Research Objective
The primary goal of this study is to comprehend the leadership patterns and responsibilities of SupOrg managers. It aims to enhance their daily workflows, focusing on challenges and opportunities within their roles. This includes understanding overlaps with Talent Leads and People Leads, and assessing how the SupOrg Manager solution landscape can be optimized to improve their experiences.
Research Methodology
1. Approach and Design
The research employed a mixed-method approach:
Focus Group Sessions: Six sessions were conducted with 3-4 participants each, segmented by demographics. Interactive tools like Mural were used to gather qualitative insights.
Diary Study: Participants recorded daily observations, highlighting pain points and effective practices.
Semi-Structured Interviews: Seven in-depth interviews were conducted based on pre-prepared discussion guides.
Persona Development: Data was synthesized into actionable themes, culminating in the creation of user personas.
2. Participant Profile
50+% of SupOrg managers are at ML levels 5-7.
30+% of SupOrg managers are Managing Directors.
3. Key Research Goals
Identify expected versus actual tasks of SupOrg managers.
Understand tool usage and dashboard adoption challenges.
Optimize workflows for better decision-making and reduced redundancies.
Findings
1. Role and Task Overlap
Overlap with Talent Leads and People Leads: 96% of SupOrg managers are also People Leads, creating a dual responsibility that often lacks clarity. Talent Lead roles overlap partially, emphasizing performance and hiring.
Expected vs. Actual Tasks: Tasks like security role approvals, assigning People Leads, and managing transfers were expected to be high-frequency but were reported as cumbersome in reality.
2. Pain Points
Tool Fragmentation: SupOrg managers rely on multiple tools (Workday, internal dashboards) that are not integrated, leading to inefficiencies.
Data Access: Self-service reporting in Workday was deemed complex and inadequate for large teams.
Repetitive Tasks: Processes like performance feedback required duplicate inputs across roles, increasing workload.
3. Leadership Challenges
Lack of real-time data updates in dashboards.
Limited autonomy for mid-level managers in decision-making.
Ambiguities in role scope and accountabilities.
Solution Landscape
Current State
Tools and dashboards like Workday are underutilized due to navigation and usability challenges.
Processes for recruitment, security approvals, and team management lack intuitive automation.
Proposed Enhancements
Streamlined Dashboards:
Consolidate recruitment, security, and team performance metrics into a single unified interface.
Enable toggling across roles (SupOrg Manager, People Lead, Talent Lead) within dashboards to reduce redundancy.
Optimized Workflows:
Automate repetitive approvals with bulk processing options.
Introduce predictive analytics for security role assignments and training needs.
Enhanced Training Modules:
Provide role-specific guidance within Workday for training approvals and performance reviews.
Governance and Alignment:
Clarify role scopes to align SupOrg managers with Talent Leads, reducing ambiguity.
Research Impact
Utilizing SupOrg Manager personas (e.g., Ben Sutton and Lakshmi Das), the study demonstrated:
Improved role clarity boosts task efficiency and decision-making.
Simplifying tool navigation reduces time spent on administrative tasks by up to 30%.
Unified dashboards lead to better adoption rates for Workday functionalities.
SupOrg Manager Solution Landscape (Tomorrow)
The transition from siloed tools to integrated platforms like the Manager Hub.
Centralize data for talent management, career progression, and security approvals.
Establish governance for maintaining role clarity during organizational restructuring.
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