Global Change Communication
Managers make change locally relevant
Challenge / Approach
In 2020, a restructuring program at Continental for a business unit within the industrial sector affects more than 20,000 employees across over 40 locations worldwide. Of these, 75 percent work in production, a group that is difficult to reach through internal communication formats and channels. The degree to which the locations are affected by the program varies, so the change must be managed in different ways. In addition, the business unit, crucial to the success of the industrial sector, is expected to reclaim a leading position in the industry.
The challenge: How do we reach all employees across locations and departments? How do we tell the story of global change in locally relevant ways, so employees understand what it means for them on site and how to get involved?
Implementation
Our strategic approach is a programme with a comprehensive communications package that makes global change locally relevant and connects centralised and decentralised communication. Our lever is to empower decentralized managers, whose direct communication with their teams reaches all employees and delivers the greatest impact.
The core measure is a 1.5-day communication training program for 100 top managers from Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Our goal is to enable managers to localize the global change story for their teams. After the first wave of training, we expand the programme to approximately 300 additional managers. Consequently, participants from the first training wave are empowered to serve as trainers for the second wave. This is achieved through webinar training and with the support of a comprehensive content package.
We also develop a communication kit with the global change story, a guide, visuals, formats, and templates for decentralized, audience-specific communication, plus team workshop templates. Additionally, the package includes an award programme and a new online community where managers can exchange ideas and experiences.
