Employee Perspectives to Strategy Implementation

Abstract

This thesis explores strategy implementation from the perspective of employees within an international chemical company, focusing on improving strategy implementation efficiency and strengthening employee engagement and commitment.

The purpose is to understand employees' perspectives on strategy implementation, building on human-centric practices to foster commitment, a supportive and collaborative environment, and organizational alignment. By understanding factors influencing strategy implementation, it is assumably possible to influence the overall organizational success. The objective of this work is to map the present state of strategy execution from the employees' viewpoint and to understand their commitment and engagement in the strategy process.

The primary beneficiary of the thesis is the management team of the target organization, which seeks to optimize strategic processes and improve employee engagement to boost overall efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, the work seeks to support team leaders and employees by developing robust processes for strategic planning and execution.

The theoretical framework built upon theories of strategic management, integrates concepts from human-centric management and strategic process models, emphasizing the roles of communication, transparency, and employee involvement in strategy execution. Qualitative methods of semi-structured employee interviews and subsequent thematic analysis were utilized to gather and analyze data from employees across various teams. These methods provided deep insights into the perceptions and experiences of employees regarding the current strategy implementation.

Key findings indicate that employee commitment is heavily influenced by the clarity of strategic goals, the supportiveness of the work environment, and the effectiveness of cross-departmental collaboration. Challenges identified include lack of alignment, lack of shared organizational goals, and insufficient transparency to strategic processes and strategic objectives, all of which are potentially significant obstacles to efficient strategy implementation.

Analysis of the findings led to several recommendations for improving strategic processes, including the adaptation of the framework of OKRs to streamline focus and increase transparency and alignment, thus boosting strategy implementation effectiveness. The development of more integrated planning processes was suggested to ensure consistency and cohesiveness across the organization.

In conclusion, the thesis underscores the necessity of integrating employee insights into strategic planning and execution processes to promote more engaged and committed employees, thereby enhancing the overall strategic success of the organization. While the proposed interventions are specifically tailored to the company, the principles of enhancing engagement through clarity and support are universally applicable, suggesting potential for broader applicability in similar organizational settings.

Keywords: strategy process model, strategy implementation, human-centric strategy, employee engagement.