In the dynamic world of modern workplaces, leadership is no longer just about giving orders from the top. It’s about active engagement and, most importantly, listening. This shift has ignited a wave of positive change in organisations around the globe.
In this blog, we’re excited to share five incredible real-life stories that exemplify the power of leaders who truly listen. These tales highlight how this simple act has led to monumental shifts in employee engagement, retention, and overall workplace satisfaction.
Let’s journey through these stories together, discovering how active leadership can spark innovation, create an inclusive employee experience, and ultimately drive organisational success.
1. How WCF enhanced employee engagement and buy-in
WCF, a diverse business group in the UK, used the Hive platform to revolutionise their employee engagement and communication practices.
By implementing Hive Surveys and to seek employee feedback, WCF gained valuable insights into their workforce’s sentiments and experiences, leading to improved engagement, enhanced communication, and strengthened collaboration across the organisation.
Key results:
- 89% response rate: WCF achieved an impressive response rate, indicating high levels of employee participation and engagement.
- 8.3 engagement index: The organisation’s engagement index saw a positive increase, demonstrating heightened employee involvement and commitment.
- +54 eNPS (employee Net Promoter Score): The eNPS, a measure of employee satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the company, experienced a notable improvement, indicating higher levels of employee advocacy.
How they achieved these results:
- Active leadership commitment: Jade Earley, General Manager at WCF, demonstrated a strong commitment to action. She assured employees that their feedback would lead to meaningful change, addressing historical concerns of initiatives not being acted upon.
- Timely implementation and user-friendly platform: WCF introduced Hive through baseline surveys, offering a fresh approach. Hive’s user-friendly interface ensured quick adoption and positive user experiences, contributing to its success.
- Segmented feedback and open communication: Hive People Science supported WCF in organising vast amounts of feedback into actionable themes. Monthly calls provided a platform for employees at all levels to engage in strategy discussions, fostering transparency and open dialogue.
- Efficient data analysis and reporting: Hive enabled WCF to obtain timely and actionable insights, replacing manual data processes. Presentation-ready reports facilitated seamless communication across the organisation, streamlining HR operations.
- Ongoing commitment to improvement: With Hive, WCF continuously sought to understand their employees better, enhance engagement, and improve communication. The platform served as a reliable channel, enabling prompt responses to concerns and aligning strategies with employee feedback.
The success achieved by WCF serves as a testament to the transformative impact of active leadership and effective listening within organisations.
2. Building a culture of trust and openness with Bloom Procurement
Bloom, a public sector procurement service provider, underwent a transformative cultural shift with the support of Hive. Recognising the significance of employee voice, they use Hive’s user-friendly platform and features such as surveys for confidential feedback, and a bank of questions to enhance their employee experience, engagement, and retention.
Key results:
- Engagement index increase: Bloom’s engagement index saw a notable improvement, rising from 7.9 to 8.4. This indicates a more positive and satisfied workforce.
- Employee retention surge: Employee retention rates soared from 60% to an impressive 88%, showcasing the substantial impact of employee voice initiatives.
How they achieved these results:
- Prioritising employee voice and confidentiality: Recognising the importance of confidentiality and employee buy-in, Bloom implemented Hive’s Open Door feature, allowing continuous feedback. This commitment to confidentiality was pivotal in their decision to choose Hive.
- Efficient data utilisation: Bloom found Hive’s platform easy to set up and use, enabling them to swiftly gather and convert data into actionable insights. The live data feature facilitated timely addressing of concerns.
- Cultural initiatives: Bloom introduced various initiatives like coffee academy, leader connect, fireside chats, Bloom Buzz, and employee voting, creating a more inclusive and participatory work environment.
- Strategic changes based on feedback: Bloom made strategic changes based on employee feedback gathered through Hive. This included introducing new benefits and focusing on transparency, health, wellbeing, and people development.
- Industry recognition: Bloom’s commitment to employee voice and the positive changes driven by Hive led to industry recognition. They were placed on the prestigious Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, highlighting their progress in creating an exceptional workplace.
Bloom’s journey of active leadership and listening to their employee voice not only resulted in significant improvements in engagement and retention but also led to industry acclaim – positioning them as one of the best places to work. Their success not only shows another way in which active leadership can transform an organisation, but also shows the power of employee-centric initiatives within organisations.
3. Listening, learning and improving with Broadacres
Broadacres, a not-for-profit social housing association, achieved substantial progress in employee engagement and experience through an employee-centric strategy, facilitated by Hive. This approach emphasised open communication and actively listening to their diverse workforce, resulting in a more responsive and attentive organisational culture.
