Kemira is a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water intensive industries. It has operations in more than 60 countries and delivers its products to more than 100 countries.
Challenge: Updating an enterprise resource planning system is a large change
Kemira launched an initiative to update its ERP system it had been using for more than a decade into modern cloud-based technology as the old system was approaching the end of its lifecycle. The target of the technology update was to be able to utilize modern technology efficiently in developing processes and operations in the future. Kemira’s ERP system has over 3000 end users globally.
It was identified that the system upgrade would be a lengthy project, and Kemira wanted to ensure success in the planned schedule to reach the planned benefits. It was important for Kemira to ensure people are kept onboard during the technology-oriented transformation and support needs in internal communications and concretizing and planning the change from people perspective were identified.
Solution: People driven change implementation was built through a change plan and communications support
CCEA supported the initiative for 18 months from planning until the months after go-live by creating change and communications plans, a communication material library as well as contents for info sessions and intranet supported by Kemira’s key people. CCEA also supported Kemira with ensuring progress with the change, communications and training activities and acted as a sparring partner for the initiative leaders on topics relating to the people side of the change.
The aim of the change plan was to ensure people gained understanding of the change and how it concerns them. Internal communications channels for each stakeholder group were defined and built ensuring that both one- and two-way communication was included. It also ensured that roles and responsibilities were clear from people change management perspective for everyone involved, and that the line organization was actively involved in leading the change. Change progress was measured four times with the Celkee Insight tool, and the change plan was amended based on the results. As a result, the measurement showed significant improvement in people understanding why the change is happening and what it meant for them.
It was important to Kemira that the people change management stream put together a unified and transparent change story for the initiative and carried out continuous communication to the several stakeholder groups identified. As a solution CCEA put together a change communications library which was available for anyone from the organization when communicating about the initiative. The contents of the library were extended along the way and separate communications contents were created to external stakeholders as go-live approached. Possible mix-ups and spreading of false information were minimized with relevant, transparent, and timely communication.
Outcome: Participatory communications as a key to success
“Change management has been one of the most critical factors in driving the success of our large and complex project. Good approach to change management has led to efficient and convincing communication. The message has been concretised in a way that everyone knows what the change means for them and what is expected of them. The professional support from CCEA made leading the change painless, even though the change has been huge. As a result, the way we think about changes in our organisation has evolved – our people are braver to face and adopt changes.” – Program director Meiqi Iso-Anttila
Kemira experienced the communications concept as value adding and easily approachable. They valued a resource dedicated to communications and thought the communications contents were visually smart and well fit for the audience.
The value of a structured change management approach according to Kemira was that they were able to be proactive and stay ahead of what was to be expected from people perspective in a multinational organization. They received concrete tools to be able to take people into consideration in an initiative where technology had a large role and the organization and leadership participated widely in communicating during the change. With CCEA’s support Kemira experienced they could concentrate on the right things during the different phases of the initiative.