Setting a collective organizational future through a Vision Quest
Cultural Assessment and
Vision Definition
With SCML — Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Challenge
Design the first day of co-creation and participation open to everyone from the Human Resources Department (DIRH) of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, giving space for everyone to contribute with ideas to be implemented in the following three years.
OUTCOME
01
Survey-based assessment of the department’s culture through the employees’ perception
02
A strategic vision, collectively created, guiding DIRH for the following three years
03
Setting the foundation of a collaborative and participatory culture where everyone has a voice and a will to be part of a collective
context
With a new Director of Human Resources at Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML), movements of change and renewal began to emerge.
In October 2022, With Company was challenged to think of an exclusive moment for the Human Resources Department (DIRH) to work on issues such as collaboration, active participation, and critical thinking at work. The department was committed to bringing everyone together for the first time, gathering 100+ people to cooperate.
our role
01
Design communication and engagement materials – posters and banners – to promote the event internally and stimulate curiosity and the will to participate
02
Create a digital survey to have a small diagnosis of the current state of the department’s culture and thus be able to have a clear starting point and align expectations on the main points to be worked on together
03
Design and prepare all the materials and content needed to facilitate a Vision Definition workshop for more than 100 people from DIRH
2
Communication and engagement items
1
Digital survey (119 answers)
8
Exercises
1
Collective vision for the next three years
17
Working groups
10
Actionable roadmaps
1
Final report
12
Recommendations
PREPARING AND FACILITATING
The success of this workshop began a few weeks prior to the event itself, with our team creating a tailor-made moment that would make the most of this unique moment for such an important institution. These were the key moments:
To understand the perception of DIRH’s current culture, we created a survey to be sent to all employees in the weeks leading up to the workshop. During the workshop, after an initial group discussion about the department’s current culture, we shared the data from the survey.
On January 20, 2023, for the first time in the history of SCML, the entire Human Resources department took a whole day to envision and set the foundations of a collective organizational future, starting with a vision for the next three years. That was the first step to creating a participative culture, where everyone can have their voice and a place to generate ideas. This moment aimed to deconstruct usual and established behavior patterns, where only a few contribute and are responsible for developing a strategic management plan.
Through different engaging and strategic exercises and group dynamics, we sought to rethink general processes and find new ways of facing daily work with cooperation and new relevant perspectives.
We started by provoking a projective reflection of how SCML could be in the future. By positioning them in a prosperous future, we had the conditions to define how DIRH needs to evolve and develop in the following years. With the help of a digital inquiry tool, over 100+ people arrived at a new vision quest for the following three years: A more efficient, fairer DIRH to make its people happier and more fulfilled.
After the workshop, we delivered a report illustrating the work carried out that day, with key messages and essential recommendations for continuing the work.
This project reinforces our belief that any institution can and should continually reassess its way forward regardless of how established. Together we proved that it’s good to shape a healthier organizational culture at any given time.
Expectations vs Reality
The challenge proposed stemmed from an intention to bring new models of leadership and collaboration that employees still needed to become familiar with. Although we were unsure how the group would react to the exercises we prepared and their openness level, they were met with great availability, dedication, and curiosity.
The whole group responded enthusiastically to the dynamics, highlighting the opportunity to work with people from different teams with whom they have yet to have the chance to exchange ideas on a day-to-day basis. Throughout the day, the whole group participated attentively and dynamically, showing great motivation, enthusiasm, and willingness to make it actionable.
