Background

In 2016, two social landlords attached to the urban area of Poitiers decided to merge into a single entity with OPH (public housing office) status.

Within this framework, the new entity wished to receive support in the form of several projects:

  • Steering the planned project and change management;
  • Formalizing the strategic guidelines and adapting into a target organization;
  • Supporting the convergence of practices.

Challenges

Alongside the clients, Wavestone had several major challenges:

  • Providing overall expertise across many areas (organization, steering of a planned merger, etc.);
  • Creating the conditions for effective collaborative work between those involved in the plan;
  • Defining and implementing a change management and communication plan adapted to the project’s ambition.

Responses & key success factors

During the merger of these two structures, Wavestone:

  • Mobilized a tightly knit team of consultants specialized in the ability to
    • ensured a critical “mirror” role to guarantee objectivity of analyses and recommendations on areas of expertise;
    • provided the officers, beyond the assigned operational objectives of the task, with a dynamic interpretation of the issues and tactical advice on change management.
  • Led a participatory approach involving the various stakeholders at the proper level by establishing an efficient system of steering and decision-making
  • Segmented the change management approaches to adjust to the realities by providing support to the managerial lines.