Cross Border HR Project for Austrian Medical Devices Company

The Situation

A medical devices company in Austria was planning a reorganisation of its Swiss branch to manage the impact of reduced business performance whilst avoiding the need for mass redundancies. Part of the reorganisation plan was to lay off 30 collaborators. The company’s current head of Human Resources did not have enough specialist knowledge of the relevant law and regulations to advise and deliver the changes necessary. In order to comply with employment and social security legislation, a new head of HR was needed.

The Solution

IXPA’s partners Buhler Management Austria and butterflymanager in Switzerland collaborated to provide cross border advice to the company and introduce an HR expert with strong knowledge of the regulatory requirements in the Swiss jurisdiction. A staged plan was developed and implemented for the restructuring of the business. Reorganisation included the introduction of a new commission model and new working time and overtime regulations.

The Outcome

The reorganisation was successfully implemented and staggered for completion by the end of 2018. A good working atmosphere was achieved among the employees during the process and a new Swiss commission model went live in July 2018. New and improved working time and overtime regulations are now in place and operating successfully.