The Opportunity
With a diverse workforce spanning manufacturing and corporate environments, KDP identified manager effectiveness as a key driver of employee experience. The organization sought to create a measurement system that would enable leaders to understand and enhance their impact through targeted actions and development.
The Solution
KDP designed a focused pilot program using ten questions aligned with key leadership behaviors. The initiative split into two tracks — frontline and non-frontline — allowing for tailored approaches in different work environments.
The program combined measurement with action:
- People managers received personal benchmarks from the 2023 engagement survey
- People managers with results developed plans targeting their lowest-scoring behaviors
- All people managers completed Fearless and Fair Communication training in addition to executing their personal action plans
- A follow-up survey in May 2024 measured improvement
The Impact
The pilot results revealed improvements across both workforce segments. Frontline teams, with 280 participants and a 91% response rate, saw increases in nine of ten leadership metrics. The 4.2% average improvement pushed this location 10% above other manufacturing sites. The non-frontline group managed a 3% increase in favorability overall compared to other corporate functions. A solid communication campaign and the desire of employees to provide feedback helped the team to reach a high response rate.
