Talent Management Case Study
Client: Progressive Product Development and Manufacturing Services Firm

The Challenge
The CEO of a progressive product design and third party manufacturer asked Sequent to help design and implement an incentive plan for all the employees. The firm experienced early success and growth that was exponential. By all accounts most employees seemed dedicated and were willing to work long hours and weekends, traveling often within the United States and frequently to Asia. However, they had experienced some unwanted turnover, and normal conversations around priorities and production increasingly circled back to concerns about pay. The CEO was concerned that the company might lose momentum if they didn’t provide the right incentives to continue to build on their success.

The Solution
Sequent completed a compensation study to determine market competitiveness and conducted a cultural assessment to determine if there were issues unrelated to pay that might keep them from getting the results they thought possible and that they desired. The outcome of these assessments caused the CEO to put the incentive plan on hold while he engaged Sequent on several levels over the three years. Some of the projects the company engaged Sequent to do included:
  • Coaching to improve the alignment and effectiveness of the Executive team
  • Developing Values, Vision and Mission to guide the business plan
  • Establishing long range critical success factors and business performance metrics
  • Implementing and integrating Performance Alignment and Talent Management Processes which resulted in an annual Talent Reviews and Succession Planning
  • Coaching all managers on effective performance feedback
  • Implementing an Incentive Compensation plan for all employees tied to business and individual outcomes. In the CFO’s words “We now have a pay plan that works in good times and in bad.”
The Results
The firm continues to experience growth and financial success and continues to engage Sequent to help fine-tune processes and integrate managing their talent with managing their business plan…in good times and in bad.