Oakridge Supports AstraZeneca with Team Effectiveness Programme
When AstraZeneca, a leading worldwide pharmaceutical research and manufacture organisation, made the decision to close one of its manufacturing sites, the senior management team (SMT) identified that it would need support during the period of change and also help in ensuring that employee performance levels were maintained.
AstraZeneca's site employed some 200 people who would be affected by the site closure. The site was part of the parent company's strategy to cease manufacture of two products when their patents expired.
Aware that in times of change there are risks that morale can be low, absenteeism and accidents at work increase, and employees lose focus, the site HR and Training Partner for AstraZeneca looked to The Oakridge Centre for support.
As one of AstraZeneca's preferred suppliers, The Oakridge Centre has worked alongside the blue-chip business for over 20 years and with a strong track record of designing and developing high performance programmes,the site HR and Training Partner, knew The Oakridge Centre would deliver.
To this end, The Oakridge Centre was asked to design a programme that would help to ensure the site remained high performing until its closure and also support its leaders, who would undoubtedly experience many challenges through this time of change.
AstraZeneca specified the importance of identifying each teams' needs in order to inspire positive behaviour change, increase focus and improve individuals and team performance.
Our Approach
- A bespoke, flexible and evolving Team Effectiveness programme was designed which was both organisationally consistent and individually team specific, with a common set of team tools to monitor and measure team progress.
- The programme was based on proven research and used the concept of focussed performance improvement (commitment to clear goals, monitored performance, and team engagement to drive performance).
- 20 Team leaders and their teams on site had the opportunity to work with Andy Fleet, Oakridge's Senior Consultant. Team sizes varied from 3 - 17 staff.
- The programme started with Oakridge carrying out a diagnostic, using a 14 indicators Individual and Team self-assessment questionnaire for the SMTs to identify specific team strengths and development requirements.
- A report was then produced that gave scores, involving 14 team excellence indicators, about what constituted a high performing team.
- The SMT attended a workshop where they were asked to identify the 3 most important things they could do to drive value and also commit to further improve team and individual performance.
- Andy worked with each team to ascertain where he could help them - whether that was in areas such as communication, stakeholder management or vision and strategy - and then gave them the tools to keep the momentum going and the focus on performance.
Results
- Often, due to individual circumstances, a fall in team effectiveness measures would be considered the norm, however The Oakridge Centre's Team Effectiveness programme surpassed all expectations.
- Overall, the teams maintained their Team Effectiveness and improved their Team Performance, with the Team Performance Indicators increasing by up to 29%.
- In addition, feedback from the teams was "overwhelmingly positive" with one employee stating "it was the most practical team session I've ever attended." Others said the course was "well run", with "a good style of approach and content", while Andy was an "excellent facilitator".
- AstraZeneca was so pleased with the results that it commissioned further change work with The Oakridge Centre off the back of the Team Effectiveness Programme.
The Oakridge Centre Feedback
“It is a great honour to work with any client, but being able to support a blue chip organisation such as AstraZeneca on such a major project is a huge privilege."
AstraZeneca's Feedback
“Because we make pharmaceuticals, it is essential that the last batch is as good as the first batch and we knew Oakridge could help us reach that goal, despite the prospect of closure.
Andy has experience in closing businesses and was very quickly able to understand our requirements. He has excellent rapport with staff on all levels and created a fantastic atmosphere to work in.
The results surpassed all expectations and we were delighted. We would use Oakridge whatever the stage in any lifecycle of the business - growth, maturity or closure."
AstraZeneca site HR and Training Partner