Client Case Study: Department C.Y.A

Challenge: Company is well respected in the industry. It is a desired place to work for and to work with. Over the last ten years, the Company changed its focus of how its product was delivered to its clients. The new focus is technology based.

Overtime, one department strayed from the culture so far that it affected product quality and how the clients perceived the company. Other departments within the company viewed this department as ‘weird’ or ‘from another planet’ and outsourced work so they did not have to deal with this department. Clients regularly comment on how it appeared that this department does not talk to others or that they could not possibly be in the same building, when actually they are all on the same floor.

Revealed: As the company went through its change, there was no training to educate the employees about what this new focus meant for the company or how it affected the employees’ jobs throughout the company.

This department grew quicker than expected which caused them to compromise on their very thorough hiring process. People who had been with the company long enough to understand how it works were promoted into positions that they were not qualified for which led to hiring people who were not qualified to do jobs that needed to be done. When people were hired with the appropriate skills, they normally did not stay long. Seasoned employees were intimated by people who were knowledgeable and experienced in this area.

Solutions: A company wide training program was launched and expected to be carried out over the next two to five years. This training would educate all departments about technology, what it means to be a technology company and how it affects their department in particular.

The ‘weird’ department was a part of that training, but had to undergo more training and a complete reorganization to put the department back on track. Employees were placed in their new positions based on skill, industry experience and their personal strengths. While some employees left during this process, the new stronger teams that were created allowed the department to attract and retain skilled employees, improved customer satisfaction and improved employee skills.