Staff Consultation and Engagement - Group Facilitation - Functional Group

The Client

A Senior Executive leader of a large functional group engaged us to support them in understanding and addressing the results of an employee engagement survey for their group.  

The results pointed to significant staff concerns across the function.  They showed a strong measurable drop in engagement scores compared with the previous survey period.  While the leader was aware of problems experienced by staff due in part to  changes in their wider business environment, she was taken by surprise at the level of concern being reflected by the survey.

The Brief

We were asked to facilitate a series of workshops with staff to explore and understand the results, identify actions and enable staff to put forward recommendations to address their concerns.  The brief was two-fold.  First to provide a confidential forum for quality staff consultation about the results, the underlying issues, and ways forward.  Second to provide independent advice to the Executive leader to assist her to formulate next steps.

Our Response

After reviewing the survey results, we designed and delivered a series of workshops involving an all staff overview session followed by individual smaller group workshops.  We structured a consistent format for the consultation process.  This involved a series of questions to trigger discussion without limiting the nature or scope of the conversations within individual workshops.  The full engagement survey results were available to everyone in advance and we drew out key issues and results relevant to each of the groups to assist their analysis.  The process was designed so that agency for the provision of feedback to the Executive leader was kept with staff, as the owners of the feedback, with our consultant operating as a facilitator and conduit and not a problem solver.

Staff feedback was provided to the Executive leader in a way chosen by each group, which was either directly by the group or through the consultant.  Psychological safety was a key consideration given the sensitivities involved.  

We provided our insights and advice (while observing confidentiality of staff inputs) and acted as a sounding board to the Executive leader on the way forward.  This enabled an approach and actions to be quickly formulated to address the issues uncovered through the consultation process. 

The Results

The Executive leader was able to act quickly in response to the survey results and further analysis.  By facilitating direct staff consultation about the results the leader was informed by staff analysis and recommendations about the specific concerns that had been raised.  She was able to formulate a way forward based on a solid understanding of staff issues, concerns and recommendations.  

Staff felt their concerns had been acknowledged and heard and were being addressed in a considered manner.  Actions arising addressed short term, urgent matters and medium term issues.