Organizational Need for Learning as a Strategy
When a major agricultural manufacturer planned to acquire manufacturing assets in a related field, leaders recognized an urgent need to help employees across the organization understand the key differences of the product lines and manufacturing processes. A successful preintegration learning strategy would help teams prepare to consider how hundreds of planning decisions would be impacted as a new, more diversified manufacturer. From supply chain to finance to sales and marketing, the manufacturer needed its people to be ready on day one of integration to be prepared.
Our Solution to Build Capacity
To meet the need for speed and scale, Vivayic proposed a series of live and self-paced learning events that centered on two priorities: communicating the high-level overview of the planned acquisition and introducing the new products and portfolios being acquired. The solution included the following.
1
Town-hall Events — Experts provided an overview of new assets, and company leaders addressed questions submitted by employees.
2
Insights Hub — This online hub of information contained 30+ bite-size modules covering basic product information through video, interactive graphics, images, and engaging activities. This resource was translated to 13 languages for use in four continents.
3
Crop– and Product–specific Webinars — These were delivered by experts and provided a deep dive into the products and portfolios being acquired.
4
Manager-led Discussion Guides — These guides were used to debrief key training experiences and discuss the team’s role in supporting integration efforts.
5
Pulse Check Evaluations — These open–ended survey questions provided information on reactions to the training and sought input on desired additional training. These were reported to the client weekly for six months prior to the acquisition.
Results That Matter
The solution provided consistent information to a global audience while customizing select materials by geography. Employees immediately reported they felt more prepared for day one of integration.
“I learned new information concerning demand planning, acquired brands, distribution, marketing, planning/inventory, and research.”
“It was great to hear everyone's thoughts…Many of us share the same optimism on the products and the people we will acquire, and this excitement generally outweighs the few concerns raised. We also realized, as a team, there's still lots to learn about production of these related products!”
“Working with others opened my eyes to important questions I need to ask as well as sharing with some who have had previous experience in the related field we’re about to enter.”
Decision makers leading this significant organizational change were provided weekly feedback from all levels regarding additional training needs and employee questions. This allowed leadership to respond quickly and provided transparency during a time of significant organizational change. Feedback from senior leaders in the company recognized the preintegration learning strategy was a success — one that set them on the path to capturing the value of the acquisition and their new presence in the market.
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