Prominent Automobile Manufacturer

Business Problem

This manufacturing company needed to unify employees around the world under a single corporate vision and create a common understanding of teamwork, employee involvement, job security, quality and health and safety.

Implementation

Various research methodologies and modes were utilized including, VISTA, telephone surveys and one-on-one interviews, to gain insight from employees across the U.S., Europe and Asia. The research provided an understanding of employees’ relationship with the company and revealed gaps in employee awareness, understanding and commitment to the business plan. It also assessed employee perspectives on the company’s overall business goals and the employees’ reaction to the Initial Public Offering.

We were able to provide a values "map," of how people think about the company and identified the pathways of how their values associate with the attributes. This provided themes for the client, particularly, personal security and self-esteem. These themes were used in communications to address a given issue, change, policy, initiative or goal. We helped them understand how to link employees to the company through these themes and values. The communications templates we provided for the client were fluid and could be adapted to changing issues and environments.

Solution

Utilizing the values themes that were uncovered in the research, the client created a program and communications strategy to engender enhanced support for their Initial Public Offering. Through their strategies, the manufacturing company was also enabled to unify a globally diverse workforce and successfully transition through difficult times into a new era.

Global Pharmaceutical Manufacturer

Business Problem

This global company had invested time and money to develop a new corporate vision to strengthen and grow their business, but found they needed to understand how to gain the commitment of its employees in order to turn that vision into a reality. They needed to understand how to build a positive and cohesive corporate culture among a large and diverse employee group.

Implementation

The company had their employees complete a mail survey from which the Brand & Strategy Consulting Practice conducted a detailed path analysis to explain the key factors the company could focus on to leverage employee commitment. We identified current employee attitudes and determined how well employees understood and embraced the company’s vision. We also identified employee concerns with the corporate culture and assessed current employee communications programs. The manager-employee relationship was identified as the key contributor to both satisfaction and commitment. The findings led to a simplified strategic model of employee commitment to the corporate vision.

Solution

This model became a powerful coalescing force within the company, helping everyone understand and work together better. The findings along with our strategic recommendations were shared with all employees in a newsletter, and were used to fine tune employee communications, management training, an ethics program and a rewards program.

Major International Oil Company

Business Problem

When two major companies in the oil industry merged they found that their internal communications, both peer to peer and between management and employees, were rendered inconsistent and ineffective. The challenge became how to unify messages across the organization and enhance the communication channels to improve employee perception of the merger.

Using focus groups conducted among employees in a number of countries, we examined how employees found out about what was going on in the company, which types of communications were working and which were not and the key barriers to effective communications. We discovered that deep differences in the cultures of the two companies created an atmosphere of discomfort, uncertainty and even fear. While employees of one company were use to a more rigid traditional style, the employees of the other company were more use to a looser style. Territoriality was also a huge barrier to effective integration.

In order to counteract the cultural clash between the company cultures of the two previous organizations, we recommended that attempts to remedy the communication barrier must come from the examples of people at the top of the organization. Thus, greater commitment from upper management to open and effective communication must be demonstrated, not just talked about. Furthermore, printed communications needed to be changed to present consistent images and messages.