Case Studies

Client Profile

Acaster Lloyd is a growing professional services firm offering financial advisory and consultancy services to a wide client base across the UK. With a reputation for high standards and client-focused delivery, the company prides itself on fostering a culture of excellence and accountability. As the business expanded, it recognised the need to strengthen internal processes to ensure continued performance and employee development across all levels.

Challenge

Acaster Lloyd’s existing performance review process was inconsistently applied across teams and not felt to accurately represent performance that had happened. This inconsistency led to confusion among staff about expectations, limited development conversations, and missed opportunities for recognising and improving performance.

Leaders recognised that a more structured and meaningful approach to performance management was needed — one that supported regular, quality conversations, aligned with the firm’s values, and provided clear development pathways for employees. Importantly, any new system would need to be easy to use, scalable, and supported by both managers and staff.

The key challenge lay in designing a system that would work across departments, and in ensuring successful adoption through clear communication and training.

Solution

Rostrup partnered with Acaster Lloyd to lead a full-scale performance management transformation project. The solution had three key components:

• Designing the System – Working in collaboration with Chief Operating Officer, Rostrup designed a new annual appraisal process tailored to the firm’s culture and goals. This included new performance criteria, a structured appraisal template, and guidance for both managers and staff.
• Training for Managers – Interactive workshops were delivered to help managers understand the new system, develop skills in giving feedback, setting objectives, and conducting effective appraisal conversations.
• Staff Engagement – All employees attended sessions to introduce the new process, explain the rationale for the changes, and build confidence in how to prepare for and benefit from annual reviews.

Outcome

The new system was successfully implemented across Acaster Lloyd, with strong engagement from both managers and staff. The process introduced greater clarity, consistency, and fairness into performance reviews. Managers reported feeling more confident in holding structured, meaningful discussions, and employees welcomed the transparency and focus on personal development.

The project not only delivered a robust new system — it also helped embed a more performance-focused and feedback-rich culture, supporting individual growth and business success.