Engagement directly linked to business performance, with share price increasing in line with an increase in engagement
A rigorous, analytical approach has deepened understanding of different employee groups, enabling tailored engagement and retention strategies
Agile, iterative insight over time, continuously building on learnings to provide more targeted insight
The challenge
Our market‑leading client was expanding at pace, driven by an ambitious growth strategy. As the business scaled, senior leaders recognised that the culture needed to become more people-oriented to sustain performance and retain talent, and that they needed a structured way to listen to employees during the firm’s period of rapid growth. They identified several critical needs:
Employee voice: the need for a structured way to listen to employees during rapid growth, transformation and globalisation
Business‑focused engagement: definition and measurement of engagement that was tied to business performance and reflected the firm’s strategic ambitions
Holistic employee experience insight: understanding the employee experience in the context of the firm’s unique work and long‑term strategy
Data‑driven decision-making: robust data and analytics to support informed decision‑making for leaders at all levels
The solution
We formed a long‑term partnership with the organisation, working closely with the CEO, President, CHRO, Executive Committee and the HR leadership team. We took a comprehensive and iterative approach to programme design and delivery, evolving the firm’s engagement strategy to reflect their growth journey:
Strategic alignment and stakeholder engagement
We began with in-depth conversations to deeply understand the firm’s strategic goals and define the behaviours and mindsets of an employee fully engaged to play their part in delivering these This ensured that the engagement strategy was aligned with business priorities from the outset.
Relevant and focused employee insights
We ran qualitative research with members of the HR function and employees deeper in the firm to further unpack this and understand the day-to-day aspects of the employee experience that would enable engagement. Using inputs from stakeholders across the firm, we designed the firm’s first employee engagement survey, including a bespoke engagement model and tailored, holistic question set. Our smart analytics pinpointed the specific aspects of the employee experience that were driving full engagement, giving senior and local leaders, managers, HR, employees, and office heads a clear call to action in terms of where to focus on and what to act on.
Manager index and capability building
We developed a Manager Index to understand and track manager capabilities as the business grew. By identifying managers with higher scores, we:
Leveraged internal best practice
Codified what effective managers were doing well
Shared these behaviours across the wider manager population to aid improvement
Comprehensive, fourteen‑year measurement strategy
Over the past fourteen years, we have created and executed a robust measurement strategy, including:
Annual engagement surveys with smart analytics to identify priority focus areas
Actionable insight for leaders, managers, HR, employees, and office heads, translated into clear actions
Local action planning support with leadership teams in core functions, helping them hold effective conversations about their key areas of focus
Agile, iterative insight over time
Across the fourteen years, we have continuously built on learnings to provide more agile and targeted insights, including:
Pulse surveys to track progress and explore specific topics in more depth
Spotlight studies on key employee populations and themes such as culture, inclusion, and the experience of employees joining through a number of acquisitions
Updated survey content to reflect new leadership and behavioural frameworks as they evolved
The impact
Across the partnership, the work has delivered an evolving, business-focused approach to engagement:
Engagement has been linked to business performance
Because engagement was defined and measured in a way that was clearly connected to performance, leaders have been able to see its impact over time. Over fourteen years:
Full engagement increased from 42% to 76%
The share price rose from $38 to $557
Market cap grew from $5.3Bn to over $43Bn
Strong executive sponsorship and clear narrative
A compelling narrative about why engagement matters, and how it should guide decision‑making secured sustained buy‑in and commitment from the CEO, President, CHRO and wider leadership team.
High participation and deep organisational insight
The survey process has become a valued part of the firm’s rhythm. Tailored, relevant content for all employees has helped maintain high participation rates and generated robust data, with the ability to report deep into the organisation.
Forensic understanding of key employee groups
A rigorous, analytical approach has deepened understanding of different employee groups, enabling tailored engagement and retention strategies, particularly among populations affected by acquisitions, organisational change, and those deemed high potential or top talent.
A global, data‑driven financial services organisation with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. The firm provides analytical tools, indices, and decision‑support solutions that enable institutional investors to navigate complex markets with confidence. Operating across multiple regions and known for its high‑performance culture and rapid growth, the organisation plays a pivotal role in shaping investment strategies for clients around the world.
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