Rock Ledge Resources > Industries - Services > Representative Project - Getting a Department Back on Track

Getting a Department Back on Track

Business Challenge

A corporation established specific annual objectives to meet as part of the company's plan to response to a rapidly-changing market environment. One department, at the third quarter, had not achieved any of its top priorities. In fact, it was a bottleneck to other departments in achieving their goals. Morale was low, further reducing productivity, there was infighting and employees were exhibiting stress-related health problems.

Solution

Working with employee teams and key executives, a Rock Ledge Resources principal investigated the root causes of the issues – communication, leadership, process, technology, external drivers, constrained resources, bullying, and others. Once the root causes were understood by the company, plans were made to address each cause. Jobs were realigned, training conducted, and leaders coached in dealing with difficult situations. The principal led a cross-functional team, mapping processes and resolving bottlenecks using a custom-designed continuous process improvement system.

Results

During ongoing discussions, employees expressed relief about the reduced tension in the office and the more-respectful environment. The executives dealt more confidently with issues, an important management position was filled, the process team learned how to address changes to the process without outside intervention and the department overall reached "a new level of performance" according to one executive. The department finished the year at close to 100% on all its objectives.

Relationships: Marlys Tamte | Employee-Focused | Services