Problem – Employee Relations

A retail distributor was suffering from a lack of communication between its owners and managers, as well as among managers, and between the managers and employees. There was no clear understanding of objectives, and no recognition of failure or success in meeting the company’s objectives. The managers who were in place were not operating effectively and their work style never improved because the owners were concerned they would discourage or disengage employees if they told them they weren’t doing a good enough job.

Solution

The organization, while profitable, was in no way achieving its true financial potential. After facilitating sessions with owners and individual managers and analyzing data gathered, we presented a report that outlined the factors impeding progress of the organization. From there, we developed a plan to build the cornerstones of the HR function within the organization and customized each program to meet the specific needs of the organization. The management team was then trained on using the program.

Result

Because we were able to quickly grasp the group dynamics and present the client with an entire HR program totally customized to their needs, there was a dramatic increase in the level of trust between the owners and managers, and a renewed confidence in their ability to handle difficult situations. The owners felt increasingly comfortable leaving the business in the hands of the managers and were able to take a step back from the day-to-day operations – allowing the managers to take charge and lead the team – and the owners to refocus on the long-term business strategy.