Suggest what can be done to improve the engagement of IT staff with the changes?
An organization is pursuing a strategy of acquiring small companies that have products that complement their overall portfolio. Although early efforts to integrate company acquisitions have been successful, recent employee engagement results indicate a growing disengagement, especially among the IT staff. The staff members feel that their managers do not listen or care about their concerns. What can be done to improve the engagement of IT staff with the changes?
OPTIONS
- Encourage the staff to suggest ways they can support the company strategy
- Enable the staff to provide feedback through formal channels and create a dialogue with the management
- Arrange informal celebrations to acknowledge the staff’s work
- Establish a formal mentorship program to connect IT staff from the company with the staff from acquired companies
ANSWER
Enable the staff to provide feedback through formal channels and create a dialogue with the management
EXPLANATION
This answer focuses on establishing formal feedback channels where the staff feels safe to voice their concerns and suggestions. This will open up channels to handle the concerns. It is important, however, for management to respond to all feedback to encourage continued feedback and engagement. Communication is a two-way process; in addition to actively eliciting feedback, static feedback channels should be available and known to stakeholders.
