Pollmann International: Building a modern engagement strategy with Eletive

The last employee survey had been run back in 2018. “It was all paper-based, onsite, and outdated,” Helmut recalls. “By the time results were processed, the world had already changed. I knew we needed something more dynamic, scalable, and global.”

A global tool for a global workforce

Selecting a new engagement platform was not just about replacing paper with digital forms. It was about finding a future-proof solution that could evolve with the organisation and support transformation across geographies, languages, and employee groups.

“Language support was critical,” he says. “We needed a platform that worked seamlessly in all our regions: Austria, Czech Republic, China, and Mexico.”

Ease of use was another non-negotiable.

When you’re training people across the globe, a tool must be intuitive. Eletive really explains itself. After one onboarding session, our HR teams could manage it independently.

Just as important: accessibility for shop-floor colleagues without company email addresses. With Eletive’s accessible solutions, Pollmann achieved a 75% participation rate globally – and an impressive 98% in China.

Engagement data that drives leadership transformation

Pollmann is a family-owned business in its fifth generation, currently transitioning from a traditional management style to a more people-centered approach. For Helmut, Eletive is an essential tool in that shift.

The first survey results highlighted feedback and communication as areas for improvement. “We suspected this already, but Eletive gave us the facts,” Helmut explains. "It allowed us to validate assumptions, prompted us to make informed changes at the leadership level, and design company-wide leadership principles."

Eletive gave us the facts. It allowed us to validate assumptions, prompted us to make informed changes at the leadership level.

Insights also uncovered issues around mental stress and health, leading Pollmann to strengthen prevention and employee wellbeing programs, including onsite medical support.

"Having data from Eletive gave us the credibility to push for change with the board and owners. It’s one thing to have a feeling, another to be able to show hard facts", he says.

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From surveys to a broader people platform

Eletive’s modular approach was another major draw. Pollmann started with the engagement survey and has since expanded into pulse surveys and custom surveys on specific topics such as shift models. Next up: 360° leadership feedback.

“My conviction is that leadership is everything in a company,” Helmut says. “Eletive allows us to measure leadership performance and grow step by step. We don’t have to buy the whole package at once – we can activate modules as our strategy evolves.”

Looking further ahead, Pollmann also plans to integrate Eletive's one-on-ones into their processes to modernise its annual employee review process.

Easy implementation and clear business impact

“Implementation was easy-going,” Helmut shares. “The parameter settings are simple, uploads are quick, and after being shown once, you can handle it yourself. That’s crucial for a lean HR team.”

He also emphasises the partnership approach from the Eletive team. “What stood out was the responsiveness. Our customer success managers adapted to my pace and way of working. They were open, transparent, and customer-centered from day one. That’s not always the case with software providers.”

The impact of the new approach to engagement is already visible. Pollmann recently earned recognition as one of Austria’s best employers, with special praise for its leadership quality.

Eletive helped us identify blind spots, act quickly, and support managers with facts.

“Eletive played an important role,” Helmut says. “It helped us identify blind spots, act quickly, and support managers with facts. We even restructured leadership roles in some cases where people weren’t suited to management. That’s how you build stronger teams.”

The benefits of Eletive for enterprise organisations

When asked what he values most, Helmut highlights three things:

• User-friendliness and design

  “The interface is intuitive and visually strong, making it easy to adopt globally.”

• Reporting flexibility

  “Different stakeholders need different insights. Eletive makes it simple to provide tailored reports for owners, managers, or departments.”

• Scalable journey

  “We can start with engagement, then add modules like 360s and one-on-ones when we’re ready. It’s a journey, not a one-time implementation.”

The bottom line

For Pollmann, Eletive is more than a survey tool – it’s a strategic enabler of modern leadership and people-centered transformation.

“Only engaged people deliver good performance,” Helmut concludes. “With Eletive, we can measure, act, and continuously improve. It’s helping us shape the leadership culture we need for the future.”