Equans IT is undergoing a strategic transformation to gradually bring in-house 450 technology roles currently handled by external consultants.
While its teams were already working internationally, this transformation represents a major shift. Going forward, employees will work closely with colleagues based in Chile, Morocco, Romania and India, across four new international hubs.
Beyond organizational changes, this transformation is above all about people. Working effectively across cultures requires developing a Global Mindset, approaching cultural differences with openness and humility, and building shared ways of working.
To support this transformation, Equans chose GapsMoov to prepare its managers, raise cultural awareness among existing teams, and support the integration of future employees.
The goal: turn cultural diversity into a driver of team performance and a key success factor for the INSIDE project.
Equans IT
Equans IT designs and manages the digital and technology services that support the Group’s operations worldwide.
It is organized into 12 Shared Lines of Services (SLS), which provide services across the Group, and 8 Major Business Units (MBU), which adapt these services to local needs and support employees in their regions.
To support its growth and improve operational efficiency, Equans launched the INSIDE project.
This strategic transformation aims to gradually bring externally provided services in-house, within the SLS organization, through the creation of four international hubs. Cross-cultural collaboration is therefore a key factor in the project’s success.
“INSIDE” PROJECT OBJECTIVES
- Prepare 12 SLS directors to lead multicultural teams.
- Raise awareness among 160 existing employees about new ways of working together.
- Support the successful integration of 450 new employees.
- Build a shared culture across countries.
THE GAPSMOOV SOLUTION
Equans chose GapsMoov to develop its teams’ cross-cultural skills through a learning journey combining face-to-face workshops, interactive webinars and digital learning.
A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFORMATION
GapsMoov designed a learning journey combining in-person workshops, interactive webinars and digital learning. The approach aims to align managers, raise awareness among employees and build lasting cross-cultural skills.
Step 1: Aligning leaders around a shared vision
The project started with a half-day workshop bringing together the 12 members of the SLS leadership team. The objectives were to:
- Explore the team’s collective cultural profile.
- Align ways of working and collaborating.
- Better understand the cultures of the four future international hubs: Chile, Morocco, Romania and India.
Testimonials
Interesting for open our minds and accepting the differences: SD
Very useful, speakers are very clear: MM
Very helpful training, it helped to connect with the team: SR
Very interesting. It opened our eyes to aspects of cross-cultural collaboration we had never considered before: JL
👍 WHAT PARTICIPANTS VALUED MOST:
- Time to reflect together and build a shared vision of the project.
- Open and constructive discussions to share experiences with peers.
- Practical tools to improve cross-cultural leadership and collaboration.
Step 2 : Raising cultural awareness through interactive webinars
To support the INSIDE project and strengthen communication around the transformation, GapsMoov delivered a series of four interactive webinars as part of Equans IT’s internal communication plan. These sessions helped employees better understand the key challenges of working across cultures.
4 topics:
- Building Trust
- Collaborating Internationally
- Navigating Communication Styles
- Becoming an Ambassador
The webinars provided practical insights to help participants:
- Better understand cultural differences.
- Build trust across cultures.
- Improve communication.
- Develop a shared commitment to the project.
Testimonials
All clear and helps us to open out minds: SM
Very good tools to understand every culture and improve our communication skills! HG
Continue to organize these type of sessions. MR
Loved it. Very important topic for us: HV
Step 3: Supporting long-term change through digital learning
To ensure long-term learning, all employees have access to The Culture Decoder®, allowing them to continue developing their cross-cultural skills at their own pace.
The digital learning journey enables employees to:
- Explore cultural practices in more than 80 countries.
- Compare their cultural profile with those of their colleagues.
- Go deeper into the topics covered during the webinars and workshops.
This digital learning journey will also play a central role in onboarding the 450 new employees who will gradually join the international hubs.
The Culture Decoder® is GapsMoov’s blended learning platform. It offers an interactive and practical way to explore cultural behaviors in more than 80 countries and compare them with each learner’s own cultural profile.
A promising start
289 employees trained
768 hours of learning completed (and growing!)
4.5 / 5 satisfaction score
