Description

The European Training Foundation (ETF) celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014 with a combination of events, videos, and a special publication.  The anniversary provided an important opportunity to engage stakeholders from the ETF’s diverse publics and most importantly, it gave senior leadership a chance to assess engagement indicators among the ETF’s 133 employees at a time of significant change and challenge.

The first event, held on 8 May 2014, was designed to strengthen employee commitment to carrying the organization forward into the future by bringing together old hands and newcomers in the staff along with former staff members, many of whom have become lifelong friends, using the story of the ETF to connect with its history and envision its future.  The format enabled colleagues from different functions to work on a creative project unrelated to their daily duties, allowing them to interact with each other as creative beings outside the narrow confines of their functional relations.

To achieve this, external facilitators were brought in who specialise in creative approaches to organizational alignment.  The facilitators were asked to “creatively engage a diverse, international group of around 120, both face-to-face and online, to reflect, learn and bond together in celebrating 20 years of collective achievement”

Key Results Achieved

Key results achieved include:

• Staff understanding of the ETF vision increased

• Employee engagement enhanced

• Internal communication improved

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  Sponsor: Joanna Anstey and Claire Bose
  Coordinator Communication Communication Officer
  Facilitator: Martin Gilbraith and Michael Ambjorn
  Associate Facilitator & ‘ToP’ Facilitation Trainer, ICA:UK Align Your Org

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