Engagement through uncertainty
Formerly part of Bank of America, we supported MBNA for 18 months, helping them engage, empower, and enable their Chester-based workforce amid an ever-changing organisational landscape. It was quite the adventure!
The Challenge
The parent company announced it wanted to exit the credit card market in Europe, meaning possible closure or sale of the UK affiliate partner.
No one knows when, or who to, therefore there is a lot of uncertainty.
There was significant change for associates, few had clarity on whether or not their jobs would be secure, but the client decided the best route to a positive outcome was through a positive and engaged workforce.
The Solution
We developed Xplore, a change programme designed to spark curiosity and encourage associates to embrace a mindset of accountability in uncertain territory—our “explorers” thrived by taking ownership of their actions.
From the start, we accepted that not everyone would immediately “get it,” and that was part of the point: the aim was to provoke a reaction, make people sit up, and ignite curiosity.
Using vivid imagery and evocative language, Xplore invited associates to shape and influence the business, focusing on personal and professional development rather than promotion.
In-person sessions took participants through three zones of exploration: Safari (engagement), Mountain (leadership development), and Polar (performance appraisals and development plans), each inspired by the journeys of famous explorers.
The immersive, facilitation-led approach made learning experiential, memorable, and highly engaging.
The Result
Despite an unstable working climate, the employee engagement survey showed impressive results: overall engagement rose from 64% to 70%, with 83% of employees saying they cared about the future of the business.
Management effectiveness was rated at 84%, and goal clarity, support, and teamwork all scored 73%.
The overall engagement index later increased to 74%.
Staff attrition fell from 9.7% to 7.4%, and absence dropped from just under 4% to 2.75%.
Externally, the Xplore strategy was shortlisted for an HR Excellence Award, won the Personnel Today Award for Best Engagement Strategy, and contributed to the client winning the Consumer Money Facts Award for Best Credit Card Provider.
Continued workforce performance and growth led the parent company to reverse its decision to sell, choosing instead to keep the business trading.
“Working with Scott is a truly rewarding experience, his creative and inclusive thinking encourages and inspires the people who work around him to bring the best version of themselves to the work environment. His energetic ‘go getting’ style drives real momentum and pace on projects, he does not just come up with ideas that are innovative they are practical and add value. I would recommend working with him to organisations who are really ‘serious’ about transforming the way the people in their environment do business.”
– Gill Taylor, Chief People Officer @ MBNA
