Building Bridges
Internationales HR Interim Management
As an experienced and culturally sensitive Interim HR Executive, I am a passionate „bridge builder“. I support companies across all sectors of industry and commerce in the successful execution of change projects.
Some examples of what it is all about:
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You have a vacancy in HR Management and want to ensure business continuity maintaining expected performance levels until a new appointment is made?
- You need to restructure or wish to change the organization, taking a planned, controlled approach to minimize organizational ‘turbulence’?
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You are planning to or have acquired a company or started a Joint Venture, and want to optimize and accelerate the integration process?
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You want to examine and improve the structure and/or processes of your HR department?
For these and similar time-limited assignments, I offer professional support which delivers results which improves your company’s performance and competitiveness. My Interim Management provides you a totally flexible use of resources, tailored to your specific organizational needs. I have many years’ wide-ranging experience and a pragmatic, hands-on working style, which guarantee a timely intervention and speedy and effective outcomes.
My openness to new approaches, with my feet firmly on the ground and a good sense of humor help me to quickly secure the necessary trust and confidence of colleagues within the organization. Let us talk about your bridge building requirements. I am here to support you in whatever way works best for you.
Interim Management offers a
flexible and tailor made employment of resources.
Dr. Werner Loose – Building Bridges
About me
I have worked in leading HR Management positions in several companies within the automotive industry:
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as Human Resources and Organizational Development Manager
– in the headquarters of a leading automotive OEM,
– in a medium-sized, independently operating specialist
in automotive electronics,
– in a division of one of today’s largest automotive suppliers -
as HR Executive and Labor Director for global business units of two large, international automotive suppliers
As a Physicist, my early career was in public and industrial research organizations in the United States and in Germany. Since then I myself have crossed many bridges, again and again facing new situations and requirements and successfully dealing with them. „Walk the talk“ as the basis for personal and professional credibility and as a prerequisite for effective leadership.
In the ongoing professionalization of HR, the curiosity, interest in fundamental mechanisms and correlations, and in solving problems stand me in good stead. I enjoy the deep-dive into new topics, like to see them in a broader, systemic context, and to develop and implement to-the-point and practical solutions.
Continuous professional development via formal training has complemented my experience-based learning. Programs include Organizational Development / Change Management / Systemic Consulting with the Beratergruppe Neuwaldegg/Heitger Consulting (Vienna, Austria), and courses in Emotional Intelligence and Group Dynamics. I am a certified PRINCE2 Practitioner and can assure a structured and customized approach also in bigger projects.
As a member of the German Society of HR Management (DGFP), I keep myself up-to-date with current developments in Human Resources. I am a committed networker and member of the German Society of Interim Management (DDIM), and can quickly draw on further professional resources and expertise, if needed.
„Walk the talk“ and authenticity
are prerequisites for an effective management.
That’s how I can support you –
The offering
Interim Management
Bridging the Succession Gap
Securing high quality management replacements can be a lengthy and resource-hungry process!
Why make a selection decision under pressure, and hope that the external new hire may be able to start earlier than the contractual notice period would allow? Why wait until an important project is finalized, or until the replacement and hand-over in the current position is completed to make an internal management change.
With an Interim Manager, you gain the breathing space needed to make considered and timely judgements, significantly reducing the risk of a wrong appointment or a false start.
My operational bridging assures seamless continuity within the business. The HR team and your management benefit from an experienced leader who can ‘hit the ground running’ – ‘business as usual’ without any disruption within the organization. The support can extend, of course, to include induction of the new appointee.
An additional benefit through the involvement of a passionate HR professional is an assessment of the organization and performance of the HR function. If required, such findings and recommendations could form the basis of further co-operation.
Some achivements
to date
Interim Management & Projects
- Re-positioning of an internal training department as a cost center
- Introduction of a lean, globally aligned internal communications process
- Establishment of a common HR reporting process with common KPI’s
- Introduction of an HR Business Partner structure
- Standardization and streamlining of the process descriptions for core HR processes
- Implementation of a global standard for employee performance management
- Re-engineering of the recruitment and selection process for engineers
Restructuring
Building a Bridge from the Crisis to the Future
Staff reductions and plant closures are, of course, ultima ratio, the last resort.
For the company and its employees, this is a watershed, prompting fears and uncertainty – even for those who are not affected. For the management, it is an exceptional circumstance: it demands full, concerted attention, in addition to daily business, which in these circumstances is typically also more challenging. In many cases, the success of the endeavor determines the future viability of the company.
An experienced Interim Manager has managed such exercises and delivered target outcomes on many occasions. He knows the mission-critical factors and can focus on the execution with undivided attention and an unbiased view.
