Helping new structures work for the people in them
HELIX is a Neuroblitz programme for cultural integration after mergers and reorganisations. The organisation chart is finished quickly. It takes longer for people to work well together inside it. HELIX supports that part of the integration.
When HELIX fits
Two organisations are due to become one
The merger has been decided, and different habits, languages and expectations meet in everyday work.
The new structure is in place, everyday work is stuck
Roles have been assigned, and still decisions fizzle out and information doesn't reach the people who need it.
"Us and them" has not become "we"
Sites, regions or former units keep to themselves and tell their own story of the change.
Losses go unspoken
Familiar teams, tasks or status have gone, and hardly anyone talks about it openly.
What HELIX takes on and what stays with you
An integration needs both sides. We take care of the human side, working with those responsible for structures and processes.
What HELIX takes care of
Relationships, belonging, cultural understanding, communication and how people work together day to day.
What stays with you and your consultants
Structures, role structures, KPIs, systems, job descriptions and operational processes.
Where is your integration stuck?
Rate five everyday signals. You get a first picture and a question for your next meeting.
Where you could start
A personal estimate, not a diagnostic. Your answers stay in your browser and are not stored.
How the programme works
Five building blocks, put together to suit your situation.
Understand the reality
Conversations with sponsors, interviews and a team climate pulse show where the friction lies.
Build relationships
Changing perspectives and talking about worries, losses and expectations creates cultural understanding.
Make the difficult speakable
In protected settings, the reality is acknowledged without being glossed over.
Build and test collaboration
World Cafés, Open Spaces and mini hackathons work on real questions, such as which interface isn't working.
Accompany and adjust
Focus groups, individual coaching and regular reflection with leaders keep the work alive in everyday life.
What you have afterwards
A shared picture of the friction
What is holding the new structure back on the human side, named so that everyone can work with it.
Working lines of communication
Clarity about who needs which information and how it reaches them.
Concrete ways of working together
Tested on real questions and developed by the people involved.
Stronger relationships
People from the former units know each other and know who to turn to.
Why we take encounters seriously
With us, people work on their real questions together, and talking about old habits is part of that. We use experiential formats from theatre when they are useful for the situation.
What the research says
A meta-analysis of 515 studies found that contact between groups is associated, on average, with less prejudice. Later analyses put the size of this effect more cautiously in some cases.
Pettigrew & Tropp (2006), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The studies come from many contexts. Applying them to integrations is our step.
Frequently asked questions
How does HELIX differ from integration consulting?
Consultants design structures, role structures and KPIs. HELIX works with the people who are meant to come together in them, and complements that work.
And how does it differ from HEADROOM?
HELIX connects units that are due to start working together. HEADROOM works within an existing team.
How long does HELIX take?
That depends on the size of the organisation and the situation. We put the building blocks together after a first conversation.
When is HELIX the wrong choice?
If structure and roles are still open, that should be settled first, or we coordinate closely with those working on it. We cannot promise the success of a business case, because we are responsible for neither systems nor processes.
Who is behind it
Dr. Ben Hartwig founded Neuroblitz. At the Max Planck Institute, Ben researched molecular genetics and epigenetics. Add to that over 20 years of improv theatre in five groups, six of them with Springmaus, with more than 1,000 performances, festivals and tours around the world. Since 2019, Ben has worked with language models, including in the theatre project Improbotics.
Contact us
info@neuroblitz.de