Organizational Excellence

Engagement Insights

Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative Slide: showcasing details from the engagement. Situation & Scope of Engagement Virginia Tech’s Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI), formed in 2023, grew out of early work to address sexual violence, enhance preventative programming, and advance a framework for sustainable climate and cultural transformation that establishes sexual violence prevention as a shared responsibility of the entire campus community. The initiative was led by Kelly Oaks, associate vice president for Equity & Accessibility, with support from Organizational Excellence in planning, facilitation, and change management expertise, and culminated in a strategic plan and creation of the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education (SVPE). Approach & Outcomes Organizational Excellence worked with the Initiative Leaders on a regular basis to plan an overall strategy and specific activities aimed at keeping continuous engagement across the full membership of the SVPI Steering committee and make meaningful ongoing progress toward the goals for the academic year. This included planning for and facilitating a strategic planning retreat, additional conversations and group exercises on strategic topics, analyzing pros and cons of various organizational structures, incorporating feedback and input from students, navigating intersections of various groups, roles, and responsibilities across campus, and identifying near- and long-term needs and goals with the lens of proactive change management practices. Quote Kelly Oaks, Associate VP, Office of Equity and Accessibility: “Without the support of Organizational Excellence, SVPI would not have achieved its goals in such a timely manner. Thanks to this collaboration, we were able to discuss, plan, and execute a strategy that will have lasting, positive impacts on our campus community.”

I-9 Process Improvement Engagement Overview. Situation & Scope of Engagement The Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) project is focused on improving the processes and controls used to ensure employment eligibility and employee identities are verified in accordance with federal guidelines. Recent audit reports reveal there is room for improvement in our decentralized HR environment. The scope of the project included completing a value steam analysis of the I-9 process, develop a future state within the boundaries of the current model and identify areas for deeper dive analysis. Approach & Outcomes Various methods were adapted to gain thorough knowledge of the current state of the I-9 process. Some of the methods were: value stream analysis workshop with team of process owners and other stakeholders, this included mapping the end-to-end process, identifying associated pain points, gap analysis, technology analysis, root cause analysis supported with data analysis, brainstorm ideal state, create a future state. The outcome/deliverable included an initial draft report of the VSA findings and recommendations, integration with work/tasks already in progress and complete an impact and effort analysis to assist with ongoing prioritization of improvements and resource allocation OE was subsequentially engaged in establishing an interim improvement to a manually intensive I-9 tracking process, deeper dive analysis and workshops for data flow mapping and data mapping to support development of real-time dashboards as a longer –term sustainable I-9 tracking process. Quote Bryan Garey, VP of Human Resources: “Organizational Excellence partnered with our HR team to map current processes for our I9 program. We have made significant strides since then and have engaged the team for a second round of support as we take the work from stabilization to optimization.”

Space Report Engagement Summary. Situation & Scope of Engagement At the February 2022 President’s Council Retreat, physical resource usage was a key topic as university leadership considered the need to effectively use university-owned and leased space and assess space standards and protocols to align with the future of work. The substantial growth to the campus, the need to ensure that we are best utilizing our spaces, future of work and constrained resources compelled us to take a fresh look at effective and efficient utilization of the university’s physical resources. Organizational Excellence partnered with the Department of Campus planning, infrastructure, and facilities to engage in Phase I of the University Real Estate and Space Management Program Assessment. The scope of the engagement was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the current organizational strategy, structure, systems, processes, and resources centered around the university’s space planning and management program, including its connection with the real estate management program. Approach & Outcomes The approach included key stakeholders at a variety of touch points, and aimed at gaining greater knowledge through peer benchmarking, reviewing and assessing VT’s current practices, policies, processes, technology, metrics and space data, culture, and resources. The outcome was an inclusive report that included both high-level overview of findings with more detail supporting documentation, recommendations for next steps and areas for further evaluation to inform areas where additional focus is required to support an enhanced real estate program and space planning and management program.

What is Organizational Excellence?

Organizational Excellence reflects remarkable performance in all aspects of an organization's functioning, resulting in delivering maximum value to stakeholders.

Learn more about Organizational Excellence

Organizational Excellence (OE) serves Virginia Tech as agents of transformation, change, and innovation partnering with leaders to achieve the greatest strategic impact by confronting complex challenges in purposeful, collaborative ways for breakthrough results. OE facilitates efforts that propel the university toward organizational excellence and the realization of its future vision.

OE Specialists partner collaboratively in their work to

provide expert analysis, best practice research, and innovation ideas,
advise and coach senior leaders, and
facilitate complex projects and group initiatives,

bringing significant, easily accessible expertise in the areas of

Organizational Development,
Strategic Leadership, and
Operational Efficiency.

OE leverages Change Management and Organizational Excellence models, methodologies, and tools in this work as a means to positively transform the culture of our work and university.

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