Roca's project management training leads to massive improvements
Project management is one of the key skills in any organisation. The competency of managers to direct and navigate the complexities of a project can make or break a company.
In the case of ROCA – a global company specialising in bathroom furniture – it was clear that project management needed to be improved. Managers observed that, of the 256 projects embarked upon, only 120 were successfully completed. They identified two key issues:
- Processes were over-complex and needed to be streamlined
- Project managers needed to be upskilled to lead projects more effectively
What followed was a comprehensive research process and training development, in collaboration with Cegos Group.
Research and development
First, the team at ROCA had to identify the problems with existing processes and advise how to rectify them. To achieve this, a full-scale research project was implemented, involving senior managers and project management office heads across the company.
The objective was to identify the competencies that project managers need to perform to their full potential. In the end, the following skills were proposed as the basis for the training program:
- Managing and leading change
- Assertive communication
- Integrating all components of project management: execution, content, costs, deadlines and risks.
- Managing stress and overcoming adversity
Designing the project management training program
After this process was complete, the team went to work on designing the project management training program, made up of 5 core modules:
- Leading change: Keys and strategies for leading change within the organisation
- Assertive communication: To generate confidence and security
- Project management: The basics
- Portfolio management: The fundamentals
- Managing stress/resilience: Managing stress and overcoming adversity
The program included coaching sessions as well as group workshops, and participants were encouraged to share best practises.
Significant improvement in project performance
The training program was a huge success with a 25% improvement in project performance.
One of the key components, designed to enhance engagement, was to update project managers on tangible improvement in project productivity. As the training progressed, the team identified over 90 such improvements, helping to boost morale.
The average score from participants of the program was 3.8/4. The project also reduced need for training investment by 70%.
Another recognition of the project efficiency was a recognition by the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards. This global programme rewards innovation and achievement in the world of Human Capital Management. The group recently announced the ROCA-CEGOS’ project as winner of a silver Award in the category: Best Team Development Program.
Key to success
Several factors influenced the success of the project management program:
- Support from ROCA’s management was essential, both to promote the programme and enrol collaborators involved in the project.
- The portfolio dynamic was enhanced to include capacity planning and treatment of bottlenecks, with improvements to existing management tools.
- People got to know each other across functions and geographies, sharing best practice.
“The transformation in the performance of our project managers is evident in the results,” says Jacques Nieuwland, Digital Transformation Director at Roca Group. “We now complete more projects successfully, and the processes involved in managing projects at ROCA are more efficient and effective. This is down to several factors, not least the methodical and systematic approach to designing the training programme. In addition, the rollout of the program was well-received thanks to the quality of the training, the accessibility of the resources and excellent coaching.”
