Case Study: Johnson Controls improves employee understanding of equity compensation and reduces HR support calls 30% with GuideSpark

Johnson Controls Improves Employee Understanding of Equity Compensation

Johnson Controls, a Fortune 100 technology and manufacturing company with 170,000 employees worldwide, moved after 30 years from stock options to restricted stock units (RSUs). The change revealed a major communications problem: employees didn’t understand how equity compensation worked, so HR needed to explain complex technical details, highlight differences between plans, and answer common questions more clearly.

GuideSpark delivered plain‑language, multimedia communications—on‑demand videos and online resources embedded in HR emails, manager toolkits, and the plan library—to simplify messaging and engage grant recipients. The solution cut HR support calls and emails by about 30%, left employees better informed and prepared for taxes, vesting, and advisor meetings, and reduced administrative burden.

Johnson Controls

Angela Blair

Shareholder Services Manager