Agile Transformation Communication

Julius Baer is the leading Swiss wealth management group and a premium brand in this global sector, with a focus on servicing and advising sophisticated private clients. To improve client satisfaction the bank wants to become more agile when collaborating internally and externally.

In 2021 Julius Baer decided to implement a staggered agile transformation of selected parts of the organization with pilot projects. Learnings from these pilots shall be used to potentially scale up the agile transformation across the bank. To successfully do so, a transparent communication about the goals and changes based on the agile transformation was key. However, the messaging, the link to the recently launched “purpose” campaign and the roadmap for the ongoing project communication were not yet defined. Farner was tasked with strategic and operational support in the areas of change communication and project management to make sure that all employees get the information they need.

Farner supported Julius Baer’s Group Comms team in the development of the key messaging, the change story, a bank-wide communication concept as well as operational support aligned with the relevant internal stakeholders. In this role Farner made sure that all communication activities around agile in the bank were in line with the overall concept and messaging as well as adapted to the different needs of the internal target groups. The overall change communication priorities thereby were:

• Defining key communicators and ensure their visibility
• Shifting from information only to interaction and dialogue
• Centralizing key agile content
• Aligning communication activities more closely
• Supporting change management activities

In a structured process and by involving all relevant stakeholders, we succeeded in translating the goals, measures and effects of the agile transformation into a story that provides orientation for all employees no matter if they were directly or indirectly affected by the change. The key messages of the change story then were incorporated in all important communication measures.