A multi-billion-dollar media company faced the challenge of restructuring its marketing and creative functions to align with a future product launch. Tasked with doing more with less, we were engaged by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to implement a new operating model. With a history of unsuccessful change initiatives, the company sought a partner experienced in managing complex transformations.
Problem Statement
Changes of this nature are challenged with several critical issues:
- High employee churn, costing the company up to 100% of an employee’s salary.
- Significant drops in productivity exceeding 30%.
- Losses in competitive advantage leading to more than 5% of missed revenue opportunities.
The client needed to restructure the organization to increase capacity and efficiency, onboard and manage offshore teams, and implement new workflow tools, all while overcoming the skepticism bred by past change difficulties.
Solution(s) Provided
We designed and executed a comprehensive change management program focused on several key areas:
- Operating Model Redesign: We redefined the operating model to better integrate marketing and creative functions, improving overall efficiency.
- Process Improvement: We streamlined processes to enhance productivity and reduce bottlenecks.
- Organizational Design: A new organizational structure was developed to support the future product launch and ongoing operations.
- Offshore Team Onboarding: We facilitated the integration of offshore teams, ensuring smooth collaboration with existing staff.
- Workflow Tools Implementation: New tools were introduced to support the hybrid waterfall and agile workflow.
Specific Strategies or Tools Used
- Comprehensive Impact Analysis: We conducted an in-depth analysis to understand the impacts of the change across the enterprise, ensuring all potential issues were identified and addressed.
- Team Engagement and Co-Development: By engaging teams in the development of strategies and solutions, we fostered ownership and buy-in, which were crucial for successful implementation.
- New Rules of Engagement: We established clear guidelines for how teams would work together, enhancing collaboration and reducing friction.
- Governance Framework: A governance framework was put in place to manage relationships and workflows between the client and external partners.
- Communication and Training: We developed comprehensive communication and training strategies to ensure all employees were prepared for the new processes and tools.
Results & Outcomes
The transformation yielded significant positive results:
- Increased Capacity: The team achieved a 20% increase in capacity, enabling them to handle more work efficiently.
- Cost Reduction: Operating costs were significantly reduced, contributing to the company’s bottom line.
- Enhanced Staff Engagement: Employee engagement scores improved across all metrics, reflecting a more motivated and satisfied workforce.
- Efficient Workflow: The organization successfully transitioned to a hybrid waterfall and agile workflow, reducing the time required to deliver campaigns.
- Organizational Cohesion: The new squad structures led to better organized and more effective teams.
One leader remarked, “We know how to do change now,” while another stated, “This is the most organized we have ever been.”
Conclusion
This case study highlights the importance of a structured and comprehensive approach to change management. By addressing the client’s specific challenges and implementing tailored solutions, we enabled the client to achieve substantial improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and employee engagement. This project underscores our expertise in managing complex transformations and our commitment to delivering measurable results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What was the main challenge faced by the client?
The main challenge was restructuring the marketing and creative functions in the face of high employee churn, efficiency challenges, and the need to increase capacity, all compounded by a history of unsuccessful change initiatives.
What solution did Forrest Advisors provide?
We provided a comprehensive change management program that included redesigning the operating model, improving processes, onboarding offshore teams, and implementing new workflow tools, along with establishing clear engagement rules and a governance framework.
What were the key outcomes of the solution?
The key outcomes included a 20% increase in capacity, reduced operating costs, improved staff engagement scores, a successful transition to a hybrid workflow, and more effective organizational structures.
Explore More Success Stories
Contact us today and discuss how Forrest Advisors has helped other organizations achieve remarkable transformations. Learn about our comprehensive change management strategies and see how we’ve driven success across various industries.