Shared Services Assessment

The global parent company for numerous luxury lines was concerned about whether the shared services structure and function was effectively supporting its IBUs. The HRC was challenged by the North American CEO to assess the function and deliver our findings and recommendations in a report within three weeks when the global CEOs would meet to discuss this critical issue.

The HRC consulting team quickly developed a survey tool, specific to the organization's structure and strategy, to assess the viability of the function as well as the level of service received by the IBUs. After the IBU presidents completed and returned the survey, The HRC Team custom designed interview guides for each of the presidents to ensure a thorough understanding of the underlying issues and needs, as well as potential solutions that individuals would consider as plausible. The HRC carefully interviewed each IBU president and then began the process of compiling both the objective and subjective data. Our report to the CEO and his direct reports was received the day before the deadline and included a "report card" on each shared services function, along with strengths, gaps, and recommendations for short and long-term change - a clear roadmap to enhanced performance.

The results? The North American CEO became regarded as a leader in the re-development of the shared services structure and built greater credibility and collaboration with the IBU presidents for examining these issues in a methodical and careful manner. The shared services functions are underway with completing the recommendations we provided - all of which they agreed were needed. The CEO's response to our report was, "it is far more thorough and insightful than I had ever imagined receiving."

Emerging Market Success

A Fortune 100 industry leader within the healthcare sector had identified their desire to aggressively pursue emerging markets to build market share. Their most successful sales group would be charged with taking the lead in this endeavor. However, the sales force was largely composed of white men who did not understand the need to diversify their sales staff to resemble their target market, nor to behave differently to respect different cultures and styles. Prior efforts to develop emerging markets were receiving moderate to low success thus far. The HRC was challenged by the organization to create a mindshift in this group's leaders within nine months, given only a half day of time with the group on a quarterly basis, and an understanding that the attention span of this group averaged ten minutes in educational sessions. A good challenge.

The HRC recognized that it needed to very quickly engage these high performing sales leaders in a way that they wouldn't even think of checking voice/emails. Through the use of a team-based experiential exercise, we were able to prove to the group that they had substantive room to grow - interpersonally and in revenue. With their appetites whetted, we assigned them special research before the second session to keep them engaged and to leverage the limited time we had with them. The results of their research developed the business case for them to want to pursue emerging markets and to do whatever was necessary. In the session, we educated them in advanced behavioral skills to support their success in emerging markets and guided them to plan for their success. We then developed a third forum that included their customers.

The high volume and sophisticated customers who were invited were also interested in emerging markets, were excited about learning how their supplier was evolving ahead of market and to be asked to participate in this special effort, stronger relationships were built between the organizations, and the sales organization won the Chairman's Award for their turnaround and results in developing the emerging markets strategy and products.

From Diversity to Inclusion. at Long Last

A Fortune 100 financial services corporation had long been regarded as a nationwide leader in its initiatives in diversity and inclusion. They had sustained a serious commitment to this work for over a decade. However, they admitted they had not seen the level of behavioral change they had wanted from the serious investments in time, energy and finances. They reported that managers and supervisors stated they appreciated diversity but did not understand how diversity really linked into the business nor what they personally could do to support this initiative.

The HRC was asked by one of the organization's innovative business units which was experiencing larger numbers and types of diversity within the workforce, to develop a program that would deliver on the behavioral change desired. The HRC was put into competition against nationally recognized experts in diversity and inclusion. Upon completing the 1.5 day pilot test, The HRC won the contract and due to the significant breakthroughs which managers and supervisors experienced, the organization asked The HRC to expand the program to a full two days. The HRC completed all training of managers and supervisors with stellar evaluations from participants. They consistently evaluated the overall value of the program as excellent, with none rating it as fair or poor. The presenters were rated as excellent with 9% indicating "good" and none as fair or poor. And, 100% felt that the program met all objectives, was at an appropriate level, and supporting their ability to apply the knowledge. Comments from evaluations included, "one of the best and most productive classes I've taken in my 14 years.very engaging and supportive, excellent mix of practice and theory. I highly recommend this course to others, including senior management. it helped me define my role in the organization, helped me to identify issues I need to address. excellent presentation by instructors who displayed a vast knowledge of diversity." The HRC is now working closely with the organization's Office of Diversity to assist other divisions to develop this level of capability and championship throughout the organization.

Building Internal Bridges

A Fortune 500 had completed numerous acquisitions and restructures during the prior five years. The organization also planned to pursue emerging markets in product development, sales, and staffing. Some IBUs were feeling isolated and no longer as important in the organizational equation for success. Inside IBUs, conflict and cliques were abundant. the antithesis of what the CEO needed - increased synergy and productivity, innovation, appreciation for difference, and higher performance.

The HRC designed a series of half day educational sessions for plant employees that were conducted for all shifts. The sessions were custom developed to build greater appreciation for difference, increase innovation and creativity, integrate into their new "Green Room" practices, and build expanded company-wide product knowledge through experiential exercises. The pilot sessions were so successful in their results that evaluations were consistently very good to excellent, behavioral change was quickly rooted, and the company is now rolling out this series to each plant within each IBU.

The organization's CEO was made aware of the value-added benefits provided through the diversity education and heralded The HRC's work throughout the Company.