Better work place – mind mapping

Challenge My challenge has to do with people management in a large multilocation team. Our group is very diverse, with people located in 4 different sites around the world of at least 10 different  nationalities. Working virtually is difficult, sometime time and energy consuming. During the last year a  peak in number of people leaving have been registered. As our is a young team with salaries at the low end  of the agreed fork, the first actions did focus on salaries revision for selected individuals and the possible  need of more frequent discussions around career progression as the immediate needs.

Selection of tool The first tool selected to act on the problem had actually identified those as primary needs, but that tool  was a short survey with predetermined themes and seemed to give wrong direction. In fact, by answering  to the question ‘do you have frequent conversations about your career’ with a mean score, the partecipants lead the management think they wanted more. But career discussions are already happening twice a year  for everybody, hence the question was probably not the right one to be asked.  We decided therefore to use mind mapping, involving more closely with the teams and providing safe  environment and time for discussion.

Application Teams were gathered in small groups and asked to come up with their own insight on people engagement  improvement or the lack thereof. Partecipant were given time to come up with some individual reflections, then gathered on a board on  sticky note by themes. Those themes were the same familiar themes of reward and recognition, work life  balance and career progression, but as the discussion went on and many ‘why’ and ‘so what’ were asked, a  more precise picture came through. The insights were collected throughtout sites, to mark up possible  similarities

Insight Like for the ‘good kitchen’ example a more detailed conversation with stakeholders showed that the  improvement to be made were diverse and would involve actively more people. As here people were not  asked, as it happens in a survey ‘is it true that you need this?’ but instead ‘what would we need?’, instead of getting a confirmation of beliefs we obtained the truth.

In practical terms we were able to see that none of the participants were in need of more conversations  about their careers, they instead would rather prefer better courses or tools to improve coaching and  mentoring for them and their managers. More tools allowing working from home and flexibility were  required and with them a much better technology infrastructure. People would have been happier to use  their own devices instead of the somehow older pc by the company to be able to work more in line with  their family needs. A number of initiatives  have been started, many of them less expensive than giving  away consistent salary increases, they are working well.

Approach Such an approach is very valuable for people management, but it is useful to truly define peoples need and  start with them in mind, therefore could prove to be a perfect starting point for new project or service,  expecially if the starting idea is vague. Visualization is probably a tool that could be used together with mind mapping or, following the example of  the course, next time we shall start with a diary, so to focus on work-life balance, for instance, and find  common solutions. Visualization could be of use for those sites that are culturally less open to dialogue and  generally do not express themselves openly with words.


Better work place – mind mapping Challenge My challenge has to do with people management in a large multilocation team . Our group is very diverse , with people located in 4 different sites around the world of at least 10 different nationalities . Working virtually is difficult , sometime time and energy consuming . During the last year a peak in number of people leaving have been registered . As our is a young team with salaries at the low end of the agreed fork , the first actions did focus on salaries revision for selected individuals and the possible need of more frequent discussions around career progression as the immediate needs . Selection of tool The first tool selected to act on the problem had actually identified those as primary needs , but that tool was a short survey with predetermined themes and seemed to give wrong direction . In fact , by answering to the question ‘ do you have frequent conversations about your career ’ with a mean score , the partecipants lead the management think they wanted more . But career discussions are already happening twice a year for everybody , hence the question was probably not the right one to be asked . We decided therefore to use mind mapping , involving more closely with the teams and providing safe environment and time for discussion . Application Teams were gathered in small groups and asked to come up with their own insight on people engagement improvement or the lack thereof . Partecipant were given time to come up with some individual reflections , then gathered on a board on sticky note by themes . Those themes were the same familiar themes of reward and recognition , work life balance and career progression , but as the discussion went on and many ‘ why ’ and ‘ so what ’ were asked , a more precise picture came through . The insights were collected throughtout sites , to mark up possible similarities Insight Like for the ‘ good kitchen ’ example a more detailed conversation with stakeholders showed that the improvement to be made were diverse and would involve actively more people . As here people were not asked , as it happens in a survey ‘ is it true that you need this ? ’ but instead ‘ what would we need ? ’ , instead of getting a confirmation of beliefs we obtained the truth . In practical terms we were able to see that none of the participants were in need of more conversations about their careers , they instead would rather prefer better courses or tools to improve coaching and mentoring for them and their managers . More tools allowing working from home and flexibility were required and with them a much better technology infrastructure . People would have been happier to use their own devices instead of the somehow older pc by the company to be able to work more in line with their family needs . A number of initiatives have been started , many of them less expensive than giving away consistent salary increases , they are working well . Approach Such an approach is very valuable for people management , but it is useful to truly define peoples need and start with them in mind , therefore could prove to be a perfect starting point for new project or service , expecially if the starting idea is vague . Visualization is probably a tool that could be used together with mind mapping or , following the example of the course , next time we shall start with a diary , so to focus on work - life balance , for instance , and find common solutions . Visualization could be of use for those sites that are culturally less open to dialogue and generally do not express themselves openly with words .