Scenario
The organization that you are a director of leadership and learning for has been conducting engagement surveys among its employees every two years to gain a deeper understanding of employees views on areas such as customer service, the organization's overall strategy, job satisfaction, rewards and recognition, and training and development. The most recent survey was conducted this year, and the organization wants to carry out another survey in two years.
Prompt
Your task is to continue using your GROW model template you began in Module Two to complete the final three sections:
Identified GapsObstacles
Goal Revision
A Way ForwardAction
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
In the Identified GapsObstacles section, describe obstacles that might prevent the focus areas you previously identified moving from current state to future state. Consider the following in your response:
Skill gaps, organizational culture, and resources among other things
In the Goal Revision section, for each of the goals you created previously, describe whether they need to be revised:
For the goals that do need to be revised, provide a revision and explain your changes based on obstacles you identified above.
For the goals that do not need to be revised, provide rationale for why this goal should remain the same. Support your response.
In the A Way ForwardAction section, recommend an actionable step that should be taken in order to close the gap between current state and desired future state for each identified focus area and related goal. Your response should include the following for each actionable step:
An explanation on what the step will entail
Identification of stakeholders who will need to be involved
Justification for how this step will help close the gap between current state and desired future state
Improving Employee Engagement: A GROW Model Approach
Identified Gaps/Obstacles
In our organization's effort to enhance employee engagement based on the latest survey, several obstacles may hinder our progress from the current state to the desired future state. These include:
1. Skill Gaps: There may be significant disparities in the skill levels required for employees to effectively implement the strategies aimed at enhancing customer service, job satisfaction, and training development. For instance, frontline employees may lack advanced communication and problem-solving skills essential for delivering exceptional customer service.
2. Organizational Culture: Our existing culture may inadvertently discourage open feedback and constructive criticism. If employees do not feel safe to voice their concerns or suggestions, initiatives aimed at improving engagement may fail. A culture that prioritizes hierarchy over collaboration stifles innovation and employee morale.
3. Resource Allocation: Limited financial and human resources can impede efforts toward training and development programs necessary for growth. Without proper investment, initiatives designed to enhance rewards and recognition or employee training may be inadequately executed or not executed at all.
4. Resistance to Change: Employees accustomed to specific processes or systems may resist changes that aim to improve engagement. This resistance can stem from a lack of understanding of the benefits or fear of the unknown.
Goal Revision
Goal 1: Improve Customer Service Ratings
Revision Needed: Yes
Revised Goal: Increase customer service ratings by 20% within the next two years through enhanced training programs.
Explanation: The revision is necessary due to the identified skill gaps in communication and problem-solving abilities among employees. By focusing on targeted training programs, we can equip staff with the necessary skills to improve customer interactions.
Goal 2: Enhance Job Satisfaction Scores
Revision Needed: No
Rationale: The goal to enhance job satisfaction scores remains valid as it directly addresses employee feedback regarding workplace culture. Given the organizational culture gap identified, maintaining this goal supports our need for a more inclusive environment that values employee input.
Goal 3: Increase Participation in Training and Development Initiatives
Revision Needed: Yes
Revised Goal: Achieve a 50% increase in employee participation in training and development initiatives within the next two years.
Explanation: This revision is warranted as resource allocation is a concern. By setting a clear target for participation, we can better allocate resources and develop a more structured training program that engages employees effectively.
A Way Forward/Action
Action Step for Goal 1 (Customer Service Ratings)
- Action Step: Implement a comprehensive training program focused on customer service skills.
- Explanation: This will include workshops, role-playing scenarios, and ongoing mentoring.
- Stakeholders Involved: Human Resources, Training and Development Team, Frontline Managers.
- Justification: This step will address identified skill gaps and provide employees with the tools necessary to improve customer interactions, thereby increasing customer service ratings.
Action Step for Goal 2 (Job Satisfaction)
- Action Step: Establish regular feedback mechanisms such as quarterly town hall meetings where employees can voice their concerns and suggestions.
- Explanation: Creating a platform for open dialogue will foster an inclusive culture.
- Stakeholders Involved: Executive Leadership, HR, Employee Engagement Committee.
- Justification: This action will help bridge the cultural gap by encouraging participation and showing employees that their opinions matter, thereby enhancing job satisfaction.
Action Step for Goal 3 (Training Participation)
- Action Step: Develop an incentive program that rewards employees for participating in training and development initiatives.
- Explanation: This might include recognition programs, certificates, or additional days off for completion of specific training milestones.
- Stakeholders Involved: HR, Training and Development Team, Department Heads.
- Justification: By incentivizing participation, we address resource allocation issues by creating a culture of learning that motivates employees to engage with available resources, ultimately increasing participation rates.
By addressing these gaps and implementing actionable steps through the GROW model framework, our organization can make substantial strides towards enhancing employee engagement over the next two years. Each goal revision and action step is designed to create a more skilled workforce in alignment with an inclusive organizational culture that values employee contributions.