A case study which translates how the National Archives refreshed and re-launched their organisational values in 2010 through the use of employee volunteers, which they called the ‘culture project’. During 2008 they launched a survey which gave disappointing results.
Changes made included a HR team restructure and a new Organisational Development team to take responsibility for engagement and more senior level HR to aid line managers take more responsibility. Other activities included work on career-progression options through interviews with the leadership team about skills for the future, a management development programme, and easier performance management practices.
Real improvements were made. In their 2011 survey they improved the employee engagement score up to 68% and decreased sickness days by nearly 6 in two years. In 2012, specific promotion events on the work done by the volunteers was delivered. Engagement practice is now said to be embedded in the culture in ‘everything we do’. Engagement is often bottom up rather than top down.
