The client was Levi Strauss GmbH in Offenbach. The HR manager had left the company in the spring, the search for a successor proved difficult and it was not until the fall that a successor was found. An interim manager left after just two months. The HR interim manager took over the vacancy after a telephone briefing with the HR business partner at the European headquarters in Brussels.
The task was only described very vaguely, and a detailed handover could not be carried out because the previous interim manager was no longer present. The focus was on outstanding employment law cases and major problems with company pension schemes. His advice was also sought on the formulation of individual changes to employment contracts.
The interim manager found an HR team that was very unsettled. It consisted of younger employees who had only been on board for a few months. The first task here was to build trust. The team was able to ensure day-to-day operations. However, this was under difficult conditions: Firstly, the company had moved from Frankfurt to Offenbach. At the same time, the company switched to electronic personnel files. This changeover by an external company turned out to be very faulty. This led to a considerable backlog in the processing of personnel matters. The employees in the stores across Germany reacted to this with growing resentment. Temporary staff were hired to quickly deal with the backlog.
Working agreement drawn up
Together with the HR business partner from the company headquarters, the HR interim manager drew up a working agreement that would come into effect in the event of poor economic development. He also reviewed existing employment contracts and adapted them to current case law.
Thanks to his qualifications as a lawyer, the interim manager was able to clarify numerous issues relating to employment law and coach the HR team. He was called in from the European level to find solutions for employees in Switzerland and Austria when separations were being considered or an employment contract for a manager needed to be drafted - in German and English.
Grave errors uncovered in the pension scheme
Finding solutions for the company pension scheme proved to be very difficult, as serious errors were uncovered by the former HR manager. A lot of detailed work had to be done to bring the pension scheme into compliance with the law. This required close cooperation with lawyers, actuaries and the European headquarters.
The interim manager communicated very openly with the HR team and managers at the German headquarters and in the stores throughout the entire mandate. When it came to resolving conflicts between employees and managers in the stores, he was able to draw on his experience in mediation to good effect.
As a result, the uncertainty of the HR team in Offenbach disappeared and the team at the European headquarters also gained new confidence.
