Transparent and Logical Standards Align Plant Staffing and Deliver Measurable Business Impact

Strategic Clarity
Together with the senior leadership team, Operations, HR, and Finance, we translated the ambition of “staffing harmonization” into a clear target state: standardized staffing ratios per operational activity, based on transparent and comparable staffing drivers. Clear choices were made on standardized staffing ratios across all European plants while accounting for local specificities. 

Execution that sticks
From day one, plant managers and their local management teams were fully integrated into the process, from data collection through final decision-making. We worked closely with plant managers, their teams and local functional experts to discuss the approach, collect data during on-site visits, validate assumptions, and build an objective benchmarking database. In a joint final workshop with plant managers and the senior leadership team, target staffing levels were agreed and concrete actions defined, ensuring alignment and commitment. 

Co-Creation for real buy-in
Beyond the senior leadership team, manufacturing directors, plant managers and their teams, local HR, and Finance were deeply involved. Ownership shifted from “locally imposed targets” to jointly agreed standards – built on facts, peer exchange, and transparent discussion of trade-offs.

The project created value on multiple levels. On the business side, transparent benchmarks enabled targeted staffing optimization and productivity improvements, contributing to cost savings (>25m€) and higher productivity (>15%). Organizationally, the group established a common language and standard for staffing across Europe, significantly accelerating the budgeting process and strengthening cost control. At the people level, the co-creation approach increased acceptance of sensitive staffing decisions, strengthened cross-plant learning, and built confidence among plant leaders to actively manage productivity based on facts rather than negotiation. In the future, staffing discussions will be based on true standards and facts rather than subjective gut feelings. 

The work was jointly owned by Global and EU leadership, with strong involvement from Operations, HR, Finance, manufacturing directors, and plant managers. Collaboration was hands-on and intensive: bi-weekly update calls, monthly Steering Committees, on-site visits of every plant, and an interactive final workshop bringing together the senior leadership team and plant managers. This setup ensured transparency, mutual understanding, and shared ownership – turning a sensitive topic into a collectively driven initiative with clear business impact.