Workforce Diagnostic
Align the Structure.
Close the Gaps.
Build for What's Next.

Most workforce challenges are not talent problems. They are structural, strategic, and organizational problems wearing talent's clothes. The Workforce Diagnostic gives CHROs, CEOs, and business leaders a clear, evidence-based view of how their organization is designed, aligned, and positioned to perform — and a sequenced roadmap to close the gaps before they become crises.

3x
total shareholder return for organizationally healthy companies vs. unhealthy peers over the long term (McKinsey OHI, 2024)
18%
average EBITDA improvement within one year for organizations that invested in organizational health diagnostics (McKinsey, 2024)
5-6 weeks
from kickoff to a complete organizational scorecard, gap analysis, and 90-day transformation roadmap
Who This Is For

Built for leaders who need clarity, not another consulting engagement that restates the problem.

Primary Audience
C-Suite and Senior HR Leadership

CHROs, CPOs, and CEOs who sense that the organization is structurally misaligned but cannot pinpoint where. You are accountable for performance. This diagnostic gives you the evidence, the language, and the roadmap to act.

CHRO / Chief People Officer
CEO facing performance plateau
CFO questioning people investment ROI
COO dealing with execution friction
Also a Strong Fit
HR Leaders Driving Transformation

VPs of HR and People Operations leaders who are navigating growth, restructuring, or cultural misalignment and need an objective third-party assessment to build the business case for change.

VP of HR / Head of People
HR Business Partners with org scope
People Operations leaders
Newly appointed CHROs inheriting dysfunction
Ideal Situation
Organizations at a Structural Inflection Point

The Workforce Diagnostic delivers the most value when something has changed or is about to. Growth that has outpaced the structure, a leadership transition, an M&A integration, or a performance problem that talent alone cannot solve.

100 to 2,000 employees
Post-M&A or post-restructuring integration
Rapid growth with structure lagging behind
High turnover with unclear root cause

Not sure if this is the right fit? Schedule a free 30-minute conversation. We will tell you honestly whether the Workforce Diagnostic is the right next step — or point you toward something that is.

The Approach

Three phases. One clear path from misalignment to performance.

01
Align the Structure

A structured 9-domain assessment that surfaces exactly where your organization is misaligned, under-resourced, or structurally unable to execute its strategy.

02
Close the Gaps

A prioritized gap matrix that separates urgent structural fixes from strategic investments, sequenced by dependency and impact on organizational performance.

03
Build for What's Next

A 90-day transformation roadmap with clear ownership, milestones, and success metrics — a plan your leadership team can execute starting day one.

The Framework

9 audit domains. Three distinct layers. One sequenced roadmap.

Grounded in McKinsey's Organizational Health Index, Galbraith's Star Model, and Deloitte's 2025 Human Capital Trends research, the diagnostic maps your organization across three layers — each with a distinct role and a clear dependency on the layer below it.

Layer 3 - Differentiate
Vision and Strategy Clarity - Strategic Workforce Planning - Organizational Agility
"Differentiates high-performing organizations — but only when Layers 1 and 2 are solid."
Layer 2 - Optimize
Leadership Effectiveness - Employee Engagement and Retention - Performance Architecture - Culture and Values
"Converts structural foundations into consistent, measurable organizational performance."
Layer 1 - Stabilize
Organizational Design - Role Architecture and Clarity - HR Systems and Infrastructure
"Must exist before anything else can work reliably — and where most organizational waste originates."
Layer 3 - Differentiate
Strategic Alignment
Differentiates high-performing organizations — but only when Layers 1 and 2 are solid.
07
Vision and Strategy Clarity

The degree to which organizational strategy is clearly defined, communicated, and understood at every level. Misalignment here cascades through every other domain.

Key Markers

Is strategy documented and communicated? Do employees understand how their role connects to strategy? Is there a shared definition of success?

08
Strategic Workforce Planning

The organization's ability to anticipate future talent needs, identify skill gaps, and build the workforce required to execute its 3-5 year strategy.

Key Markers

Is there a formal SWP process? Are critical roles identified? Is there a skills gap analysis against future needs?

09
Organizational Agility

The capacity to restructure, redeploy talent, and adapt operating models in response to market shifts, M&A activity, or strategic pivots — without operational disruption.

