An international company in the food industry, with a Belgian subsidiary employing between 200 and 300 people, was facing a major social crisis. The local HR Director had lost the trust of trade union representatives due to strategic missteps and inappropriate behavior, at a time when the leadership was preparing significant changes to work organization.

Situation

Given the tense climate and looming restructuring, the Group’s Executive Management and the local Plant Director made the decision to immediately part ways with the HR Director. An interim HR manager had to be appointed urgently to stabilize the situation and ensure continuity while a permanent replacement was being recruited.

Intervention

We were contacted late on a Thursday and were able to propose a highly experienced interim HR manager by the next day. An agreement was reached quickly, and the interim manager started the following Monday.

Upon arrival, the interim manager was met with intimidation attempts from local union representatives. Thanks to his extensive experience in social negotiations across various industrial groups – and existing contacts within the trade union landscape, even to the top, where he was known and taken seriously – he quickly defused the situation. Within a few weeks, he had re-established a constructive social dialogue, enabling management to present and implement the organizational changes under favorable conditions.

Simultaneously, the interim manager identified internal tensions within the plant’s management team. Some department heads were in conflict, which negatively impacted cross-functional collaboration and operational efficiency. Drawing on his background in executive coaching, he successfully helped realign the leadership team, improving communication and team cohesion.

Results

• Social peace restored in a short time
• Smooth adoption of work reorganization measures
• Strengthened leadership team cohesion
• Positive impact acknowledged by Group Management

This mission perfectly illustrates the strategic value of interim management in crisis situations: a rapid, experienced, and effective intervention that secures both human and organizational challenges.