People have returned from their holidays and work hasn’t completely taken off full swing just yet. The energy is still high and people are filled with optimism for the new year and its potential. However, as time passes our enthusiasm and energy generally starts to slow down and eventually tapers off, which is often when an organisational health check is needed.

Routine, structure and constant deadlines often lead to lower levels of motivation, morale and engagement. It is not unusual for companies to use this time to strategise about the next twelve month’s goals and plans, setting the organisation’s direction and determining the measurement indicators that will show that they are moving forward and by how much. So, as part of the annual strategy process can we take the time to do an organisational health check? A process that can determine where your employees are right now and what level of health your organisation is at right now?

In reality, this seldom happens, if ever at all. For some unexplainable reason, we often think that employees’ overall health is constantly good, but is it? We tend to put together our plans of the year without checking if our employees are whole-heartedly behind it. This can become a costly oversight that will become evident in the months to come- as engagement wanes. A strategy is only as successful as the people who need to execute it. But what is the organisational health check?

Why Do an Organisational Health Check?

There might be a gap that has developed silently and slowly and this is where the desired reality and the current reality are no longer aligned. This process is usually gradual and can easily go unnoticed until our staff fall short of our expectations and unseen crises become more frequent. It’s like a murmur that leaders have to be very attuned to so they can feel the heartbeat of the organisation is strong.

We can use our bodies as an analogy, sometimes we might feel the odd ache or pain which disappears for some time and reappears unexpectedly. In the beginning, it’s an odd ache or pain we ignore however over time if not attended to, it can develop into a serious illness. The murmurs were there all along but we were not mindful of our health and did not see or hear the warning signs- which can lead to serious organisational health issues.

An Organisational Health Check is how we become aware and vigilant of the warning signs within our organisations, staff and teams.

Four Questions to Ask During an Organisational Health Check

  1. Does our vision statement still excite our teams?
  2. Do our people get a sense of belonging?
  3. Is the mission worthwhile pursuing?
  4. Are the values still shared and actively lived out?

These four questions are a good starting point for any company to ask on a regular basis. Speak to your teams to get answers, and tune in and listen to the inner voice. Listen for the unspoken. If this is left undetected for too long the process to change can take quite some time – this is the time during which the strategy i.e. goals are slowed down, or worse not achieved at all. Of course, we can choose to ignore the health check results and push the strategy through, but it will backfire. If you want to successfully accomplish your company’s strategy, then it’s important to learn to take your teams with you and work collectively on the same goals.

How 4Seeds Can Help

4Seeds are a team of expert facilitators and coaches who support companies before, during and after an Organisational Health Check. With our toolbox of assessments and evidence-based strategies, we can help your organisation thrive, individually and collectively. We are the company doctor- and we are always on call. Contact us at info@4seeds.co.za to find out how we can support the health of your organisation.

About the Author: Kerstin Jatho

Kerstin is the senior transformational coach and team development facilitator for 4Seeds Consulting. She is also the author of Growing Butterfly Wings, a book on applying positive psychology principles during a lengthy recovery. Her passion is to develop people-centred organisations where people thrive and achieve their potential in the workplace. You can find Kerstin on LinkedIn, Soundcloud, YouTube and Facebook.

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