Key Markers

How quickly can the org restructure? Are change management capabilities in place? Is there a playbook for workforce transitions?

Layer 2 - Optimize
People and Performance
Converts structural foundations into consistent, measurable organizational performance.
04
Leadership Effectiveness

The quality, consistency, and capability of leadership at every level — from the C-suite through frontline managers. Leadership is the single strongest predictor of organizational health (McKinsey OHI, 2024).

Key Markers

Is there a leadership development program? Are managers rated on people leadership? Is succession planning active?

05
Employee Engagement and Retention

The degree to which employees are motivated, committed, and intending to stay. Engagement drives productivity; retention protects institutional knowledge and reduces replacement costs.

Key Markers

What is the voluntary turnover rate? Is engagement measured? Are exit interview insights acted upon?

06
Performance Architecture

The systems, processes, and cadences that define how performance is set, measured, rewarded, and managed — from goal-setting through performance reviews and compensation alignment.

Key Markers

Are goals cascaded from strategy? Is performance reviewed regularly? Is compensation tied to outcomes?

06b
Culture and Values

The shared norms, behaviors, and beliefs that define how work actually gets done. Culture is the invisible operating system — it either accelerates or undermines every other organizational initiative.

Key Markers

Is there a defined EVP and culture statement? Do behaviors match stated values? Is culture measured through regular diagnostics?

Layer 1 - Stabilize
Structural Foundation
Must exist before anything else can work reliably — and where most organizational waste originates.
01
Organizational Design

The structure, spans of control, reporting relationships, and operating model that define how work flows through the organization. Poor design creates duplication, bottlenecks, and accountability gaps.

Key Markers

Is the org structure documented? Are spans of control appropriate? Does the structure support the strategy?

02
Role Architecture and Clarity

The degree to which roles are clearly defined, leveled, and aligned to organizational needs. Role ambiguity is one of the leading drivers of disengagement, conflict, and operational friction.

Key Markers

Are job descriptions current and accurate? Is there a job leveling framework? Are role expectations clearly communicated?

03
HR Systems and Infrastructure

The HRIS, compensation systems, workforce analytics platforms, and HR operating model that support organizational decisions. Without reliable data, every workforce decision is a guess.

Key Markers

Is HRIS data clean and current? Are workforce analytics available? Is HR structured to be a strategic partner?

Scoring Scale:
1 - Initial: Ad hoc, undocumented2 - Managed: Basic ownership exists3 - Defined: Documented and standardized4 - Optimized: Measured and continuously improved ★
Industry Benchmarks

The cost of organizational misalignment is measurable.

The diagnostic benchmarks your organization against current research from McKinsey, Deloitte, Gartner, and SHRM. You will know exactly where you stand — and what misalignment is costing you.

Voluntary Turnover Cost
Industry Average
50-200% of salary
Top Quartile
<40% of salary
SHRM / Gallup 2024
Manager Effectiveness
Industry Average
48% of managers
Top Quartile
>75% rated effective
McKinsey OHI 2024
Strategic Alignment
Industry Average
Only 28% of employees
Top Quartile
>70% understand strategy
Deloitte Human Capital 2025
The ROI Case

Organizational misalignment is your most expensive hidden cost.

Most organizations cannot see the cost of misalignment because it does not appear on a single line item. It shows up as turnover, disengagement, failed initiatives, duplicated work, and leadership friction. The Workforce Diagnostic makes the invisible visible.

The Alignment Math
A 500-employee organization with 15% voluntary turnover replaces 75 people per year. At 1x average salary, that is $7.5M+ in replacement costs alone.
Disengaged employees cost organizations 34% of their annual salary in lost productivity (Gallup, 2024). At 500 employees with 30% disengagement, that is $5.1M+ annually.
Organizations that improve manager effectiveness see 20-30% reductions in voluntary turnover within 12 months (McKinsey OHI, 2024).
The diagnostic fee is a fraction of one quarter's misalignment cost

Where Misalignment Hides

1
Role Ambiguity

When roles are unclear, employees duplicate work, avoid accountability, and disengage. Role clarity alone can reduce friction by 20-30%.

2
Strategy-Structure Mismatch

When the org structure does not support the strategy, execution stalls. Most restructuring failures trace back to this misalignment.

