International recognition for Merck Healthcare Australia and New Zealand with the company awarded for a two-year corporate program focused on transforming its culture while driving collaboration and accountability.
Merck and its leadership development partner LIW have been awarded the silver gong at the 2020 Learning Technologies Awards for the 'Best Learning Technologies Project in the International Commercial Sector'.
The partners received the award from a field of more than 500 entries from around the world.
The award recognises the work undertaken to build a stronger performance culture, shape a new shared vision and purpose, and deliver against the company's strategic objectives.
Leah Goodman, managing director of Merck Healthcare ANZ, said, "We’re delighted to receive this award, which highlights a remarkable shift in the business in a short period of time. We have seen a real change in culture to one which is highly proactive, data-driven, accountable and engaged.
“We began by having the Country Leadership Team examine its own performance culture and, across the last 2 years and using the SQUADIFY software assessment tool, hold itself to a continuous high standard and model that behaviour throughout the organisation.
“We quickly saw a dramatic improvement in financial results and engagement scores. People reported much greater satisfaction, happiness at work and a belief in the purpose of their role."
Ms Goodman said the first year was focused on four pillars - innovation and product launches, customer experience, business culture and employee engagement. She said the second year was about taking accountability for achieving the company's vision and going to a new level of insights-driven strategy, curiosity mindset and a new customer engagement model.
“The most powerful driver of this new direction came from the purpose and vision the team defined by Merck ANZ: We make life better: By 2023 we will improve more than one quarter of a million lives. This statement galvanised the team to rediscover the passion they had when they joined the business and recognise the value that Merck brings to people," said Ms Goodman.
“The program has resulted in us establishing new roles for Commercial Excellence and for Digital Strategy, as well as introduction of governance for regular dialogue on assumptions, KPIs and performance in a collaborative way across the business which leverages sharing of best practice. We’ve seen genuine curiosity leading to more interesting, less one-dimensional discussions among the team and new ideas to grow the business.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work and difficult decision making but I think the changes we’ve implemented put Merck Healthcare in the best possible position to manage the COVID period and the post-COVID environment so that we can achieve our vision and Make Life Better for our customers and patients.”
