X
●
Case studyTwo organizations, one leadership team:
JOST relies on Sparrks Coaching during the Hyva integration
How the SDAX-listed group supports around 100 leaders through a demanding post-merger integration.
Introduction
JOST is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of safety- and mission-critical systems for the commercial vehicle industry. Its systems keep transport, agriculture and logistics moving safely around the world.
The acquisition of Hyva in early 2025 added around 3,000 employees and 14 production sites. Today, the SDAX-listed company employs more than 6,500 people at 33 production sites and operates in over 35 countries.
- New roles and structures: Many are taking on new responsibilities, such as a site or a merged team, and first have to find their place in the new organization.
- Two cultures, one team: Teams with their own history, processes and culture need to work together and pull in the same direction.
- More complexity while business continues: New interfaces, stakeholders and decision-making paths across countries are added, while day-to-day business carries on and workloads stay high for months.
Whether the integration succeeds therefore depends largely on how effective leadership is during this phase.
Objectives
JOST wanted to give leaders at JOST and Hyva targeted support in actively shaping the post-merger integration and aligning their teams across sites and countries. Because every leader is at a different point in the integration, JOST chose individual 1:1 coaching instead of a one-size-fits-all program.
Defined goals:- Gain clarity and confidence in new roles faster
- Build resilience to sustain the heavy workload of the integration phase
- Bring teams together across sites, countries and former organizational boundaries
- Relieve HR of administrative and organizational work during the integration phase
Implementation
Sparrks is embedded in JOST’s leadership development in two ways.
This way, coaching reaches the leaders most affected by the integration at any given time:- In the Leadership Development Initiatives (LDIs): Sparrks is an integral part of JOST’s structured leadership development. In 1:1 coaching, leaders apply what they work on in the LDIs to their own situation.
- Through the HR Business Partners (HRBPs): Sparrks has equipped the HRBPs to identify individual needs early and systematically. Typical triggers include new site responsibility, a merged team or a persistently high workload.
Each leader is matched with a suitable coach from Sparrks’ curated coach pool. Sessions take place virtually and reach leaders in 15 countries and 6 languages. Sparrks handles matching, scheduling and reporting, so HR can focus on steering the integration itself.
Target group
The coaching is aimed at middle and senior management as well as key white-collar employees at JOST and Hyva, such as Department Heads and Site Managing Directors.
Since June 2025, around 100 leaders have used the coaching. They play a key role in driving the integration in their areas.
Results
After coaching, leaders rate their competency in their chosen development areas 48% higher than before.
- Greater clarity about their own role and position in the new organization
- More resilience to sustain a high workload over months
- More confidence in dealing with new global interfaces, stakeholders and decision-making paths
- More effectiveness in aligning teams from both organizations around shared goals
Client feedback
“With Sparrks, we have a partner that supports our leaders in the Hyva integration exactly where they need it most, while noticeably taking work off HR’s plate. Our leaders gain clarity in their new roles faster and actively carry the change into their teams. On top of that, working together is simply a real pleasure.”
Noëlle Hain
Head of HR Development Global | JOST
Voices from the Coachees
Conclusion
What began as support for the post-merger phase is now a firm part of JOST’s development culture. Leaders use coaching as a natural tool, and the HR Business Partners deploy it in a targeted way as soon as they see a need.
Three factors contributed to this:- A close partnership built on trust: Sparrks and JOST’s HR team work closely together, from the Leadership Development Initiatives down to individual needs. The HRBPs know the offering well and refer leaders with confidence.
- Global scale with the highest standards: Across 15 countries and 6 languages, all leaders at JOST and Hyva receive coaching of consistently high quality. This ensures the same impact across all sites and both former organizations.
- Individual support in collective change: The integration affects the whole organization, but every leader experiences it differently. 1:1 coaching offers a protected space to work through personal questions directly and quickly.
Images: JOST, Sparrks Service GmbH
