Jinnah Foundries: A Lesson in Change Management and Human Resources Restructuring

Jinnah Engineering Works and Foundries had been a prominent foundry and machining business in Pakistan since its inception in 1950. In early 2018, it was struggling with internal inefficiencies caused by a lack of formal workforce planning. The company hired temporary workers almost daily—with no long-term planning and a high attrition rate—and the company’s board was worried about the mounting inefficiencies and financial costs. The company had taken a positive step toward resolving the many human resources problems by partnering with human resources consultants from the business school at the National University of Sciences and Technology. These consultants undertook a thorough analysis of the company and its workforce and presented recommendations that would benefit the business but could be difficult to implement in the context of the company’s existing processes. The board had to make a decision: how could it implement changes regarding how the workers were managed without demoralizing the staff or causing delays in production?