Responsive engineering boosts profitability and performance through its people : Coaching, action learning and workshops help to transform the business

Purpose – Details how a UK engineering group gained business in new sectors and doubled its workforce by a combination of innovative people development and an effective investment strategy. Design/methodology/approach – Describes the background to the award‐winning training at Responsive Engineering Group, how the training was organized and the results it has achieved. Findings – Reveals that coaching was organized for managers and directors. Action‐learning groups and workshops covered marketing, sales, estimating, manufacturing, finance and project management. Among the many improvements were: an improved tender‐conversion rate; the business won major new contracts from international clients; and a significant improvement in manufacturing efficiency and business enquiries. The group's markets have also expanded and now include the oil and gas, aerospace, defense, medical and scientific industries. Practical implications – Contends that, by focusing on key business processes and by lifting the general levels of knowledge and understanding in these areas, the group has significantly improved performance and profitability. Originality/value – Highlights the importance of increasing efficiency by sharing best practice, adopting core common business procedures, reducing costs, and developing “across group” working practices and higher levels of skill across the company.