BAE Systems

From complex to exciting

BAE Systems provides some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions. They employ a skilled workforce of around 100,000 in more than 40 countries. Working with customers and local partners, they develop, engineer, manufacture and support products and systems to deliver military capability, protect national security and people, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.

A core business focus for BAE Systems is to transform their Finance Function to be the best in the FTSE. To achieve this, BAE Systems have agreed a single Finance Systems and Data strategy for the whole ‘UK & International’ function, called Finance Modernisation. Creating value and driving performance, by updating their organisational structure, processes, systems and products in order to industrialise best practices across their functions and operations in a joined-up way.

There are 1,200 people in the Finance Function, based primarily in the UK, Australia and Saudi Arabia. In order for Finance Modernisation to be successfully integrated, change had to happen, and it was critical to make sure everyone was aware of the changes and resulting benefits.

Lucent were tasked to support leaders in their conversations on this subject, driving positivity and engagement to overcome natural fears of change to ensure buy-in to the improvements to the Finance Function and business as a whole.

The answer

The Finance Function employees were broadly aware of the intent of this change yet didn’t know exactly what was going to happen, and the impact to them and their roles. Questions were asked, what does Finance Modernisation, actually mean?

Therefore, harnessing the power of animation, we created a visually rich animation to deliver an exciting, clear and consistent message, to combat any untruths and employees’ concerns. We made it as human as possible; to be engaging and relatable. We chose an illustration style that gave us the flexibility to be real enough, but not restrictive in how we brought this to life, enabling more diversity, equity and inclusion from a visual, and accessibility perspective.

Crucially, our task needed to make a dry, complex subject exciting – and create a positive desire for change among the Finance Function. Quite simply, we put this into their world and played back some of their own language. Wherever possible we used storytelling to show them how and why things were changing. And addressed head-on some of the possible fear factors and triggers, demonstrating how the new approach would free them to do their best work. Our angle was to make sure it was a celebration of what the future holds, for everyone at BAE Systems.

The Outcome

The animation was broadcasted at the inaugural One Finance virtual conference. The 30-minute agenda slot where the animation was played to 750 Finance Function employees featured as one of the most-liked sections, based on post-event feedback.

Thereafter it was used across all available channels – including local team meetings, functional Lunch & Learns, and on the Finance intranet and company communications app.

From an employee perspective, the animation gave them a go-to answer to any questions about the strategy and it delivered a consistent message, told in a high-quality way, instead of relying on individuals relaying a technical message which they may not feel confident to summarise clearly.

Overall the animation saved the project team many hours in presenter-slots in local team briefings, preferring instead to press play on the animation! And marked another step towards to the Finance Function becoming the best in the FTSE.

“I bloody love it! Really brings it all to life and makes what could be a dull subject seem quite interesting actually.”