Organizational assessment, planning and intervention for a family service agency: A case stud

The project reported here involved an organizational consultation with a large human service organization (referred to as SHARE). This case study project had two goals; to document the steps, strategies and related dynamics of the organizational consultation process, and in so doing contribute to the body of knowledge regarding systematic organizational change and development. The core consultation methodology included assessment, feedback (mirroring), action planning, plan implementation, evaluation and follow-up. Assessment involved the conduct of 73 individual interviews with SHARE employees (52), program directors, managers, supervisors (19) and board members (2). Interviews surfaced issues and-concerns related to the climate, management, and operations of SHARE Overall and its eight programs. The mirroring activity brought attention to the areas of the organization most in need of attention. It was determined that issues related to SHARE Overall, the Early Childhood Education Program, and the Family Violence Prevention Program would be the focus of action planning. Action plans were developed and implemented for SHARE Overall and the Early Childhood Education Program. Following the implementation of the action plans, 175 full-time and part-time employees were surveyed to evaluate the agency in areas that had surfaced as concerns at the start of the consultation. A total of 160 surveys were completed (91%). SHARE employees had favorable ratings for most aspects of the agency that were surveyed and confirmed positive changes in its overall climate. SHARE employees gave very positive ratings to SHARE executives and program directors with respect to being proactive; working well together; trying to carry out the principles of mutual respect, openness and excellence; showing concern and support for employees; providing opportunities for staff to get together and socialize; being accessible and open to staff; and providing employees with training about agency policies and procedures. SHARE employees reported feeling connected to one another and to SHARE as an agency, feeling acknowledged and valued, and viewed SHARE as having a good reputation and well respected in the community. SHARE employees also rated the administrative staff as highly courteous, helpful and full of aloha. Employees expressed some dissatisfaction with (1) computers, computer literacy and technical support and (2) management information systems. Follow-up monitoring with SHARE indicates that positive change resulted from the consultation. This report includes a discussion of (1) the impact of the consultation to the Executive Director and SHARE Management Team, the Early Childhood Education Program, the Family Violence Prevention Program, SHARE employees and the agency as a whole; (2) the cost effectiveness of the consultation; (3) the outlook for SHARE and its programs to sustain the organizational change; and (4) the consultant's personal reflections on the consultation project. Contributions made to community and organizational psychology are discussed.