Example Cases

Valuable lessons can be learned from the following organisations:

Arbitron Company, USA Action planning brings unprecedented improvements in employee engagement

Arbitron used employee surveys to improve employee engagement and retain high performers. A key to their success was the development and deployment of action plans stemming from the survey. The 7-step model depicted in Figure 4, below, which has been adapted from Douglas, was used by Arbitron to develop its action plans. [8]

Each of these steps is further described as follows:

1. Understand results and gain an overall picture of strengths and opportunities
2. Establish a manageable number of priorities
3. Communicate results and priorities to employees
4. Clarify priorities through face-to-face meetings
5. Generate recommendations and action items
6. Develop and implement action plans that include specific objectives with clear accountability
7. Monitor progress through periodic reviews to ensure that the intended objectives have been achieved.

Through this process, Arbitron experienced unprecedented improvements in employee engagement and the retention of high performance employees. [9]

 Addenbrooke’s Hospital, UK Action plans an effective way to change workplace culture

At Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the United Kingdom, effective action-planning processes were developed when practitioners and healthcare team members worked together to collect and analyse data about patient experiences, workplace culture, practitioner effectiveness, and the use of evidence in practice. As a result of this collaboration, two tools were developed:

1. A framework for the development of successful action plans, which included the following key elements:

• the collaboration/involvement of all stakeholders in the action-planning process
• shared ownership of the action plans by stakeholders
• the identification of SMARTER shared goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based, Energising and Recorded)
• the identification and allotment of individual responsibilities towards the achievement of specific actions or the coordination of those actions
• the implementation of the planned actions, as well as the identification and overcoming of any barriers to achieving the desired actions
• ongoing evaluation and reporting of the unfolding action plans
• ensuring that documentation and an audit trail of the complete action-planning process is carried out.

2. A self-assessment tool for action planning. At Addenbrooke’s, it was found that collaborative action planning directly influenced the organisation’s culture, as the expertise released by teams encouraged fresh developments to blossom. [10]

Mercy Health System, USA Action planning – PDCA methodology leads to success

Mercy Health System, a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, created an improvement team to develop action plans to improve patient satisfaction in its emergency department. The improvement team analysed available data, and was able to identify key problem areas. The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) process was used throughout the entire action-planning cycle associated with improvements at the emergency department. Measured results revealed that the action plans were very successful. The PDCA methodology was also easily understood, and accepted by all participants. [11]

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