I was recently asked “How would you use our leadership and department planning sessions to help us get people together and support our retention efforts?”
Reflecting on how planning is mostly considered a strategic endeavor, ultimately, they wanted me to provide something to take advantage of planning sessions and bring a focus to putting into action some of their current goals focused on their culture and people.
Here is how I would look at building an employee focus to planning sessions.
- Gather feedback and insights by looking in the rear-view mirror.
Have part of your planning sessions be a review that is inclusive of all employees. This could be done through a survey, or a community board activity, or department meetings with set questions for discussion. Giving an employee a voice to contribute their insights, ideas, and concerns not only increases engagement but is a great pulse check on the core advantages of your company and your purpose in the market.
- Use the time for leaders to provide clarity and get alignment.
Don’t just jump into what needs to be done to achieve the strategy. Spend the time to ensure each employee sees how they fit into the bigger picture. As you work through the organizational goals, bring that down to setting individual objectives, and connect each employee’s efforts to the broader mission. When employees can clearly see how their contributions fit into the larger picture, they are more likely to feel a sense of purpose and relevance. Additionally, transparent planning promotes clarity in expectations, reducing ambiguity and confusion, which can otherwise lead to disengagement.
- Build a sense of ownership and promote empowerment
If planning has elements of transparency, critical and logical thinking and an overall plan to get there, you are building a more vibrant culture where everyone has a stake in shaping the future. Promoting ownership provides a feeling of being an integral part of the organization’s journey, fostering a deeper commitment and investment in their work. As for empowerment, when individuals and teams feel their voices are valued and heard, their commitment to realizing the plans’ success intensifies. This leads to an increased sense of ownership, where employees take pride in their role and how it fits into the organization’s success.
- Celebrate the milestones and achievement
An essential aspect of planning season is setting measurable targets and milestones. As the year unfolds, these markers provide a tangible means for employees to gauge their progress and celebrate achievements. The visibility of progress fuels motivation and self-assurance, enhancing overall engagement. I would also suggest using these planning sessions to do some celebration and bring some educational or fun aspects to the sessions. It’s a perfect time to demonstrate your cultural values.
- Collaboration and building shared purpose
Planning season requires cross-functional collaboration and communication. Designing planning activities that focus on collaborative efforts to build a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose among teams, breaking down silos and strengthening inter-departmental relationships, are important to consider. An activity that helps individuals and departments to learn more about each other will provide better outcomes your planning sessions. Plan a fun activity that brings them together to collaborate, exchange ideas, and leverage each other’s strengths. Ultimately this will result in increased engagement and a more cohesive work environment.
If we think of planning season as a time to bring together the interconnected themes of COLLABORATION, ENGAGEMENT and STRATEGY; we have the outlines of a very powerful formula for propelling an organization to growth and performance excellence.
If you would like to explore how I might help you work through your strategy and planning activities, or use my “edutainment” model to pair education with a wine activity to aid in the points listed in this blog, please reach out. I would love to help!
