Case Study 1: Reducing Turnover through Enhanced Cultural Competence
Background:
The organization, which had a culturally and geographically diverse IT department, struggled with high turnover rates among Agile development team members, especially from underrepresented groups. Despite DEIB hiring efforts, frequent resignations led to an estimated 30% loss in business value per hire and resignation.
Challenge:
The primary challenge was to understand why members of DEIB groups were leaving the organization within six months. The organization needed to resolve issues related to cultural integration and team cohesion to improve retention and stabilize the workforce.
Solution:
Upgrading Self was engaged to address these issues after being recommended for their expertise in cultural competence and integration. A comprehensive needs gaps analysis revealed that lack of psychological safety and poor cultural integration were significant factors contributing to high turnover.
Solution Implemented:
- Inclusive Self-Awareness and Group Awareness Assessments: Introduced assessments to help team members and leaders recognize their cultural biases and understand diverse team dynamics.
- Improvement Best Practices: Implemented practices to create an inclusive environment, focusing on enhancing psychological safety and fostering open, respectful communication.
- Agile Integration: Applied Agile methodologies to improve collaboration and integration, ensuring that cultural differences were recognized and valued.
Outcome:
The implementation of these solutions led to improved psychological safety and team collaboration. The organization saw a reduction in turnover rates and a more stable workforce, which addressed the initial business value loss concerns.
Impact:
The collaboration with Upgrading Self successfully reduced turnover rates and minimized business value loss. The organization continues to partner with Upgrading Self to sustain these improvements and further enhance cultural integration.
Testimonial
“Upgrading Self helped us tackle our turnover issues by improving cultural integration and team cohesion, resulting in a more stable workforce and reduced business value loss.” — HR Representative, Private Organization