About the Company
Gulbrandsen Technologies (India) Private Limited is a globally recognized leader in the chemical industry, specializing in Water Treatment, Personal Care, and Life Sciences. With over 40 years of expertise, the company is committed to delivering high-quality chemical solutions while ensuring safety, sustainability, and innovation. Headquartered in South Carolina, USA, Gulbrandsen operates multiple manufacturing sites across India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, ensuring a reliable supply chain and expert technical support. With a turnover of ₹500 crore and a workforce of 1,500 employees, the company adheres to international regulations and partners with industries worldwide to drive efficiency and excellence.
Problem Statement
Internally promoted employees across departments lacked essential leadership, communication, documentation, and decision-making skills, negatively impacting overall productivity and team efficiency.
Symptoms:
- Inability to effectively lead and manage their teams.
- Communication gaps leading to inefficiencies and misunderstandings.
- Lack of motivation among team members.
- Poor documentation and reporting practices.
- Inability to take ownership of tasks and make critical decisions at their level.
These challenges resulted in inefficiencies, lower productivity, and hindered the overall operational effectiveness of the organization. The management at Gulbrandsen Technologies sought an intervention to bridge this gap and enhance the leadership capabilities of their supervisors.
About the Participants
The corporate training program engaged 28 supervisors from Production, Quality Control, Purchase, Store, Safety, and EHS departments. These participants, aged 30 to 50 years, held 10 to 20 years of experience and possessed Engineering Degree / Diploma qualifications. Over the years, they had been promoted from technician roles to supervisory positions, bringing strong technical expertise. However, at this new level, their roles demanded a new set of managerial and people skills, which they lacked. The transition therefore presented significant challenges in leadership development, communication skills, documentation, and decision-making, impacting their overall effectiveness in driving team productivity and operational efficiency.
Intervention by My Sarthi Training
My Sarthi Training implemented a structured, step-by-step approach to ensure an effective and impactful supervisory leadership training intervention:
Step 1: Understanding the need for training: My Sarthi Training initiated the process by meeting with the HR Head and conducting in-depth discussions with respective Heads of Departments (HODs) to comprehensively understand Gulbrandsen Technologies’ specific training needs and business objectives.
Step 2: Drafting proposal and methodology: Based on the initial assessment, a customized training proposal and methodology were developed, meticulously aligned with the identified skill development gaps and organizational goals.
Step 3: Finalizing the training module and calendar: A structured training curriculum was designed for a 3-month period, encompassing six intensive training sessions focused on key areas like team management, communication strategies, and decision-making.
Step 4: Branding the intervention: To enhance engagement and recall, the training program was given a unique identity, making it more distinctive and memorable for participants.
Step 5: Flag-off ceremony: A formal flag-off ceremony was conducted where the Plant Head, HR Head, and Training Head emphasized the crucial importance of the leadership training program, setting a positive tone and reinforcing its value.
Step 6: Activity and action-based learning: My Sarthi Training employed highly interactive methodologies to ensure practical skill application and maximize learning retention. This included:
- Ice-breakers, real-world case studies, and role plays.
- Brainstorming sessions, buzz grouping, and experience sharing.
- Task-oriented learning to ensure immediate practical application of newly acquired skills.
Step 7: Implementing and documenting training action points: A system was put in place to implement and meticulously document all training action points, ensuring accountability and tracking progress.
Step 8: Award ceremony: To foster motivation and recognize progress, a customized Internal Award System was introduced across 11 unique categories, measuring performance and celebrating top achievers. This significantly boosted participant engagement and fostered healthy competition in performance improvement.
Step 9: Valedictory session: The intervention concluded with a comprehensive valedictory session, including reflections, valuable feedback from participants, and a final award ceremony, reinforcing the achievements and future growth
Key Outcomes & Impact
Following My Sarthi Training’s intervention, Gulbrandsen Technologies observed significant and tangible improvements among their supervisors, leading to enhanced organizational effectiveness:
- Improved Leadership skills: Supervisors demonstrated marked improvement in their leadership capabilities, including enhanced communication skills, effective work allocation, greater proficiency in managing people, and an increased ability to inspire their teams. This directly addressed the initial problem statement.
- Enhanced communication: Supervisors exhibited improved reporting frequency with their HODs and greater clarity in presenting their ideas, streamlining communication channels. This included notable improvements in work allocation processes, clearer reporting structures, and more effective feedback mechanisms.
- Cost & quality improvements: Teams began to actively suggest innovative ideas for cost reduction and quality improvement, leading to measurable operational efficiencies.
- Self-learning mindset: Participants showed increased engagement in online courses and certifications, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
- Training culture development: Participants not only identified areas for improvement but also proactively initiated and conducted internal training sessions, fostering a self-sustaining learning and development culture.
- Proactive safety measures: Supervisors became more vigilant, actively identifying unsafe conditions, resolving them promptly, and meticulously documenting preventive actions, contributing to a safer work environment.
- Stronger team dynamics: Improved trust and informal personal interactions among team members led to better teamwork and higher motivation, fostering a more collaborative work environment.
- Higher productivity: A visible enhancement in overall efficiency and team productivity was observed across all participating departments.
- Better contribution to decision-making: Increased participation in discussions and problem-solving sessions, leading to more informed and effective departmental decisions.
The Supervisory Leadership Training Program by My Sarthi Training at Gulbrandsen Technologies (India) Pvt. Ltd. successfully transformed supervisors into proactive and effective leaders. By equipping them with essential managerial and leadership skills, the organization witnessed enhanced productivity, improved workplace dynamics, and a strong culture of continuous learning and employee development.
