Driving Business Growth Through An Engaged Workforce

Edwin Garcia is a Ph.D. Research Scientist turned HR executive who has an impressive career trajectory, holding leadership positions at prominent Fortune 500 companies like Dell Computers, Kimberly-Clark, ESPN, and The Weather Company. His expertise spans HR strategic partnering, executive compensation, program management, process improvement, and HR information systems. Since 2016, he has led HR for PPC Partners, steering the company through challenges and emphasizing the cultural value of reinvesting in people

In an interview with Construction Business Review, Edwin Garcia, Chief People Officer at PPC Partners shares his insights on the importance of employee engagement in organizations and the measures to navigate the challenges in that space.

Could you please talk about your roles and responsibilities in your current organisation?

PPC Partners operates primarily in the electrical and mechanical sub-contractor space across Midwest and Southeast regions of the US. When I first joined, our annual revenue stood at around 220 million dollars. Today, the company has grown, achieving impressive annual revenue of 650 million dollars. PPC Partners is an employee-owned company which means, only employees can purchase and hold shares, creating a strong sense of ownership and camaraderie among the workforce. We focus on servant leadership and give back to the society by donating ten per cent of our net profits to non-profit organizations and charitable institutions annually.

What are your insights on employee engagement especially during a time when Gen Z is joining the work force? Also, what are the challenges in this space?

Employee satisfaction surveys have been an integral part of our company since 1997, evolving from pen-and-paper to a modern electronic format. Our approach has been aligned with our aspirations of servant leadership, aiming to have managers and leaders who genuinely care about employees and provide them with the necessary support for their growth.

Two pivotal questions have formed the foundation of our engagement surveys: “Does the company treat me the way I want to be treated?” and “Do my fellow employees treat me the way I want to be treated?” The consistently high scores we receive on these questions indicate that our employees recognize and appreciate our commitment to servant leadership.

One of the challenges we face in the engagement process is ensuring all employees feel empowered to contribute their thoughts and opinions on company matters. As an employeeowned company, we encourage participation in decisionmaking and leadership feedback. We have witnessed over 80% participation in our surveys. Modifying our surveys to be more mobile-friendly has also led to a boost in participation rates.

In collaboration with Professor James Lemoine from the University of Buffalo School Of Management, we analysed years of survey data to better understand specific indices related to servant leadership and other crucial aspects of engagement. This in-depth analysis has allowed us to identify managers and leaders who excel in fostering employee engagement, and we have formed focus groups to uncover their successful practices.

We are working with the Marcus Buckingham, the Head of Research at ADP research Institute to launch a 12-question survey targeted at 2300 employees. It is aimed at measuring their perceptions of inclusion and aligns them with the existing engagement indices.

What are some of the outcomes or insights you have gathered from these surveys and how have you converted them into best practises?

One key realization has been the importance of timely feedback and action planning based on survey results. With the help of our survey tool, Macorva, we not only assess our performance compared to normative data but also delve deeper into our organizational responses.

Our year-on-year surveys allow us to identify trends and patterns in the key indices related to engagement, inclusion, diversity, etc., empowering us to make data-driven decisions and identify successful practices that contribute to employee engagement.

"Our approach has been aligned with our aspirations of servant leadership, aiming to have managers and leaders who genuinely care about employees and provide them with the necessary support for their growth"

What do you think are some of the trends with the potential to disrupt the employee engagement space in the next 12 to 18 months?

One of the most noteworthy trends is the increasing competition for talent. With a reduced workforce due to early retirements, increased wages, inflation, and other factors, companies will need to focus on showcasing their commitment to employee engagement to attract and retain top talent.

Another trend that spans across various industries is the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into employee engagement practices. AI-driven tools are becoming more prevalent, helping leaders quickly analyse survey results and tailor their key messages accordingly. For example, our partnership with Macorva has been instrumental in providing sample emails for communicating survey results to employees and suggesting items for individual performance plans.

What would be your advice for your peers and aspiring professionals within the space in navigating the challenges surrounding employee engagement?

My suggestion is to embrace agility. Relying solely on an annual employee engagement survey and waiting months to publish the results is no longer sufficient. Instead, strive for a more agile approach that allows you to swiftly turn around survey results and analyse them at a geographical or business unit level. Complementing the annual survey with paused surveys on specific topics that arise throughout the year can provide valuable additional insights.

While senior leadership influences the overall engagement strategy, it’s at the managerial level where engagement efforts truly come together. Engaged employees are more likely to stay with the company if they feel their efforts are recognized by their managers.

By taking these steps we can foster a workplace culture where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected, ultimately contributing to the long-term success and growth of organizations.