Professional services: Fix workforce bottlenecks to improve talent acquisition and retention

A 70-person consulting group specialised in SOx/NOx emissions monitoring was struggling to hold onto the very people it needed most. Its projects demanded specialists who combined knowledge of chemistry, physics, and IT. But the company was losing people almost as fast as it hired them.

The challenges were multifaceted: roles mixed too many demands, creating burnout. Job descriptions were unclear, discouraging applicants. Onboarding was unstructured, leaving new hires overwhelmed. "We were losing people faster than we could replace them. It felt like a revolving door," recalls the HR Director.

This workforce bottleneck was not purely a human resources issue, representing a fundamental constraint on the company's ability to deliver on client commitments and grow its specialised consulting practice.

Working with the CEO, CTO, and HR leadership, Axion Lab identified the root problem, i.e. maintaining the workforce, and delivered targeted fixes. The approach focused on creating clear career paths and reducing role confusion.

We reframed the employer story as: "Work at the intersection of ecology and technology." This positioning helped attract candidates who understood the unique value of the role. "We now have roles people actually wanted to apply for, and stay in," noted the CTO.

Implementation framework

• Department redesign: Split hybrid roles into two clear tracks: Software Engineering and Domain Specialists. This improved fit and reduced role ambiguity
• Structured onboarding: Introduced a step-by-step academy (IT stack → environmental modules → client cases), cutting time to productivity by ~30%
• Hiring support: Simplified role descriptions and reframed the employer story for better candidate attraction
• Long-term roadmap: Advised on university partnerships, updated bonus schemes, and employer branding for sustained improvement

The implementation delivered immediate improvements in workforce stability. Employee churn reduced measurably within the first year, stabilising project teams. Onboarding time was cut by ~30%, saving hundreds of hours of lost productivity.

"Axion Lab helped us see the real issue: it was about designing the right roles people could grow," said the CEO, highlighting the strategic value of proper workforce structure.