The client for the HR interim manager was a tier 1 automotive supplier. The company operates a production plant near Nitra in Slovakia with approx. 1,200 FTEs. Nitra is a city at the heart of Slovakian car production. There are 7 car plants within a radius of 200 km in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
At the time the contract was awarded, 120 of the approximately 1,000 positions at the plant were vacant. Further growth of this plant was therefore not possible. At around 25 percent, staff turnover on the assembly lines was also comparatively high. This placed an enormous burden on the local HR structure. Recruiting was the dominant topic and blocked many internal resources. In addition, there was no clear division of roles in the HR organization.
The challenge for the interim manager was therefore multi-dimensional:
- Finding new channels for new employees
- Reducing employee turnover
- Adapting the HR structure so that roles are defined and the structure is integrated into the international HR shared services structure
Filling more positions through employer branding and employee leasing
The labour market in Slovakia - especially in the Nitra region - is largely at full employment. Workers for assembly lines are particularly in demand. In June 2018, the unemployment rate in the Nitra region was 2.3 percent. However, in the fall of 2018, production began at a large car plant and countless suppliers in Nitra. This dramatically exacerbated the situation.
Employer branding improved on job portal
In order to attract new employees, the interim manager first improved the company's employer branding. The company's presence on the leading Slovakian job portal was fundamentally revised and modernized. The feedback from qualified employees on the improved presence was measurably positive.
Employee leasing successfully repositioned
The recruitment of fitters in the Slovakian automotive industry is largely based on employee leasing. As there are many providers in Slovakia, the interim manager was looking for a way to minimize the complexity of working with several temporary employment agencies at the same time. The solution was a "master vendor agreement". A provider was commissioned to contact providers on behalf of the client and manage the collaboration.
Number of full-time equivalents increased by 20 percent to 1,200 FTEs
With the interim manager's solutions, the number of new employees increased rapidly. In a short space of time, the number of full-time equivalents was increased by 20 percent to 1,200 FTEs. The number of employees actually recruited was many times higher due to the need to fill vacancies caused by high staff turnover. The interim manager and the 3 employees from the company's HR department moved a total of almost 6,000 employees during the 10-month mandate. This made it all the more important for the HR organization to limit the time and effort required to manage the new employees.
Nonetheless, the HR department was consequently expanded by one employee. This employee will initially strengthen recruiting, but is expected to grow into a generalist role in the medium term in order to actively support the team as a whole.
Reduced staff turnover through management training
The interim manager identified the main reasons for staff turnover as the lack of leadership quality of the foremen in production and the relatively poor image of the company in the surrounding area. The new employees had also complained that the induction training at the start of work was inadequate and that the managers devoted too little time to training new employees.
Management training for the foremen
The HR manager therefore developed a management training program for the foremen. The main components of this program were appreciative communication, better conflict resolution skills and feasible targets. By the end of the interim mandate, the planning had progressed so far that all foremen and supervisors in production could be trained from spring onwards.
In order to improve the training, a training center for technical training was launched. This is where new employees are trained or new work processes are practiced.
Social activities designed to improve the company's image
In order to improve the company's reputation, the interim manager encouraged social activities by employees in surrounding towns and communities. For example, the renovation of a kindergarten and an open day at the plant were planned. These activities were then to be communicated in the local media and on the company Facebook page. Following a change in management, the decision on the implementation of these proposals was postponed until after the interim mandate.
Interfaces for shared services structure defined
The parent company had introduced a global shared services structure over several years. However, this structure was only partially implemented in Slovakia. There were generalists and billing, and the interfaces were not clearly defined. Here, the interim manager defined clear processes that would allow future-proof collaboration within the shared services structure.
