Engagement scores, up 52%
A marketing department was facing significant operational challenges that hampered its ability to deliver efficiently. Workflows were slow due to frequent handoffs between teams, leading to bottlenecks, strained morale, and friction among leadership. The absence of a strategic hiring plan resulted in inconsistent staffing decisions and internal discord.
Increase in employee engagement scores.
Talent roadmap, shared with the whole department.
Growth plan the initiative was tied to.
The objective
I was engaged to develop and pilot a Strategic Workforce Planning initiative, aligning the workforce with the organization's broader goals.
- Optimize the talent pool to align with the organization's strategic objectives
- Identify and bridge skill gaps critical for meeting future demands
- Address market dynamics and technological shifts in the marketing field
The work had to be future-focused rather than a downsizing exercise, and it had to be safe enough that department leaders would talk honestly about their teams.
The approach
Step one
Workforce assessment
Each department leader completed pre-workshop exercises on their team's skills and capacity, then worked with me individually.
- A safe environment for honest conversation
- Future-focused planning, not downsizing
Step two
Strategic alignment
The initiative was tied to the company's five-year growth plan, three-year talent goals, and marketing strategy.
- Opened with the CMO and VP of HR
- Expectations set before the work began
Step three
Actionable roadmap
A three-year talent roadmap, shared with the entire department for transparency, with managers trained to use it.
- Built into staff meetings and one-on-ones
- A multi-year recruitment strategy with HR
The results
Employee engagement
- Engagement scores rose 52%
- Cross-functional skills embedded, handoffs reduced
- Employees gained control over their work
Operational efficiency
- Smoother collaboration between teams
- Fewer dependencies
- Faster decisions and execution
Culture and development
- Employees identified areas to grow
- A culture of continuous learning
- Managers leading with strategic clarity
Aligning talent strategy with business objectives addressed the operational inefficiencies, fostered collaboration, and embedded a culture of development. The department improved how it performed, and it became a place where people felt engaged and valued.
From the team
We know that the work we do is aligned with our strategic focus and not a one-off effort. This increases my job satisfaction, knowing that the work I do directly contributes to the success of our objectives.
I think we have been able to be more self-sufficient and deliver what we need more independently. It feels like a more efficient team, with less dependencies across other teams.
Collaboration around events has been so much smoother because [event marketers] are now on our team and we connect daily.