Five problems almost every organisation has and almost nobody sees anymore

Even organisations with good profits often have structural problems. They no longer stand out, because they have become normal.

After twenty years at large IT organisations and years as an interim manager in small and mid-sized companies, I keep seeing the same patterns. What strikes me in organisations with more than thirty employees: the problems are no longer recognised, because they have been accepted. The effect on enjoyment and results is large, though.

1. Staff turnover that is too high

In this labour market, turnover is a large and often hidden cost. I worked at an organisation with more than 25% turnover. That meant high recruitment costs, a lot of time spent on onboarding, the risk of hiring the wrong person and sometimes long-term absence.

2. Too much control and too many meetings, or too much freedom

Organisations often spend a lot of time on coordination: stand-ups, weekly meetings and other meetings. I worked that way myself for years. Now I know it can be done differently. Too much freedom works just as badly: then everyone does it their own way.

3. Too little renewal

A company that does not improve its people, processes and solutions is standing still. In some markets that works for a while. In the long run, only companies that keep improving will last. In my view, anyone who does not yet have a serious plan for AI also falls into this category.

4. Distance between leadership and the shop floor

Communication through the management team does not reach the shop floor well enough. Ideas from the shop floor do not reach the leadership team. Yet everyone thinks enough attention is being paid to this. The result: the goals of the leadership team are not visible, and the ideas and engagement of employees go unused.

5. Investing too little in the team

Does the attention stop at the job, or is it also about the development and wellbeing of every employee? I believe the latter. People who feel good, also in their private lives, perform better, are more engaged and deliver better quality.

Everything is connected

Most methods solve one piece of the puzzle. In reality, almost everything is connected. Training without clear goals evaporates. More freedom without coaching creates unrest. That is why I developed the HELDER method: an integrated, practical way of working that tackles these five points together.