Strategically Aligned Engaged Employees are Unstoppable
Background
A 25-year-old mid-market SaaS company was globally dominant in its niche, serving blue-chip clients in the market research industry. Customers were happy, margins were strong, and the company enjoyed a reputation as the clear leader.
The Challenge
Inside the business, however, there was a very different story. Employee engagement and morale were slipping. Many employees had grown up within the industry, had limited outside experience, and valued their independence. They had lots of ideas but little alignment.
The founder’s leadership style added to the challenge. Eager to keep people happy, he often encouraged employees to “do what you think is best,” which created fragmentation. Teams pursued their own projects rather than a shared direction.
In meetings, employees rarely voiced disagreements openly, but afterward, negative chatter surfaced: “That wasn’t my plan.” Over time, this eroded trust, created silos, and left managers without a unifying strategy. The Predictive Index employee engagement survey confirmed the issue with a troubling score of 62 — a level that signaled disengagement and risk.
Our Approach
Elevanta designed a two-pronged solution to rebuild engagement and strategic alignment.
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The Predictive Index (PI)
We rolled out PI to help the leadership team understand behavioral drives and adapt management styles. Just as importantly, we introduced PI’s annual engagement survey — giving employees a structured way to voice concerns and giving leadership actionable data to respond.
- Year 1: Engagement score 62 (at-risk).
- Year 2: Score improved to 78, reflecting stronger alignment and trust.
- Year 3: Score reached 84, putting the company in the top quartile of all workplaces.
Employees not only gained new insight into how to work with their colleagues but also saw, often for the first time, that management cared deeply about their input. Leadership developed action plans around survey results, which built credibility and momentum.
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The One-Page Business Plan
The CEO had previously attempted to draft a one-page business plan himself and circulate it for input. But the document fell flat — many employees dismissed it as “not my idea” and lacked the experience to engage with strategy at that level.
We took a different approach: a multi-day facilitated workshop. Section by section — vision, purpose, goals, mega-strategy, new initiatives, operational excellence, personnel, and values — the leadership team explored the purpose of each element, generated ideas, and debated priorities.
This process gave executives ownership of the plan. Interestingly, the final content did not differ dramatically from the CEO’s original draft — but now the team was fully aligned, engaged, and felt heard. The plan became a living document, not a top-down directive. Managers gained clarity, stayed focused, and stopped chasing “pet projects” that distracted from strategy.
Results
- Engagement scores climbed from 62 to 84, moving the company from disengaged and at-risk to one of the top quartile workplaces.
- Executives achieved true alignment around a single plan, creating focus and eliminating organizational noise.
- Managers operated with clarity and accountability, improving execution and morale.
- The company shifted from distracted and fragmented to energized, engaged, and strategically aligned with a clear vision of the future.
Outcome: By combining The Predictive Index with the One-Page Business Plan, the company unlocked both people power and strategic clarity. What began as a culture of disengagement transformed into a focused, collaborative, and high-performing organization positioned for sustainable growth.
Ready to Engage Your Employees?
At Elevanta, we believe engaged and strategically aligned employees are unstoppable.
What would be possible in your business if your people were this engaged and aligned?
Let’s explore it together — contact us today to start your journey toward unlocking the full potential of your team.
Let’s talk. Contact Elevanta.AI »