A new strategic direction for a more effective organisation

A large national public sector organisation was facing a significant organisational challenge. A new strategic direction and a smaller executive team prompted a redesign of its governance and organisational structure.

It soon became clear that the challenge went beyond structure alone. Responsibilities and decision-making authority were not always clear, decisions affecting the organisation as a whole took considerable time, and a strong culture of broad involvement sometimes made it difficult to make decisions and stick to them.

The central question therefore became: how could we design an organisation that preserves employee involvement while clarifying responsibilities, enabling more decisive decision-making and ensuring that the structure supports the new strategic direction? Bright & Company guided the process from the initial preparations and early design outlines through to the final decision.

Given the tight timeframe, we opted for a focused and intensive design process, with a small core team responsible for maintaining coherence and momentum. We worked closely with the executive team and involved employees and experts at specific stages where their knowledge and perspectives were needed.

In a series of short, intensive workshops, we addressed the key design questions around governance, responsibilities, collaboration and organisational structure. We translated the outcomes into concrete proposals, dilemmas and decisions for the executive team. Each decision then formed the starting point for the next stage of the design process.

This consistent cycle of designing, reviewing, deciding and building on previous decisions maintained focus and momentum. Within a short period, we took the organisation from initial design outlines to a comprehensive organisational plan. We also guided the formal consultation and decision-making process through to the final decision.

The result is a more coherent and effective organisation, with clearer responsibilities and decision-making authority, and a structure that supports its new strategic direction.

Just as importantly, the process demonstrated that employee involvement and decisive action can go hand in hand. By involving people where their input was most valuable while maintaining clarity about how decisions would be made, the organisation was able to draw on its internal knowledge without losing momentum.