Helping Ordnance Survey stand out from the crowd
| Published date | 20 April 2010 |
| Pages | 18-24 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14754391011040037 |
| Date | 20 April 2010 |
| Author | Jayne Beresford,Anita Sarris |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
Helping Ordnance Survey stand out from
the crowd
Jayne Beresford and Anita Sarris
Abstract
Purpose – Ordnance Survey was established in 1791 as a paper map maker for Britain’sArmed Forces.
Two hundred and nineteen years on, it has evolved to a high-tech geographic data specialist, and the
impact of this on its culture, identity and vision has been massive. In 2008 Ordnance Survey found itself
struggling to recruit and retain in technology and commercial fields. It also saw great challenges in
motivating staff and bringing together a numberof subcultures that had developed over time. This paper
aims to investigate this issue.
Design/methodology/approach – It was critical to understand the current employer brand strengths
and weaknesses, how Ordnance Survey is perceived externally, what it is like in reality, and its vision.
This was achieved through solid research conducted internally and externally, including focus groups
with existing staff, depth interviews with senior management and consultation with recruitment
consultants, short-service leavers and recent joiners.
Findings – The research highlighted some widely known strengths of Ordnance Survey, including its
strong proud history, its flexibility and adaptability as an employer and the supportive working
environment it offers. Some less well-known attributes were also drawn out, including the innovative
nature of the organization, its dynamic technology and the opportunity for staff to really make a
difference.
Originality/value – This research led to the development of a compelling set of values which will inform
how Ordnance Survey markets itself externally and interacts with employees, leading to better retention
of skills, greater alignment with the vision and a strong reputation as a great employer.
Keywords Organizational development, Recruitment, Human resource management,
Employee attitudes
Paper type Case study
For many, the thought of working for Ordnance Survey conjures up images of dark
rooms, dusty maps and painstaking attention to detail. In 1791, the government
tasked its Board of Ordnance – the equivalent of the UK government’s current
ministry of defense – with surveying the south coast in order to adequately plan defenses to
repel any invasion against Napoleon. It was this decision that led to the surveying of the
entire country, and to the evolution of Ordnance Survey, the world’s leading map-maker and
hi-tech geographic data specialist providing maps and data to names like Google and
TomTom, the navigation systems specialist.
The first map was published in 1801 showing the county of Kent, drawn at a scale of one
inch to one mile. Today Ordnance Survey, from its Southampton head office, maintains the
digital master map of Britain, containing over 440 million different features and updated
with around 5,000 changes everyday to reflect the evolving shape of the landscape.
Paper maps account for less than 10 percent of Ordnance Survey’s revenue, with the vast
majority now coming from licensing digital geographic information. The organization has
changed hugely since its foundation, and the impact of this on its culture and people has
been massive.
PAGE 18
j
STRATEGIC HR REVIEW
j
VOL. 9 NO. 3 2010, pp. 18-24, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 DOI 10.1108/14754391011040037
Jayne Beresford is
Organizational
Development Consultant at
Ordnance Survey,
Southampton, UK.
Anita Sarris is Senior
Research Executive at ORC
International, London, UK.
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