CASE STUDIES
Vermont Department of Health
THE CHALLENGE
How could we improve the vibe in a public health office where some employees acted as if they were self-employed, others felt micro-managed, and trust and morale were low?
THE STORY
We recommended (first to the leaders and then to the group as a whole) an action plan that included:
- group work to build trust, including some work on strengths and different styles;
- teaching conflict resolution tools
- ongoing coaching of the leader
- a high-level change training for a manager
After three half-day sessions of group work, trust began to improve and, after being held accountable for things they were not doing, two employees left. Through coaching, the leader began to micro-manage less and the vibe changed.
THE OUTCOME
Before-and-after surveys indicated that, over the course of our work, the scores for individual morale went up 41%; for office morale, 138%; likelihood to recommend the district office as a place to work increased 70%; and commitment to ongoing employment at the office went up 26%.
