Case Studies

Requirement: To improve Staff wellbeing

Action: We conducted a quick independent review, including an anonymous staff survey.

Key Findings: Feelings of isolation, lack of support and inconsiderate management. High staff turnover.

Recommendations: Management coaching; Staff Structure Review; Office Reconfiguration; EAP; Regular Staff Surveys; Leadership Feedback Sessions.

Requirement: To improve morale and performance.

Action: We conducted a full independent review including anonymous staff interviews and a survey.

Key Findings: Identified a toxic influencer; Distinct lack of belonging which was felt as very important by many; Perception of weak leadership;

Recommendations: Address toxic influencer issue; Implement staff wellbeing steering group; Staff structure review; Define purpose more coherently; Team building initiatives; More team get togethers (in office or externally); Regular staff surveys; Appoint Wellbeing Champions.

Requirement: To reduce staff turnover and boost morale.

Action: 1-1 Coaching Session with CEO / owner.

Key Findings: CEO/Owner was undecided as to direction of business, and it’s long term viability, and this lack of clarity was impacting staff.

Recommendations: 3 further coaching sessions to clarify position, then clear communication with staff; Staff survey; Staff interviews; Exit interviews; Further recommendations made following survey and interview feedback.

Requirement: Reduce Absenteeism & Staff Turnover

Action: Review staff surveys and interview five store managers.

Key Findings: Stressful working environment with lack of staff causing more stress and additional cover, leading to higher absenteeism and staff turnover.  Saturdays especially difficult.

Recommendations: Increase number of Saturday / Weekend workers, which would reduce overtime cost and enable accrued holiday to be taken rather than paid; Management training with a focus on staff wellbeing; Regular feedback meetings with senior management; More staff recognition; Team building socials / events / workshops.

Requirement: Increase internal collaboration and morale.

Action: Staff Survey and a few staff interviews.

Key Findings: Concerns over job security underpinned lack of collaboration; Most were quite content in their roles; Though most wanted a more inspiring and fun working environment.

Recommendations: As collaboration was key to their growth plans and an increase in staff turnover was acceptable we recommended a staff consultation where staff could input on the direction of the business and leadership could openly review their thinking.  As a team they could agree a best way forward with individual actions.  We also recommended group coaching sessions led by managers or key staff to help with any transitional issues.    

Requirement: Improve Staff Motivation

Action: 1-1 Consultation and Coaching Sessions with founders

Key Findings: Salaries were lower than they can get elsewhere and they were struggling to attract and retain staff with the expectation that staff would get senior positions as the company grew.  However growth was not happening as expected.

Recommendations: The above view by the founders was based on their assumption of how staff felt, but they have not asked them.  We recommended a staff survey that focussed on staff motivations, along with staff interviews and exit interviews. We also recommended in their recruitment process to find out why new candidates wanted to work at their company.  From these results, additional recommendations were made.

Requirement: Staff Retention and Staff Morale

Action: As the business had recently transitioned to home-working as the norm, it was important to gain feedback from staff through staff surveys and conversations directly with staff.  Also get valuable exit interview information too.

Key Findings: It was clear most liked home-working but loyalty was declining as many felt less belonging and identity to the business.

Recommendations:  We recommended management training to equip managers with the new skills required to manage and motivate home-workers. Leadership needed to communicate company updates and two-way comms more cleanly. Plus, scheduled meetings that contained wellbeing elements along with social events. We also felt whole company socials /away days / events at least quarterly would help. Also the current EAP wasn’t being used or promoted and this needed to be done along with a more caring approach, including health and safety comms for home workers.

Requirement:  Staff Wellbeing and Staff Retention

Action: We conducted a full independent review, including a staff survey and staff and exit interviews.  We also delicately discussed the ‘them and us’ issue which many staff highlighted.

Key Findings: Staff advised that senior leaders openly disagree, and many staff are ‘sided’ with a ‘them and us’ culture that is allowed to permeate and divide the business in two.    Many disliked the culture but put up with it.  There was also a feeling of a lack of leadership or that leadership didn’t care.

Recommendations: 1-1 Coaching for opposing leaders to unpick issue; Leadership to address culture and press reset button by having constructive dialogue with all staff to input on future environment;  Future-focused staff survey to add further insight here; More 2-way leadership to staff dialogue; Management training and wellbeing champions also recommended.

Requirement: Disagreement between senior leaders affecting staff morale.

Action: Not at mediation level, so 1-1 coaching for all leaders conducted, plus independent and anonymous all staff survey.

Key Findings: Leaders not aware of damage they were causing, especially when full feedback was presented.

Recommendations:  As a result of staff feedback alone, leaders were jolted into action and came up with their own solutions. We also recommended weekly leadership meetings and weekly team updates, along with a wellbeing steering group to develop more wellbeing initiatives.

Requirement: Improve Staff Morale.

Action: Staff Survey, staff interviews and exit interviews conducted.

Key Findings: Staff did not feel any real sense of belonging.  They felt very disposable and without any say in how things are being run. They felt their jobs could easily be made redundant and were worried about the long term viability of the charity as there was much rumour about reducing income.

Recommendations: More opportunities for 2-way staff feedback with leadership; Management training; Wellbeing events with leadership participation; 1-1 Coaching for selected staff;  Team building; Regular staff surveys; Clarity of purpose for charity and for each individual.