Challenge

I had the opportunity to do an internship at an event management company in Kolkata, India. When  I joined, I was given the role of a content writer but was also told that I would be working across  domains with strategy building, marketing and public relations in the forefront. However, after  working for some days I found that there was complete disarray in the organization with regards to  information flow, management and communication. There was no clarity between authority and  responsibility, span of control and also who reported to whom. This was killing precious working  hours of the employees working in the organization.

I approached with this issue to the top management as they wanted me to give feedback about their  work systems and work culture after a few months I had been with them.

Therefore, I was assigned the additional responsibility of using design thinking to get rid of all these  problems at the organization.

Selection

I searched online and interacted with a few mentors of mine to narrow down on a few strategies  that could be adopted to solve the problem at hand. After this I developed a prototype testing  module for checking its effectiveness in the initial stages.

Application

As we launched, I asked the employees at the firm to write their own goals and ambitions on a piece  of paper. Then I led them through the values, mission and vision of the company. Now I asked them  to visualize how they can attain their own goals by contributing to the firm.

After this, I personally interacted with each and every employee almost 30 in number and listened  their heart out about how they feel working at this particular organization. I was amazed at the  responses I received. Some were highly dissatisfied with the kind of politics and behaviour played by  some fellow employees.

Thenafter I designed some team building activities and also organized a picnic. This helped the  people working there to meet each other outside the four walls of the office in an informal  environment. This led to a release in their inhibitions and led to a free flow of ideas and feelings  towards each other.

This was followed by a monthly team building session in the form of games and storytelling where  each one presented something important part of their life.

Insight

I applied the learning launch tool and was quite surprised by the results that came after these  excersises. There was a correlation between employee dissatisfaction and lack of communication.  Things had started to improve and we could see smiling faces and observe employees form  relationships beyond work. This was proved by higher customer satisfaction and improved  performance of the company as a whole.

The employees too realized that work becomes mundane if it is done in silos. They realized the  importance of synergy of efforts, a clear form of communication and effective transition.

Approach

Given that I could achieve a certain result through my methods, the top management reviewed my  efforts and suggested some other methods and opportunities that I could have undertaken. Well it  was a great learning curve for me.


Challenge I had the opportunity to do an internship at an event management company in Kolkata , India . When I joined , I was given the role of a content writer but was also told that I would be working across domains with strategy building , marketing and public relations in the forefront . However , after working for some days I found that there was complete disarray in the organization with regards to information flow , management and communication . There was no clarity between authority and responsibility , span of control and also who reported to whom . This was killing precious working hours of the employees working in the organization . I approached with this issue to the top management as they wanted me to give feedback about their work systems and work culture after a few months I had been with them . Therefore , I was assigned the additional responsibility of using design thinking to get rid of all these problems at the organization . Selection I searched online and interacted with a few mentors of mine to narrow down on a few strategies that could be adopted to solve the problem at hand . After this I developed a prototype testing module for checking its effectiveness in the initial stages . Application As we launched , I asked the employees at the firm to write their own goals and ambitions on a piece of paper . Then I led them through the values , mission and vision of the company . Now I asked them to visualize how they can attain their own goals by contributing to the firm . After this , I personally interacted with each and every employee almost 30 in number and listened their heart out about how they feel working at this particular organization . I was amazed at the responses I received . Some were highly dissatisfied with the kind of politics and behaviour played by some fellow employees . Thenafter I designed some team building activities and also organized a picnic . This helped the people working there to meet each other outside the four walls of the office in an informal environment . This led to a release in their inhibitions and led to a free flow of ideas and feelings towards each other . This was followed by a monthly team building session in the form of games and storytelling where each one presented something important part of their life . Insight I applied the learning launch tool and was quite surprised by the results that came after these excersises . There was a correlation between employee dissatisfaction and lack of communication . Things had started to improve and we could see smiling faces and observe employees form relationships beyond work . This was proved by higher customer satisfaction and improved performance of the company as a whole . The employees too realized that work becomes mundane if it is done in silos . They realized the importance of synergy of efforts , a clear form of communication and effective transition . Approach Given that I could achieve a certain result through my methods , the top management reviewed my efforts and suggested some other methods and opportunities that I could have undertaken . Well it was a great learning curve for me .