Case Studies

Evaluation of HR Services (Industrial Products)

USJP evaluated a client’s HR organization, its policies, processes, and services by meeting with all levels of employees. USJP identified the strengths and weaknesses of the services the HR group was providing. USJP provided recommendations to change the mix of services in order to better align with the needs of the company and its employees. USJP assisted the company to hire a new Director of HR. The company stabilized its HR operation and improved the quality and value of HR services.

Employee Performance Evaluation Process Improvement (Durable Goods)

USJP assisted an HR manager to simplify and improve employee performance evaluation processes. Although the company had a comprehensive appraisal process, its main focus was the mitigation of the company’s legal risks rather than the development of employees. USJP assisted the HR manager to revise the process and the forms to make a better connection between department goals, individual goals, performance rating, and merit increase. The management believed the new process was simpler, fairer, and more constructive.

Long-term Incentive Plan Development (Electronic Instruments)

USJP designed new long-term incentive plans for the U.S. and European subsidiaries that were acquired by a Japanese company. Most of these companies owed their successes to a small group of talented employees. When the financial market continued to perform well, competitors began to offer equity-based incentives to recruit the top performers. USJP designed a set of long-term incentive plans that consisted of three different components. We worked with the management of each operating company to select different sets of KPIs and goals for each qualified employee.

Post-Retirement Plan Development (Construction Materials)

USJP assisted a Japanese parent company to design a new post-retirement plan for the key executives of its U.S. subsidiaries. Most of its competitors were U.S. based public companies who offer significant stock-based bonuses to top executives. USJP assisted the Japanese parent company to redesign its post-retirement plan in order to retain key executives. USJP worked with external tax/compensation attorneys to design the best plan for both sides and ensure it can be applied to future executives.

Manager Development (Food Products)

USJP assisted a client with manager development for its warehouse and logistics departments. USJP analyzed the issues the warehouse was facing – shipping errors, inventory loss, inaccurate inventory records, inefficient facility utilization, etc. and recommended the company hire or train its warehouse managers. USJP prepared a phased operation improvement plan and coached the warehouse managers to lead the improvement efforts using such tools as issue logs, staff time analysis, and trucking company scorecards. The managers, who already had good people skills, gradually acquired analytical and improvement skills. As a result, the number of processing errors decreased.

Executive Recruitment (Electronics Product Manufacturer)

USJP assisted a client’s HR director to prioritize the requirements for a new VP Finance who would supervise 30 employees in the Finance Department and work closely with the business. USJP identified and screened qualified candidates and supported in the evaluation, negotiation, and on-boarding processes. As a result, the company acquired a new VP without major disruption to its operation.