Incovo

Our Client

Glasgow-based managed cybersecurity and IT consultancy Incovo provides vital support services to companies large and small. Founded over 20 years ago in 2002, its 9-strong core specialist team, led by dynamic entrepreneur Chris Thomas, helps Scottish and global firms of all shapes and sizes manage their tech needs.  

 

Our Challenge

In 2022, Incovo acquired IT services provider RGB Solutions. The move cemented Incovo’s position as one of the leading cybersecurity and IT consultancies in Scotland, boosting the group’s turnover to over £1.5m and bolstering Incovo’s presence across Scotland’s Central Belt. 

The acquisition increased Incovo’s need for a solid HR infrastructure with strengthened systems and processes for recruitment, onboarding, compliance, performance management, and everyday team management. Before AAB came on board, there were no formal systems in place at Incovo.

 

Our Solution

Since September 2022, AAB have become an integral part of Incovo’s team. Working closely with CEO Chris Thomas and COO James Myles, AAB reviewed every aspect of people management activity and introduced a range of features to manage current and future HR planning needs. 

Formal job descriptions were created for all incovo positions ahead of a recruitment drive for two more positions in Spring 2023. But before the current recruitment process could begin, employment policies and procedures, compliance procedures, an employee handbook, onboarding procedures, and a long-term HR management system were all introduced by AAB. A maternity cover process was formed and shared too– a first-time need for incovo!

It was important to incovo not only to be recruitment-ready but to feel more equipped to serve the employment and development needs of all the current team members and ensure that they feel listened to, supported and nurtured.  An HR Mailbox was introduced to enable individuals to come to AAB with any HR issues, challenges or information requests. AAB work hard to understand each team member’s aspirations, offer support on any emerging issues, and give all team members a voice.  

The result is a strong sense of reassurance across the business, coupled with on-tap best practice advice and a reliable solid infrastructure to handle ‘all things HR’. 

 

Our Impact

CEO Chris Thomas is clear about the value of having more formalised ongoing HR support in place and always-there guidance on the ‘right’ way of doing things:

HR-wise there’s so much to think about in a growing business. Once you have the kind of help that AAB have given us at incovo, you realise – and you’ll be surprised by – what you were missing before! If a company is serious about growth, then having an HR company like this is a must-have. I don’t think we realised just how much support we needed, especially now that we have more people since the acquisition. 

“Our relationship with AAB flows well, and the team is easy to work with. They’re good at understanding the needs of our people, they get on and get things done, and they have a great human approach – it’s not a corporate feel, and that suits us. We have weekly catch-ups, and there’s always plenty to cover, which proves just how much there is to be aware of and that there’s a right way to do things!”  

“It’s comforting to have AAB there to manage all things HR for us as we grow. It’s a great investment, and actually, it’s one we can’t afford not to make.  The entire team is looked after and that’s important to me. People can stay in companies for a long time, and we only have one life, so we should look after those people. It’s good to give individuals that added touch and extra degree of empathy by listening to and responding to their needs.”

“The recruitment help is huge for us. It’s really hard to find good people in the current climate, and AAB helps us perfect the job descriptions, work with the agencies, place the adverts, and review the CVs.” 

“We’ve also now got a system in place now for proper performance reviews. AAB have done the big work in designing the questions and providing the documentation. Now we’ll conduct reviews for every team member. We just couldn’t have done it before. And performance management isn’t just about pay and job descriptions; it’s about setting targets with everyone and reviewing them properly. It’s that level of performance management that gives us the real opportunity to grow the business. It’s not just about sales. It’s great performance that creates sales!” 

“The legal support is important too – the contracts, the handbook, the processes for recruitment and dismissal, the ‘correct’ way of doing things. We had everyone’s holidays on an Excel spreadsheet before; now we have a proper system in place with a tool called Breathe HR.” 

“All of this is essential for the owner of the business, not just the team. A lot of people believe that HR is just about keeping people happy at work. It’s about so much more than that. Working with AAB, we’ve got to see the whole picture. It also helps us relate better to the challenges facing our own hyper-growth clients.”