Our Clients
BAE Systems
People at BAE Systems, Europes largest defence company, are using Big Pictures to discuss strategic issues and to understand the changes their company is going through. The process, developed in partnership between Customer Support & Solutions MASS, a division of BAE Systems, and Couravel, has led to dramatic shifts in the way people see the company and their future.
On behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), CS&S MASS builds supplies and supports military aircraft in service with Strike Command of the Royal Air Force. The Defence Logistics Organisation has faced enormous challenges to respond to the need for more affordable services that ensure aircraft are available and capable. The organisations are working together to find new ways of partnering to achieve these goals. This means, for example, that BAE Systems people are now working on RAF bases alongside their customers, ensuring a fast and responsive service. Providing improvements in these areas benefits the taxpayer, the RAF and BAE Systems.
To deliver these improvements, BAE Systems assumes more responsibility for managing the supply chain and service and this involves its people in changing roles and skills. This requires close working relationships between the organisations. To help convey this change to the company we have produced a picture that depicts the historical journey of the business, the forces for change today, a crossroads identifying new priorities for the future leading to new ways of working with the customer, and the change journey that faces people. Using large prints, managers talk to staff at their workplace about what these changes mean for individuals, the teams and the business.
"We needed the business to move forward with pace, and it was fundamental that everyone in the CS&S MASS team had a sound understanding of our strategic direction", said managing director Kevin Taylor. "We were concerned when the 2004 employee opinion survey showed that only half our people believed they understood the business strategy. This was our driver to find a new approach that would give everyone the opportunity to fully discuss where the business was heading." Employee surveys show that in four months understanding of business strategy went up 28% - to 82%. At the same time, while less than half the staff used to think the business had an exciting future now nearly 70% are positive, and 92% now say they understand customer needs.
"It is the best piece of communication I have seen in 25 years", said one experienced shop floor supervisor. Fun, innovative and simple to use said others canvassed in focus groups and telephone polls.
Couravel spent a lot of time working with the BAE Systems team to develop the picture. People from the top Management Committee to operators in the RAF hangars gave us their views. Visual metaphors let everybody interpret the business because they use a language everybody can understand. It is a very democratic and a very engaging process, as the results prove.
The process has been rolled out across the 3,500 people in CS&S MASS and has already had a major impact. "With a process such as this it is vital we put in place solid metrics to ensure the programme is successful", said Andrea Adams, HR Director. "As well as using the employee opinion survey data, we tested employee understanding both before and after being involved in discussions around the picture. We were delighted at the results of the research and the impact of the process."
Talking about the partnership with Couravel, Jon Bonnick, Communication Manager, said " On this programme there was one team (drawn from BAE Systems and Couravel) with one vision and mission. There was one programme with each team member playing their part with no reference to the home company. Such a relationship with an external provider is unique in my experience and also very refreshing."