Client Case Study

Aligned leadership around a desired culture, key business metrics

Challenge:

Leadership from operations and corporate communications of an $8 billion producer of consumer durables and vehicle components realized that their existing model of getting results wouldn’t continue to deliver high performance for the future in a unionized environment.

Actions:

• Aligned leadership around a desired culture, in the context of their business strategy and corporate values, through in-depth assessment of success factors.
• Simplified the number of business metrics: safety, quality, “good pieces in the box” and performance to schedule.
• Constructed a business platform for all communications and mapped the flow of formal and informal communications, including feedback mechanisms, after interviewing 100 managers and hourly workers.
• Developed a six-month communications campaign.

Results:

• Eighty-nine percent of employees said they had a clear understanding of what they can do to help the operation achieve its performance metrics.
• Eighty-seven percent of employees strongly agreed/agreed that leadership was making the operations a better place to work.
• Substantial issues were resolved, leading to a better relationship with the union. This included no grievances for a three-month period – a savings of nearly $150,000.
• Highest scores were achieved on the annual human capital capability scorecard.