Living the change we seek at MEP!

Carroll Thomas, 

MEP Director
MEP Overview

Challenges and Opportunities: 

2014 Employee Viewpoint Survey Results

2016 VCAT Presentation

TOP 3 POSITIVE 

RESPONSES

• Employees are protected from health 

and safety hazards on the job (97%)

• When needed I am willing to put in 

the extra effort to get a job done 

(95.2%)

• Overall quality of work done by your 

work group (91.7%)

TOP 3 NEGATIVE

RESPONSES

• In my work unit, steps are taken to 

deal with a poor performer who 

cannot or will not improve (40%)

• In my organization, leaders generate 

high levels of motivation and 

commitment in the workforce (38.1%)

• In my work unit, differences in 

performance are recognized in a 

meaningful way (33.4%)

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MEP Overview

Challenges and Opportunities:

2015 Employee Viewpoint Survey Results

2016 VCAT Presentation

TOP 3 POSITIVE 

RESPONSES

• Employees are protected from health 

and safety hazards on the job 

(96.6%)

• When needed I am willing to put in 

the extra effort to get a job done 

(96.5%)

• I am constantly looking for ways to 

do my job better (92.6%)

TOP 3 NEGATIVE

RESPONSES

• In my work unit, steps are taken to 

deal with a poor performer who 

cannot or will not improve (55.5%)

• Promotions in my work unit are 

based on merit (54.6%)

• Arbitrary action, personal favoritism 

and coercion for partisan political 

purposes are not tolerated (53.2%)

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2016 VCAT Presentation MEP Overview 4

What keeps 

staff engaged

What keeps 

staff from being 

engaged

Challenges and Opportunities: Internal Context
2016 VCAT Presentation MEP Overview

Actions: 

Employee Relations Team and Follow-Up Survey

5

Formed a peer-based 

Employee Relations 

Team in April

Sought a deeper 

understanding and 

collected feedback, with 

more than 65% of staff 

providing comments and 

recommendations to:

improve 

trust

consider and 

support 

employee 

suggestions 

/innovation

improve 

performance 

management

strengthen 

internal 

communication

generally 

improve overall 

engagement
MEP Overview

CREATED an Employee Suggestion box and process 

to consider, track, and share/communicate ideas

• 24 suggestions since June

• Suggestions varied from organizational change (performance 

plans, strategic plan, re-organization, core values, etc.) to events 

and socials, to meetings, office space, and system process.

2016 VCAT Presentation

Actions: Employee Suggestion Box

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GOAL: To encourage engagement, communication, 

transparency, and innovation

• Channel to express and empower ideas
MEP Overview

Actions: New Leadership, New Vision

• Brought on as Director of MEP in mid-April

• Took actions to address some of the immediate issues

• Approved the selection of an outside trainer, Larry 

Danner, for culture transformation

2016 VCAT Presentation 7
2016 VCAT Presentation MEP Overview

Actions:

Engaging of The Clearing and Their Work

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Obtained candid employee feedback 

and recommendations via individual 

interviews and focus groups; aired 

submerged issues and laid groundwork 

for positive relations

Created collaborative framework and 

defined a desired future culture that 

spelled out how we will do our work and 

conduct ourselves

Identified 3 top-level organizational 

priorities to address by the end of 

January
MEP Overview

Actions: Implementation Plan

2016 VCAT Presentation 9

Developing an implementation plan focusing on:

1. A series of 90 day high impact projects that can be addressed 

immediately

2. Longer-term, more complex issues that require extended 

resolution

3. Organization-wide cultural and behavioral training embedded in 

the work

4. Leadership training and coaching

5. Organizational restructuring
2016 VCAT Presentation MEP Overview

Next Steps

10

NEXT STEPS

• Internal Training in new behaviors

• Understanding peoples styles/ 

DISC assessment

• Strategy Development

• Leadership coaching

• Improved efficiencies 

and effectiveness

• Special engagement assignments
2016 VCAT Presentation MEP Overview

Future State

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MEP: Changing the Way the World Defines Manufacturing by Enabling the Next Great Revolution in Manufacturing