're taking away double keying where we can and instead providing a single source of truth by integrating with other systems and bringing in information which is relevant to resourcing such as leave and study."

Explore integrations.

Predictable engagement performance

Then: Inability to predict performance and pivot engagement plans 

A key objective for Grant Thornton UK was to drive more value from engagements. Notably, this can be particularly challenging when expectations change for reasons such as adjustments to the scope during an engagement. 

Now: Dayshape's engagement economics to drive engagement value

Grant Thornton UK's central team have access to actual timesheet data in Dayshape integrated from the firm's finance system. This enables comparisons of actual time spent to present budget as well as preset thresholds for items such as margin. This accurate, real-time data can then be highlighted to engagement leaders responsible for signing off budgets to redress issues. 

Impact: Ensuring engagement value is obtained 

"Part of the reason we picked Dayshape was the economics, being able to track actuals vs budget enables the business to have the data to hand to ensure value is obtained for our team's hard work."

Explore real-time project financials.

Powerful reporting insights

Then: Unreliable data integrity in reporting 

Laura shares: "Reports in our legacy solution were challenging as the tool wasn't integrated so the data quality was wholly dependent on whomever was entering the data and managing it manually."

Now: Dayshape's powerful reporting with accurate data from integrations

Cautious not to transition lots of historical and potentially poor-quality data into a new tool, the firm chose to transfer only one year's worth of data into Dayshape.

Laura shares: "We wanted to ensure we started with complete and accurate data to match the quality of data we'd have with Dayshape going forward." 

 

Impact: Ability to use reporting to make proactive hiring decisions across service lines

Previously, teams within Grant Thornton UK would request extra capacity but they would be unable to evidence the need for their request based on utilization from timesheets alone, as these didn't capture all other activities being carried out in sufficient detail. 

"With Dayshape's reporting, we now have accurate and complete data from all teams which is hugely beneficial, and we can be a lot more proactive as a result." 

Explore reporting and dashboards.

Would you recommend Dayshape to other large professional firms looking for a solution that works across all lines of service? 

"I would recommend Dayshape and have done to several firms. Working in partnership with Dayshape has been great and mutually beneficial."

What's next for Grant Thornton UK?

"From a resource management maturity point of view, we'll continue to enhance and evolve how we use Dayshape to further benefit from the solution. We'll start to leverage the next level of AI scheduling, Advise, which will take time but considering the progress already made, and Dayshape's support, we're confident that we'll get there." 

Where are you now? Take our 5-minute resource management maturity quiz.