This case addresses one overarching issue - a broken career development system - and two concrete manifestations (symptoms) of the issue at CH2M HILL, an employee-owned engineering services company. The first indication of the problem was very high voluntary employee turnover by CH2M HILL's standards, among newer employees. The voluntary turnover problem was the immediate issue. Participation survey data and exit survey data pointed to a lack of advancement opportunity as the principal reason for high voluntary turnover among new employees. The second problem was less acerbic but still grave.
Though CH2M HILL thought of itself as a career company, fewer than 25 percent of top managers in early 2012 had been promoted from within. Internal candidates were not filling places close to the top because the right person could not be located for the location, inside or outside the firm and some leading positions were vacant for months. Both issues suggest the bigger dilemma needs to be dealt head on and organizational careers have to be reinvented in the firm. Jan Walstrom, Chief Learning Officer, had been charged with rebuilding the livelihood development systems and procedures of CH2M HILL.
PUBLICATION DATE: October 01, 2013 PRODUCT #: NA0219-PDF-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE
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