WINDTRE: Changing the organizational model after the perfect storm

In the Italian telecommunications landscape, the merger between Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.A. and H3G S.p.A. (3 Italia) on December 31, 2016, marked the birth of WINDTRE, creating a new industry leader. This complex merger was managed by the Russian group Veon, owner of Wind, and the Chinese group CK Hutchison, owner of 3.

The subsequent integration phase of the two companies required an investment of €6 billion and three years of activities, from 2017 to 2019. Meanwhile, in 2018, CK Hutchison acquired Veon’s stake, becoming the sole owner.

The WINDTRE brand was launched in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic, coinciding with the phase of “forced remote work” that affected businesses worldwide.

During the integration process, “we asked ourselves what kind of company we wanted to be for our people: we started by listening to their opinions and rethought our culture, focusing on empowerment,” says Rossella Gangi, HR Director.

“During the three years of integration,” adds Sergio Gonella, Culture, Development, Inclusion & Talent Acquisition Director, “we implemented more than 50 initiatives each year, with the ultimate goal of bringing everyone on board.”

In line with the goal of listening to employees, the To Be Smart survey was conducted in 2020 to understand their experience with remote working. The survey, with a response rate of 82%, revealed strong interest in a “smart” work model that combined remote and in-office work.

Thanks to coordination between internal and external communications, WINDTRE launched a “values” charter (including trust, inclusion, responsibility, and courage), which would form the foundation of the new “Human Working” model.

The model allows employees to organize their work according to personal needs, balancing them with team requirements, and choosing where and when to work. This model went beyond the six days of smart working per month previously allowed, driving not only an organizational change but also a cultural shift: inclusive leadership, collaboration, trust, responsibility in decision-making, building team spirit through quality interactions both in-office and remotely, and defining rituals to strengthen group bonds, along with rules to prevent work from encroaching too much on private life.

The path to Human Working was not without challenges. Resistance to change was one of the first hurdles. Many were accustomed to the traditional, pre-pandemic work model, based on physical presence and rigid schedules. Additionally, the role of managers had to be redefined, from “controllers” to facilitators, guiding and supporting teams in achieving their goals.

Following the launch of the new model, two engagement surveys were conducted, including a section dedicated to Human Working. The analysis shows that from 2020 to 2022, the engagement rate increased significantly.

The Human Working experience offers insights for companies looking to innovate their way of working:

• Inclusion: Offering equal access to the new organization (essentially smart working) and monitoring usage patterns and potential disparities is key to ensuring the new system's effectiveness.
• Corporate culture: Building a company culture that respects diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being. A crucial element was the training of managers.
• Listening to employees: Involving employees in every phase of the change process. Groups of young employees played a crucial role in defining the “We-etiquette,” which informally regulates behaviors to maintain a proper work-life balance.
• Trust and autonomy: Delegating and giving employees the autonomy to organize their own work.
• Technology support: Using the right technological tools to facilitate collaboration and remote work.

Simona Cuomo, Zenia Simonella, Human Working: Wind Tre’s Experience for a New Working Model, The Case Center, Reference no. 424-0048-1.