How Department Audit Clarified Roles and Boosted Efficiency

Better Way Consulting helps organizations get to the heart of their workplace culture. For this client, we applied our Employee and Culture Evaluation service to conduct a focused department audit. This uncovered crucial insights on role clarity, communication, and productivity.

Our evaluations offer clear, actionable insights to build stronger, more cohesive teams and create lasting improvements in workplace efficiency. These evaluations are valuable to any organization — with or without a human resources team.

Table of Contents

• Client Overview

• The Solutions

• The Results

• The Impact

Client Overview

Our client is a large nonprofit organization with many locations in the Southeast. They wanted a clear picture of one of their departments. Their goal was to use quantitative methods to understand the impact of the department’s vision, resources, and training. Our client also wanted to evaluate team-building initiatives on staff culture and operational efficiency.

The Solutions

To gather valuable insights, Better Way Consulting started four data-collection projects. These included a strengths assessment, an online survey, in-depth interviews with some staff members, and a time-tracking document that estimates how much time staff spend on regular tasks.

1. Strengths Assessment

We used an established framework to assess the department’s core strengths. Our goal was to identify where staff felt most capable and to uncover any skill gaps. This helped pinpoint areas where the team was thriving—and where they needed more support.

Identifying your team's strengths and weaknesses should not strike fear into anyone's heart. Different from performance reviews, these assessments help your team work even better and identify areas for improvement.

2. Online Survey

An online pulse survey measured the team’s overall sentiment. We wanted to understand how staff felt about their work environment, department culture, and the team’s shared vision. The survey revealed most of their employees feel positive, and it also highlighted areas where they could improve alignment.

3. In-Depth Interviews

Interviews allowed us to dive deeper into the survey’s findings. We explored topics like time management, role expectations, and opportunities for professional growth. These conversations provided rich context, giving us a fuller picture of what staff need to succeed day to day.

Better Way's research experts are an objective third party providing a listening ear to your staff. We encourage open, honest feedback from both managers and employees. This kind of feedback gives you the insight you need while protecting the working relationships on your team.

4. Time-Tracking Document

Our time-tracking exercise revealed how staff spent their time. We discovered that some team members were in too many meetings outside their core roles, which reduced their productivity. This highlighted where time management practices could be improved to boost focus on primary tasks.

The Results

Better Way Consulting compiled findings from each data-collection method into a comprehensive report for the client. Key takeaways included:

• Refining Role Expectations: The strengths assessment highlighted areas where staff felt both empowered and under-utilized. Understanding these insights can set the stage for clearer role expectations.

• Culture Insights: While there is overall positive sentiment about the team’s vision, communication and alignment need some improvement.

• Targeted Development Opportunities: Interviews identified specific areas for professional growth and team-building needs. These helped the organization set goals that were realistic and long-term.

• Productivity Barriers: The time-tracking exercise revealed that excess meetings were hindering productivity, particularly when unrelated to staff members’ core responsibilities.

The Impact

Better Way Consulting’s analysis helped our client identify two major needs: clarification in role expectations and improved communication across departments. As a result, they reorganized their staff structure and implemented centralized communications to streamline expectations and improve efficiency.

Experiencing communication breakdowns or inefficiencies in your organization? Schedule a free consultation with Better Way Consulting to start evaluating and strengthening your staff culture.