Consistent Modules can Help Ciaron Murphy (Head-HR, Global Services, Nokia Siemens Networks) on how to overcome difficulties during a joint venture |
 Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading provider of communications services with global operations. The company was created on April 1st, 2008 as the result of a joint venture between Siemens AG’s COM division (minus its Enterprise business unit) and Nokia’s Network Business Group. A lot of changes take place during a joint venture (JV). Nokia Siemens Networks operates in approximately 150 countries worldwide and has about 60,000 employees. Thus, HR is one function which has to take the most critical decisions. Usually, employees correlate JVs with the scenario of mass layoffs. However, we opted for leveraging the experience of employees from both Nokia and Siemens. A conscious decision was taken in this regard by both sets of management. This company, therefore, opted for a fresh start. Most companies establish various new processes like performance measurement systems, salary structures and business development plans when merging with another. We also, at this point, got our heads together to understand the kind of systems we could incorporate. This session included all operational heads as well as regional managers. We wanted to give an altogether new format to our business operations. We had a bunch of solutions to choose from but the path to take was not very clear. For instance, for recruitment we decided to introduce a proper and systematic check on all major points. This would have benefited the employee as well as the organisation. Through delegation, each functional head was then asked to recommend solutions for their departments. Each function was to be marked on a scale of 1-5 and they were to be inter-connected through the HR modules. In short, the aim was to create a good network that would help us move towards the greater opportunities that lay ahead. This has been our endeavour since inception and the change process is still going on. Initially, in times of change, the first thing that comes to mind is the welfare of the employees. Thus, we decided to follow a specific pattern while implementing and executing modules. The first module related to the communication of the change that was to take place and the intent behind it. I cannot divulge the details about the other modules are they are in process of implementation. Employees have been told that all performance will be rewarded as and when a new module is introduced. We ensured that employees at all levels were included in the change process from the beginning itself, so that there were no gaps left to fill. Employees at our company come from diverse backgrounds and have faced varied experiences. Despite these differences, it was important to maintain consistency in every module to make things simpler across the organisation. Unfortunately, there were some who were not able to adjust to the change and had to leave the organisation. The ones who have stayed, though, say that it has been a wonderful experience. We feel that the journey has only progressed halfway and it has neither been overly rough nor too smooth. People now view change as a positive opportunity. |
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