A Value Added Partner for Organizational Effectiveness & Performance

Client:
Founded in 1937, The Bama Companies, Inc. is a leading, innovative manufacturer of wholesome bakery products focusing on business-to-business relationships in the Quick-Service and Casual Dining markets. The company maintains long-term partnerships with companies, such as the number one hamburger chain, pizza chain, Mexican chain, casual dining chain, and the largest retailer in the world.

The company received the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award in 2004.

Problems/Challenges:
As a privately held company, Bama and it's founders have enjoyed a close relationship with the workforce.  Even the CEO, Paula Marshall knew many of them by name, and the names of their children.  This closeness was attributed with favorable morale and employee retention.

Developing overseas opportunities regularly kept the CEO away from the main facilities for a few years. Consequently, she was required to rely on trusted individuals in supervisory positions to maintain morale, quality and productivity.  

During those few years, the closeness and high morale the company enjoyed degraded to the point where a crisis situation emerged with a key client.

The situation required a review of human systems within the company. The leadership team, including the CEO, COO and CFO began reviewing people practices in the main facility in Tulsa, OK. Marshall even spent two months at the facility, seeking the source of the problems.

The inquiry uncovered some of the problems. However, it became clear that a more in-depth analysis was required to identify the root cause of the breakdown. Staub Leadership Solutions was chosen for this process.

Methodology:
Staub completed in-depth interviews with Senior Managers.  Consequently, a 6-week investigation of all personnel at the main plant was conducted using one-on-one interviews as well as focus groups and surveys to gather pertinent information, analyze the findings and with senior leadership do a root cause analysis.

The plan involved a thorough analysis; conducted by Staub’s team of consultants, of each individual who worked in our largest facility, from plant manager to the sanitation crew, to measure job satisfaction, trust of management, accountability, management and supervisory practices and employee engagement. The analysis included interviews, surveys and focus groups in order to conduct the most accurate assessments for efficacious solutions.

By utilizing Staub, an objective third party with decades of experience in uncovering motivations and causes of specific behaviors, Bama received a candid and well-documented assessment. Staub’s comprehensive report disclosed that numerous company policies related to human resources were being violated. The result was breakdowns in morale, management effectiveness, quality and safety.

Solutions:
Based on Staub’s recommendations, Bama with Staub Leadership Solutions help systematically deployed strategies and corrective measures, including installing temporary senior management, and relocating the COO, senior managers and the head of HR to the facility to help support our team members there and intensify focus on product quality and safety.  Many personnel changes were also made.

Bama also re-engineered their HR department to better serve the workforce and Marshall received the new title of CPO, or Chief People Officer, to signify the company’s new focus, "People Helping People Be Successful."  The company also appointed an officer of EQ (emotional quotient: a measure of emotional maturity or intelligence).   Six Core EQ effectiveness skill-sets were custom designed and implemented as part of this process. 

People and performance initiatives implemented as a result of the recommendations include “ People and Customers Are Wildly Important at Bama,” “Improve The Business Every Day,” and “Smart, Fun Growth.”

As part of the “People and Customers Are Wildly Important” initiative, Bama is focusing on placing employees in jobs that maximize their skills and challenge them. Furthermore, the company has rewritten many job descriptions to better acclimate and prepare candidates. Individual development plans and integration training is also taking place to help individuals in new positions succeed.

Employee benefits packages have been overhauled to build loyalty and improve morale. Initiatives include special grants, a health and wellness program, the Bama clinic, fitness centers with trainers, on-site chiropractic care and preventative safety training and workers compensation prevention training.

Outcomes:
Not only was the client crisis resolved, the leadership at the company has gained new skill sets and discipline and the company has regained a healthy and sustainable culture that contributes to client satisfaction, quality, productivity and safety.

Courageous conversations have replaced damaging behaviors. Workers are no longer afraid to voice concerns, ideas or complaints. Managers are listening and providing constructive feedback.

And Bama is on a path of growth.

“We are a healthy business today because we took the steps necessary 2 years ago with help from Staub Leadership Solutions to turn our business around.” Paula Marshall, CEO

Staub Leadership Solutions

Staub Leadership Solutions has been providing value-multiplying solutions to organizations & teams for 20 years by aligning behaviors & practices to effectively implement strategy. 

We do this by helping organizations develop high performance work environments characterized by:
• Leadership Effectiveness
• Quality & Service Excellence
• Learning & knowledge transfer
• Superlative teamwork       
• Continuous improvement &innovation
• Efficient work systems        

Value-Creation Services
• Strategic human systems design
• Cultural transformation
• Organizational effectiveness & learning
• Value-creation facilitation
• Coaching for Leadership effectiveness
• Employee engagement strategies & processes
• Talent and Performance management strategies & systems
• Team based innovation & collaboration
   
Wide range of clients - Fortune 200 Companies, Universities, Family Businesses, Public Safety Departments, Government Agencies, Health Care Systems, non-profit agencies  

Focus: Three major levers driving successful organizational change:
1. Individual & systemic leadership development
2. Teamwork methodologies & practices
3. Organizational design - emphasizing human systems effectiveness & cultural transformation

Strategically Integrated Approach to All Client Systems:
• Strategic alignment of all business plan, leadership practices and systems
• Substantive focus & work-out sessions where we are working on solving real business issues while learning new skills and developing collaborative practices
• Experiential-based learning, where we “facilitate a learning experience”
• Developmental in approach through reinforcement and integrated follow-up sessions We actively transfer learning technology & training methodology to our clients

“Staub Leadership Solutions can be counted on to deliver and exceed contractual obligations. You can be assured they will “add value” to a partnership in human resources development.” Jerry Sue Thornton, Ph.D. (President, Cuyahoga Community College)

“We are a healthy business today because we took the steps necessary with SLS to turn our business around." Paula Marshall, CEO, The Bama Companies