How to Align your SSC with the Wider Enterprise

When establishing an SSC, the numerous changes in leadership, processes, and teams can seem more disruptive than strategic. As such, any new SSC must integrate with the wider enterprise strategy to create a seamless continuum of work. Although the SSC’s focus can vary, from cost reduction and productivity gains to elevated Customer Experience (CX), the foundation for success is strong alignment with the enterprise.

As Arindam Mukhopadhyay, Managing Director & Global Head of Finance and Risk Shared Service at Citi, wisely noted: “The path forward for the GBS is not to overuse the “world-class service provider” label and make “Success Together” its defining strategy.” In fact, according to the State of the Shared Services & Outsourcing Industry Global Market Report 2024, “the target of “seat at the table” is entirely within reach”, as almost 80% of organizations are either moving towards or are positioned as core business support and a “true business partner.”

Establish clear governance and communication:

Setting up governance that includes SSC and business unit stakeholders promotes collaboration and alignment. Examples include developing an Executive Steering Committee to define the strategic direction and approve key projects, and an Operational Steering Committee to tackle operational challenges and ensure continuous alignment with business needs. Another best practice is appointing dedicated SSC liaisons to handle communications with each business unit.  Beyond governance, robust communication channels ensure ongoing alignment. This could include monthly business reviews, leveraging an internal knowledgesharing platform or portal, or conducting regular surveys and forums with the people that are now your customers. From a psychological perspective, many employees find it difficult letting go of work that they have always been in charge of, so changing ownership of the work without proper communication can result in power-struggles and resentment.

The 2024 State of the Industry Report highlights how many SSO/GBS have successfully established these channels, as 66% to C-Suite level job titles. Only 11% report to someone below the Managing Director.  

Promote cross-functional collaboration:

To ensure strategic alignment, all GBS teams need to be working towards the same goal. So, setting your model up to prioritise cross-functional collaboration is vital. Breaking down siloes and promoting cross-functional collaboration builds mutual understanding, streamlines processes, and improves overall service quality. This could involve leveraging a rotation program to allow SSC staff to shadow teams to better understand existing processes and challenges. Another example would be regular cross-functional review meetings with both SSC leaders and business managers.

By providing regular touchpoints, both business units can remain responsive to the evolving needs of the enterprise. Although this is only a couple of examples of crossfunctional collaboration, its foundation relies on communication and transparency.

Tackle Resistance to Change:

Prioritizing strategic alignment also contributes to tackling resistance to change. It generates common goals, establishes the SSC as a value-add, and helps develop a strong partnership between the SSC and the enterprise.  Robust change management strategies are crucial when setting up an SSC as the center will take on work previously executed by local teams. Without the appropriate communication and reassurance, this can cause concerns around job security. This can then inhibit employee buy-in, making the center’s development tricky. By building out a strong communication plan that demonstrates the purpose and benefits of the SSC, organizations can mitigate this risk.

By defining roles, promoting collaboration, and breaking down siloes, the SSC facilitates transparency and accountability. This ensures the SSC and wider business are aligned through regular updates and continuous feedback. To gain more insights from our SSO Network, please see The Handbook to Setting Up a Modern SSC: North America.