My offering is the complete project management for all HR related aspects of a restructuring. I am committed to ensure that the outcome will meet or exceed leadership’s expectations, that the business will be stronger and more competitive as a result of the intervention.
In implementing restructuring projects, I always use the full toolbox of change management. In this respect, communication is key, and must not be neglected compared to the formal, legal and tactical aspects of the project.
Some achivements
to date
Restructuring and organizational changes
- Production shifts and plant closures in Germany, Austria, Spain, and France
- Selection and establishment of ‘green field’ production and development sites in Romania and India
- Transition from a regional to a global organizational structure for a business unit
- Merging and streamlining of the management organization in two production plants
- Establishment of a pan-European Shared Services Center in Poland
- Supplementary collective bargaining agreements in Germany, delivering major savings in labor costs
Merger & Acquisitions
Bridging Cultural Barriers
M&A activity is a major feature of globalization and growth strategies. The stakes are high, significant risks often associated with huge investments.
Research shows that the majority of such initiatives do not meet expectations and fail. This is in spite of the fact that the underlying causes of failure are generally well understood! The knowledge is available, but it is either not applied properly or is obstructed by “blind spots”.
Effective HR leadership can make a difference in these endeavors: as early as in due diligence and even more so in the formation phase of the new extended enterprise.
An experienced Interim Manager has successfully steered organizations through complex M&A activities. He knows the mission-critical factors and can focus on the execution with undivided attention and an unbiased view.
I have actively managed these so-called “integration processes” as HR Manager in different organizational, international and cultural contexts. Experience has shown me that there is no panacea, no ‘one size fits all’ approach. A successful outcome depends on the specific business context, the cultures involved, and some more characteristics in order to implement with the right blend of rigor and good judgment.
As HR project manager for your M&A project, I offer comprehensive support: besides the operational HR topics (Legal, Compensation & Benefits, Labor Relations, Contracts, Communications etc.), I can, in OD and Change Manager mode, support the post-completion integration process and ensure that the ‘soft’ issues are addressed as well.
Some achivements
to date
Merger & Acquisitions and other integration projects
- Acquisition and integration of a Spanish, family-owned company
- Integration of a mid-sized automotive electronics company into a major global automotive supply group
- Transfer of Undertaking (TUPE) and amalgamation of a technology start-up to two companies
- Alignment of compensation and benefits for managers as part of the integration process
- Preparation of a Cultural Due Diligence
- Development and implementation of a Mission-Vision-Values project
- Facilitation of leadership workshops for the combined management group post merger
An Interim-Manager has tackled
similar routes before and
stands for a successful implementation.
Building Bridges –
References
vacancy bridging and restructuring in a family business, Germany
The interim assignment in this time characterized by many changes and special challenges was very effective and helped the company a lot. His intrepid, straightforward and circumspect approach led to quick acceptance and high effectiveness.
I would like to thank Dr. Loose for his extraordinary commitment and excellent cooperation, wish him all the best both professionally and personally and can highly recommend him for interim management assignments in the Human Resources area.
Managing Partner & CEO of a medium-sized family business in Germany
(vacancy bridging and restructuring)
Mission statement process, global business unit
… The stringent project management and the minimum resources applied (financially and work force) were key to its acceptance and success. Dr. Loose demonstrated an extraordinary sense with respect to the cultural basis in the different parts of the organization, successfully integrated them into the initiative, and managed to keep the efforts at the right and sustainable level. We achieved our targets and provided a solid basis for a successful global business development in a very competitive environment. I did value the support of Dr. Loose in this initiative, and can highly recommend him for organizational and cultural development initiatives in global environments….Vice President & General Manager, amerikanischer Automobilzulieferer
Restructuring project in Europe
…. He quickly established a trustful and solid working basis with the local works council and the Union representative of the IG Metall. His clear and sensitive communication towards the workforce helped significantly to keep emotions under control and maintained public attention and press coverage to a minimum at local level. …Vice President, amerikanischer Automobilzulieferer
News
Socially responsible downsizing for SMEs and/or international shareholders
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HR vacancy bridging with blind spot detection
A vacancy of the HR Manager role is a chance to upgrade the HR function. In this article I am advocating to secure and boost those chances by assigning an experienced HR interim manager (HRIM) to actively bridge the vacancy period. While the risks are apparent and of both short and long term nature, the […]
Proven partnerships
can be utilized to realize also
more extensive bridge building projects.
Building Bridges –
Memberships & Network
What kind of bridges do you want to build?
I look forward to your call!
Dr. Werner Loose
International HR Interim Management
Luisenstr. 45
D – 10117 Berlin
phone: +49 1573 9307942
e-mail: info [at] building-hr-bridges.com
