Implementing Technology to Embrace a New Strategic Direction in Sourcing

Situation 

The Global Procurement Organization of a large pharmaceutical company was implementing a new strategic sourcing model with standardized practices. Part of this process involved the rollout of a new Global Procurement Policy and the implementation of a new technology that would automate part of the process. We were asked to create an OCM plan that would help employees move from transactional to strategic thinking and create a high level of adoption for the technology implementation. 

Our Approach

We launched our OCM workstream by ensuring senior leaders understood the messaging we were creating and were committed to their sponsorship role.  In preparation for the launch of the new procurement policy, we worked for several months with training and development to create a modular, interactive training course that explained the procurement policy in detail.  It was decided that policy training would be made mandatory for every employee who used the Global Procurement System.  Subsequently, training was launched using a phased approach, first in the US and Canada, then in other regions such as EMEA and APAC. In parallel, as part of our change strategy for the new technology, we began releasing phased communications about the program, beginning with how the change related to the overarching goals of the company.  Some tactical tools we used to get these messages included:
 

• Monthly newsletter about the new technology

• Videos that discussed the concept

• Campaign style emails from the Chief Procurement Officer that explained the concept and provided both general and high-level strategic updates

• Targeted emails to core teams as they were being prepared for Go Live

 
In parallel, we needed to address the mindset change associated with moving the organization from transactional to strategic.  Our OCM approach included working closely with the Chief Procurement Officer to initiate a skills assessment.  The skills assessment was used to understand where organizational gaps existed in key strategic skill sets.  This information was used to create enriched learning and development opportunities for procurement employees and the program.  This program was then marketed internally as a way to motivate and excite stakeholders about the upcoming launch of the system.
 
In tandem, our change plan included face-to-face communications, and top-down cascades from change champions leading the effort in their own organizations.  We also asked our change champions throughout the organization to discuss the technology implementation in their own staff meetings.

Finally, we also put into place process for new employees who were being on-boarded, so they would have the tools they needed to engage with the Procurement organization from day 1.

Examples of Tactics

• Comprehensive communications planning that addressed three key areas: Policy rollout, mindset change, system implementation.

• Skills analysis program that directly involved stakeholders provided the benefit of accelerated training and development and enabled colleagues to take pride in the development of new skills sets that would be use in the future state.

• Direct and ongoing involvement with executive sponsors.

• Special intranet hub where stakeholders could see the latest updates about the system implementation, training information, and a news about the project.

• Produced a clickable reference guide that provided an easy-to-use walk through of the new global procurement policy. Users could click within the guide, lining them to important template and forms they needed throughout the procurement process.