Quality guru Phillip Crosby used to talk about defining a quality standard of zero defects. Some thought he meant perfectionism. He didn’t. He emphasized having all employees “Do It Right the First Time.” He also used to say that employees cannot “Do It Right the First Time,” unless they know what the “It” is.

 

Many employers have not been effective at defining roles and responsibilities within the context of the mission of why their organization exists, the vision that they see, or the strategic goals they are pursuing. Though they spend lots of dollars and time developing strategic plans, those expensive plans often end up in a binder on a shelf, never really understood by the employees who could be making it possible. Why?

 

Employees need a big picture they can get excited about, a mission they can identify with, and a vision they can sink their teeth into. When employees identify with the values of an organization and feel aligned with the direction, they are much more likely to be engaged, focused, and retained. Elaborate and boring job descriptions don’t do the trick. Employees need to see how what they do fits into the big picture. And they may need help seeing that big picture, particularly during times of transition that are prevalent in today’s business environment.

 

Open Door HR Solutions helps business owners define the “It,” recasting roles and responsibilities within the context of the mission, vision, and strategic goals. In fact, we help employers set the expectation that roles will be recast as needed to keep current with ever-changing priorities. We help develop communication plans and strategies that employees can understand and relate to.