A large medium-sized company in the chemical industry commissioned the interim manager as temporary head of HR and management development. Her task was to identify weak points and, in consultation with the employees, to redesign processes and structures in line with requirements. In addition, the distribution of areas of responsibility and employee potential was to be efficient and strength-oriented.
The background to the realignment of HR development was a wave of resignations, with both experienced and younger managers leaving the company (domino effect). Among other things, the employees had complained that HR development did not provide sufficient support and that there was a lack of development opportunities and support programs in the company.
Developing the HR development team to act independently
One of the challenges in this mandate was that the team members in the area of HR development had previously been more "administrative" than creative. Due to the authoritarian management style of the predecessor, the team was not used to working independently. In addition, they were insecure and skeptical about the upcoming restructuring measures. Until the position of Head of HR and Leadership Development was filled, the interim manager was tasked with developing the team to think and act independently. She was also tasked with working with the board to appoint the future head of HR and executive development.
Talent and generation management and academy designed and introduced
In interviews with employees, process and interface partners and the works councils, the interim manager first analyzed the processes and structures. From this, she derived several sub-projects for the development of a needs-based international HR and management development program.
In collaboration with the interim manager, the employees developed concepts for the various key areas. In consultation with management and the works council, an academy for the training and development of specialists and managers was created. Multi-level talent management and programs for different career paths within the company ensure that personnel development now meets both the demands of the applicant market and the interests of the company.
In addition, the interim manager introduced an urgently needed generation management system to enable collegial and results-oriented cooperation between older and younger employees. This succession management with a mentoring program ensures that valuable knowledge can be handed over from the older to the younger generation in a timely and planned manner.
In addition, the interim manager developed the concept for internal knowledge management: an intranet platform was created to share best practice experiences from all areas in a targeted manner. The knowledge portal makes it much easier for new employees and those moving to other areas, as well as colleagues working together across departments, to access the necessary practical input.
More applications and new hires thanks to active employer branding
After the internal processes were changed, the interim manager initiated numerous measures for employer branding and recruiting. She updated the company presentation for online portals and built up contacts on the applicant market - including through social media, presentations and presence at trade fairs. This significantly increased awareness and popularity of the company. Many unsolicited applications and the resulting new hires were the positive effect.
In a further step, the interim manager created job and requirement profiles and commissioned management consultancies to search for suitable candidates to fill the position of Head of HR Development.
New HR development increases employee motivation and retention
The establishment of HR and management development met with a very positive response internally. Demand for the newly implemented career paths and the mentoring and development program for talented employees was immediately high. The new processes and structures immediately resulted in a noticeable increase in motivation.
Human resources development employees qualify as team leaders
The delegating and participative leadership work of the interim manager and the positive feedback from the company helped the human resources and leadership development employees gain self-confidence - and they also took advantage of their own personal development opportunities. They initially took on responsibility for certain tasks - and many increasingly extended this to entire project areas. Some team members demonstrated their skills in the development of the academy for specialists and managers and talent management in particular, so much so that they subsequently took on team leader roles.
Clients very satisfied with the development of HR and management development
The management and the works council were very satisfied with the results of the development of HR and management development. In particular, they rated the interim manager's information policy and teamwork as very constructive.