Key results:
- Significant engagement improvement: Response rate increased by 27% since 2019, and engagement index improved to an impressive 7.9 year on year.
- Increase in employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS): Their eNPS rose by 11 points since 2019, surpassing benchmarks for their sector and organisation size.
- “You said, we did” approach: Direct feedback led to the implementation of various initiatives, from major changes like a 4-day workweek with compressed hours pilot, to smaller but meaningful improvements such as providing free sanitary products and streamlining office processes.
- Cultural shift towards listening: Hive actively supported Broadacres in transitioning towards a more attentive and responsive organisation, resulting in substantial increases in response rates and eNPS.
- Efficient use of data: Hive’s platform streamlined the feedback process, providing valuable insights for Broadacres.
How they achieved these results:
- Accessible and user-friendly platform: Hive’s user-friendly interface made it easy for employees, including those in remote or on-site roles, to provide feedback.
- Complimenting in-person with digital channels: Broadacres used Hive for pulse surveys and shared results through their colleague matters group, reinforcing transparency and responsiveness.
- Fostering confidence in employee voice: Initially unaccustomed to voicing opinions, employees gained confidence and trust in sharing feedback through consistent use of the platform.
- Flexibility and efficiency with Hive: Hive’s flexibility in survey setup allowed Broadacres to conduct surveys as needed, while efficient data review and analysis provided valuable insights.
- Impactful initiatives: Direct feedback through Hive led to various initiatives, both significant and incremental, all aimed at enhancing colleague and customer experiences.
- Prompt support and expertise: Broadacres valued Hive’s expertise in People Science, especially in discussions about survey results, and appreciated the prompt support for issue resolution and survey adjustments.
By prioritising employee voice and acting on feedback, Broadacres has not only created a more inclusive workplace but has also achieved industry recognition for their achievements.
4. Becoming adaptable to change with Dorset Council
Dorset Council, formed after a merger of six authorities, embarked on a journey to engage its diverse workforce. With Hive’s employee voice platform, they adopted a flexible and inclusive approach, actively involving employees in shaping their future ways of work. The results have been remarkable.
Key results:
- 20% increase in trust in leadership
- +23pt rise in eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score)
- Trust in leadership increased by 20%
- Pride in the organisation received a boost of 12%
How they achieved these results:
- Baseline engagement survey: Conducted in February 2020 to gauge employee sentiment after the merger.
- Transition to pulse surveys during COVID-19: Reacted swiftly to the pandemic, shifting to more frequent pulse surveys with support from Hive’s People Science team.
- Focused on future ways of working: Emphasised creating work models based on employee preferences, with a focus on flexibility, modernity, and inclusivity.
- Launch of Dorset workplace project: Designed to gather insights on how employees want to work, addressing challenges related to hybrid-working settings.
- Commitment to continuous improvement: The Organisational Development team remains dedicated to adapting and using employee voice to enhance work practices.
By actively involving their employees in decisions about their future work model, they have achieved significant improvements in trust, satisfaction, and pride. The organisation is well on its way to becoming a preferred employer in Dorset.
5. Boosting employee experience with Community Integrated Care
Community Integrated Care (CIC), a prominent national social care charity, partnered with Hive to revolutionise their organisational performance and employee experience. Their objectives were to measure employee engagement, foster a great workplace culture, equip employees for success, and promote diversity and inclusion.
Key results:
- Streamlined recruitment process: Reduced hiring time and enhanced candidate tracking.
- Enhanced support for new hires: New employees felt more informed and supported.
- Improved retention rates: A positive impact on staff retention.
How they achieved these results:
- Tailored surveys with employee value proposition: Collaborated with Hive People Science for surveys aligned with CIC’s Employee Value Proposition, ensuring relevance and effectiveness.
- Employee engagement surveys: Leveraged Hive’s platform for regular pulse surveys to gather feedback, providing insights into satisfaction and wellbeing.
- Recognition and rewards: Implemented Hive Fives, a social recognition system, boosting morale and motivation.
- Data-driven decision making: Used Hive’s reporting and analytics for insightful employee engagement data, enabling informed decisions.
Through active leadership with a will to improve the employee experience, CIC did just that, creating an even better place to work for their people.
And they all worked happily ever after
In this post, we’ve embarked on an exciting journey through five remarkable real-life stories that vividly illustrate the power of leaders who genuinely listen. These narratives underscore how this fundamental act has led to monumental shifts in employee engagement, retention, and overall workplace satisfaction. These success stories highlight the power of active leadership and listening in driving organisational excellence.
If you would like to find out more about active leadership and the power of listening to your employee voices, check out our customer stories.
