Listening to drive culture change

Purpose The paper aims to show how a Detroit-based company recovered from a fractured culture and staggering projected financial loss by igniting a cultural revolution fueled by listening and employee engagement. Design/methodology/approach After setting the scene in post-recession Detroit, the case study walks the reader through how the company defined its turnaround goals, engaged its workforce to inspire widespread cultural change and how it is sustaining momentum. Findings The paper provides a detailed account of implementing a listening-focused culture and the positive impact it had on Webasto. It suggests that widespread organizational change is only possible when all employees are engaged and involved in the process. Originality/value This paper illustrates a real-world example of how an automotive supplier took a people-focused approach to engage its workforce with listening to drive culture change and ultimately impact an organization’s bottom line.