Case
Interim Factory Manager came in place to carry out new strategic focus
Company Profile
Industry: Process equipment; BtB
Size: International Business with activities around the World counting
16.500+ employees
Interim position: Factory Manager, Denmark Operation
Timeframe: 21 months, full time
The Situation
Line-manager has left the job. Strategic project is decided. Production know-how and a copy of the technical set-up to be implemented outside Denmark. Significant impact for the 80 employees in Manufacturing.
Interim Manager is required, must have experience with:
- Change management
- Industrial production
- Global Organizations Tactical and Operational planning needed to implement the changes.
Negotiations required with the Unions.
Implementation of changes and people management required at all levels; workers, admin.-people, managers.
Management of the daily Operation and implementation of changes is required at the same time.
Management reporting, analysis and communication is required on ongoing basis to multiple stakeholders in the Organization.
International cooperation with production sites and production support teams in the Global set-up inside the Company is needed.
The Challenge
The strategic decision is leading to major changes. The most critical challenges/issues during the transition period are:
- Jobs will disappear
- Keep the Supply Chain running and ensure the delivery of products to the Market
- Ensure efficient Know-how transfer
Develop readiness among people in the organization to be prepared to adapt to planned and unplanned changes. Avoid people leaving their jobs during implementation. It is a challenge is to maintain required workforce during the transition.
It is a challenge is to maintain normal level of Productivity and Quality during the transition.
Motivation of people to deliver, not only on production performance but also on know-how transfer.
Interim Manager is rapidly backfilling the Manufacturing Manger position including all job-functions. Due to delays outside the Operation in Denmark, the duration of implementation is extended in time.
Operational deliverables; production and know-how transfer, are completed as planned.
The Result
Number of employees leaving is managed to an acceptable level <15% p.a.
Production performance is maintained at normal level during the transition.
The Supply Chain is kept intact during the transition.
Know-how is transferred from people to people. This is achieved through inter-company training, where the employees in Denmark are giving away their know-how, acquired over many years, without any sign of resentment.
Cooperation in the Manufacturing team is developed further during the transition period. Cooperation with Unions is becoming stronger in the same timeframe.
Upper Management is satisfied with Factory performance maintained through a difficult implementation of changes
It is recognized that Experienced Interim Manager is key to:
-
- Fast creation om management overview
- Fast detection of key challenges
- Fast adoption to reporting requirement
- Efficient driving of implementation of changes
- Keep the Operation running
Employees in the organization expressed satisfaction to have local management re-established with the back-filling of the Factory Manager position with the Interim Manager
Employees appreciate that Interim Manager is involved from day-1 as sparring-partner and for coaching purposes.