What did we do together?

We were hired to dig deeper into the engagement data to understand the sentiment behind the scores and turn it into meaningful action. We ran 19 in-depth focus groups (15 in-person, 4 virtual) with more than 160 employees and contractors across every level and location. (Picture Nicola’s delight at spreadsheeting how to get to every state, with maximum participation, in the most efficient and cost-effective way.)

Using the company’s own survey results, we facilitated conversations to surface lived experiences, unpack culture touchpoints, and map the conditions shaping engagement.  It was important that everyone had the opportunity to be heard and understood, particularly among the drivers, who are the company’s primary touchpoints for customers.

Where did we get to?​

The CEO and his leadership team walked away with:

• A shared understanding of what’s working, and what’s not – with real (non-attributed) examples

• Increased awareness of links between engagement blocks and their own leadership practices

• A roadmap to build stronger leadership habits and clarity across all layers

• A structured approach to culture shaping, rooted in their brand + strategy

• Practical next steps already in motion, with staff included in the process (they’re now on an Exec coaching journey for their Exec and Ops Managers, based on 360 + Debrief)

CEO at the end of the review:

Thank you so much for all of this work. Our people felt really heard and were able to vent. This step is very important before we take the next. The feedback has been extremely positive on your approach – thank you for your balanced views. We have a lot to do ahead of us on leadership + engagement!

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Challenge

This founder-led national logistics firm was (still is) striving for rapid national growth, with a new CEO expressly selected to take everyone on the journey and hit the milestones. To their credit, with the first dip in engagement results, its leaders recognised a need to understand what was really driving (and blocking) engagement. Engagement data was available across the business, from frontline drivers to office-based roles across Australia, but leadership needed further insight, clarity, and direction to course correct. They wanted the story behind the comments and numbers, and recommendations that would move the needle. After all, they are on a fast growth track!

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Our job was to:

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• Translate data into dialogue across the business

• Identify key drivers + blockers of engagement

• Design actions that would have immediate + longer-term impact

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And we delivered:

A company-wide engagement review via focus groups with 164 participants

Detailed insight themes grounded in data and voice-of-the-employee

Immediate action plan in 4 key areas:

• Leadership connection + communication

• Reward + recognition

• Safety

• Systems + processes

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Tailored recommendations for long-term impact, including:

• Defining desired culture + values

• Growing cross-business understanding

• Lifting leadership capability

• Clarifying structure, roles + decision-making authority

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Leadership coaching with the Executive team, focused on communication, vision, + taking visible, practical action.​

WHY IT MATTERS​

'People want change, but we’re tired of saying the same things with no result.’
- Said many engagement survey participants, everywhere. 

When you ask your employees for their opinion, you need to do something with that.  (Sadly, companies often read get the results, share the overall score, then move on.) The first step is to really understand what the survey is telling you. Having an independent partner, with the skill, curiosity + heart to run an anonymous focus group series, helps you plot a useful course through the feedback.

Engagement is about more than a score on a survey. It is about understanding what your people are saying and then taking useful + timely action. It’s this that gets you to the juice.