Impact have worked in partnership with Swedish Match for the last decade, initially on a series of management development programmes which were focused on preparing promising young talent for a future in senior management. A number of senior positions in Swedish Match are now ably filled by participants of these early programmes.

Objective

A recent initiative has been with the European Works Council. This special group represents the trade unions within its European production sites. The group meets regularly, but has traditionally faced difficulties in communication due to wide cultural diversity and linguistic backgrounds.  Communication at meetings has always been by way of translators, with all its attendant problems. The goal was to improve use of English as well as each other’s languages, to understand individual’s life and work, and to push open the communication barrier between the countries.

Solution

Impact’s solution was a programme with several phases over a three-year period.

Impact believes that communication is not simply about words, but also about the process of working together, knowing each other, being aware of cultural backgrounds and personal situations, and also of the fundamental efforts and attitudes that are required for people to communicate well.

Our programme focused on four main elements:
•  working together on practical projects and activities to build interpersonal contact and provide shared experience in  
project management
•  using art to create pictures of themselves in their culture and background
•  learning small amounts of each other’s languages, at the same time as completing some enjoyable activities in a beautiful natural setting
•  developing plans for continuing at work with their improved level of communication.

Result

"The programme has been used to strengthen the communication in our European Works Council. We carried out a first programme with a smaller workgroup followed by a programme for all delegates in the Works Council. The delegates knowledge of English varies and we lacked a common language for internal communications. From the company’s point of view we are eager for our members to be able to communicate without an interpreter. The programmes with Impact have definitely helped to improve understanding of each other and made internal communications much easier."
Göran Streiffert
Senior Vice President HR
Swedish Match

Read more about Impact's approach to Intercultural Learning