Implementing a
new approach to
performance for
a global giant

Challenge

Standing in the midst of a rapidly changing mobility industry, leading automotive manufacturer Volvo Group needed to find a new way of working internally due to increasingly decentralised decision-making. In order to quickly meet the needs of a constantly changing market, while ensuring employees are aligned to work coherently across both borders and a wide variety of brands, Volvo Group recognised the need for a significant internal cultural shift.

Solution

Working closely with the Volvo Group core team from the start, Grow took everything into consideration in order to not only create a unified concept that would work globally, but also one that could be adapted for each unique market – fitting each distinct corporation in Volvo Group’s portfolio and their specific needs. Building on the foundation of close collaboration, Grow proposed the “Let’s Roll” initiative – an innovative concept that placed the employee in the driver’s seat, allowing them to take charge of their own professional development.

In order to move away from a fixed way of doing things, the implementation of a growth mindset amongst the employees became a key success factor. This included removing yearly performance reviews, in favour of introducing a more on-going dialogue through regular check-ins and continuous feedback. These policies were reflected not only vertically in manager-employee relationships, but also horizontally, from one co-worker to another. In time, the level of contact and degree of responsibility for the management team increased, allowing them to become better collaborators and coaches rather than traditional managers. Moreover, the role of Volvo Group’s international HR teams saw a considerable shift as well, from functioning as systematic controllers towards becoming leaders in developing people.

Provided with a creative concept, strategic messaging guide, a visual identity for the project, and an accompanying activation guide with activation leavers – Volvo Group launched the project internally for all employees and their HR community in late 2018.

If you want to know more, contact Elsa Victorin.