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Overview
Bristol Water had a repair and maintenance contract with Kier Utilities Water. Over a period of time, the ways of working, culture and relationship between Bristol Water and Kier had become misaligned due to a variety of internal and external factors.
The Challenge
TDP was approached to carry out a detailed cultural diagnostic to understand the ways of working and culture that existed between Bristol Water and Kier. The diagnostic was commissioned due to recognition across both businesses that the existing culture was contributing to ineffective processes and working relationships. There was a clear requirement for colleagues in both businesses to work more collaboratively, as ‘One Team’, in order to deliver the shared goal of excellent customer service.
Our Approach
Cultural Diagnostic – a robust and structured approach was delivered in order to gain a full view of current cultural issues across the senior team resulting in a range of tailored solutions
Blended Programme – the programme included a mix of interventions including ‘Process Integration Workshops’, ‘Team Managers Session’, ‘Cross-Functional Workshops’, ‘Communications Planning’ and a ‘30 Day Challenge’
Cultural Change
Team Meetings – punchier, less formal meetings became the norm with the aim of energising people and saving time
Cross-Functional Communication – communication across teams and work roles improved. For example, planning and operational teams confirmed a better understanding of how they impact on one another
Coaching Support – colleagues experienced a shift towards a coaching approach to conversations, with more questions and improved listening. Managers visited sites more frequently to be more visible and available for discussions, with commitments to meaningful 1-1s balancing focus on both task and person
The Final Analysis
The programme was delivered successfully to 60 leaders with both Bristol Water and Kier fully committing themselves to the programme. Also, great feedback was provided to all of the TDP team on the nature of the working relationships and the quality of the delivery and outputs. In order to sustain the success, a comprehensive set of recommendations was provided within a detailed evaluation report.
