Participatory transformation process

A growing health-tech startup faced the challenge of sdeliberately evolving – and, in some areas, rebuilding – its collaboration and corporate culture amidst a highly dynamic environment. The company experienced rapid growth in a short space of time, whilst day-to-day operations had to continue uninterrupted. 

This gave rise to new requirements regarding role definition, prioritisation, onboarding, communication, processes and cross-functional collaboration. At the same time, the organisation was characterised by high levels of motivation, openness and a willingness to embrace change, but also by noticeable stress and a need for clear direction. The aim was therefore to establish a participatory transformation process that not only safeguards growth from an organisational perspective, but also shapes it as a shared cultural and developmental process.

At the beginning of the process, we developed a shared understanding of the current situation through review sessions with employees. These sessions highlighted strengths, areas of tension and development needs across the dimensions of the bemorrow Transformation Model (Strategy & Governance, Culture & Mindset, Architecture & Infrastructure, People-Centricity). 

Building on this, a collaborative vision workshop with the senior management team produced a prioritised pyramid of objectives, which serves as a strategic guide for the entire growth process. It outlines the organisational and cultural prerequisites that must be established to enable the company to shape its growth effectively. 

In addition, guiding principles for collaboration were developed as cultural guidelines, covering areas such as user-centricity, accountability, a culture of learning and resilience. The resulting work packages were prioritised, mapped out in a roadmap and translated into concrete measures. 

A cross-functional transformation team was established to oversee implementation; this team works through the work packages in a structured manner, manages internal communication and develops engagement formats for staff. We provided the team with content-related and organisational support over a period of six months. The outcome was a practical implementation guide featuring step-by-step instructions and templates for promising measures to drive further sustainable transformation.

The process resulted in a clear framework to guide the organisation’s further development. 

The prioritised pyramid of objectives provides strategic clarity and helps to ensure that decisions and actions are consistently aligned with the key transformation objectives. The principles of collaboration provide the growing organisation with cultural guidelines and support a shared understanding of effective collaboration. 

The transformation roadmap translates the strategic and cultural foundations into concrete work packages and makes implementation successes visible step by step. At the same time, the Transformation Team strengthens personal accountability within the organisation and ensures that change does not remain an abstract concept or a task reserved solely for management, but is continuously embedded in day-to-day collaboration. The final playbook further empowers the team to drive the transformation forward independently even after the project has ended.