Sector: Food
Service: Restructuring
Relocate and organizational re-design of global distribution footprint, including managing the social impact.
Approach
I set up and led the transition team, which was staffed internally and supported to track and measure benefits.
In parallel with running the transition mechanics, we designed the operational model for the new distribution centre.
Meanwhile, working in close partnership with the integration teams, we facilitated subtle negotiations with and between management and works councils /unions to clear bottlenecks and address limiting issues early, enabling the process to operate at pace.
Context
As part of the global distribution footprint discussion, the board decided to build a new state-of-the-art distribution centre to manage growth for the next ten years.
The closing of the existing distribution centre and the relocation of the people to a new organizational design and new systems and technologies were key to the success of the investments.
Impact
Landed complex organizational redesign of global distribution footprint, facilitating the establishment of the group’s now iconic distribution centre in Belgium.
Headed worker's council and union negotiations to achieve favourable outcomes regarding relocating all employees, mitigating severe financial and reputational risk.
Relocate and redesign the central distribution centre to a new world-class distribution centre in Belgium.
I led the HR workstream of the relocation, including organizational redesign and workforce transition streams. We developed and rolled out a relocation plan to minimize the social impact on our employees and installed change management practices to help the workforce transition.