3
Manager Capability Gaps

Poor managers are the #1 reason people leave organizations. Fixing manager effectiveness is the highest-ROI people investment most organizations can make.

4
Culture-Strategy Disconnect

When stated values and actual behaviors diverge, trust erodes and top performers leave. Culture is not a soft issue — it is an execution issue.

5
Workforce Planning Gaps

Organizations that do not plan their workforce 12-18 months ahead consistently face talent shortfalls at critical moments, paying premium rates for reactive hiring.

What You Receive

A comprehensive organizational assessment and a sequenced 90-day transformation roadmap

Executive Summary Report

A board-ready narrative of your organization's current state, key findings across all 9 domains, and strategic recommendations.

9-Domain Organizational Scorecard

Each domain scored on a 1-4 maturity scale with specific evidence, diagnostic markers, and benchmarking against industry norms.

Organizational Health Benchmarking

Your organization compared against McKinsey OHI benchmarks and Deloitte Human Capital Trends data by company size and industry.

Prioritized Gap Matrix

Structural fixes vs. strategic investments clearly separated, with estimated effort, impact, and sequencing logic for each initiative.

Executive Presentation

Delivered live to your leadership team with Q&A, or prepared for your CHRO or CEO to present independently.

The 90-Day Transformation Roadmap

Days 1-30: Align the Structure, Fix the Foundation
Stabilize Infrastructure

Address critical structural gaps — role clarity, reporting relationships, HRIS data integrity, and compliance. These are the fixes that unlock everything else.

Days 31-60: Close the Gaps, Build the Engine
Optimize People and Performance

Implement manager effectiveness programs, performance architecture improvements, engagement measurement, and culture alignment initiatives.

Days 61-90: Build for What's Next, Differentiate
Activate Strategic Alignment

Launch strategic workforce planning, agility frameworks, and organizational design initiatives that position the workforce for the next 12-24 months.

Investment

Transparent, tiered pricing based on company size and scope

Every engagement is led by a senior practitioner with 25 years of organizational and workforce leadership. Delivered remotely by default; on-site sessions available as an optional add-on.

Starter
Under 100 employees
3-week rapid organizational assessment, 5 domains, stakeholder interviews, executive summary and quick-win action plan.
$6,000 - $9,000
Standard
100-500 employees
4-week full diagnostic, all 9 domains, stakeholder interviews, data review, 90-day transformation roadmap.
$10,000 - $16,000
Professional
500-2,000 employees
5-week comprehensive diagnostic, organizational health benchmarking, gap matrix, executive presentation.
$18,000 - $28,000
Enterprise
2,000+ employees
5-7 week diagnostic across multiple business units, competitive benchmarking, board-ready transformation report.
$30,000 - $55,000
The ROI of Clarity:

A 10% reduction in voluntary turnover at a 500-person organization saves $750,000+ annually in replacement costs alone. The diagnostic fee is a fraction of one quarter's misalignment cost.

Founding Client Program

We are currently accepting a limited number of Founding Client engagements at a preferred investment. In exchange, we ask for a candid testimonial and the opportunity to reference the engagement (with your approval). Mention the Founding Client Program when you reach out.

The Process

From kickoff to transformation roadmap in five weeks

Week 1
Discovery & Kickoff
  • Kickoff call to align on scope
  • Stakeholder interviews begin
  • Documentation and data review
  • HRIS and systems audit initiated
Week 2
Structural Assessment
  • Org design and role clarity audit
  • Reporting structure analysis
  • HR systems and data quality review
  • Compensation and leveling review
Week 3
People & Culture
  • Leadership effectiveness interviews
  • Engagement data analysis
  • Culture and values assessment
  • Performance architecture review
Week 4
Strategy & Alignment
  • Strategy clarity assessment
  • Workforce planning gap analysis
  • Organizational agility review
  • Benchmarking against OHI data
Week 5
Delivery & Roadmap
  • 9-domain scorecard finalized
  • Gap matrix and benchmarking report
  • 90-day roadmap delivered
  • Executive presentation with Q&A
Client Commitment:

Total time investment from your team is typically 12-20 hours spread across the 5-week engagement.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Get Started
Align the Structure.Close the Gaps.Build for What's Next.

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation. We will discuss your current organizational challenges, walk you through the diagnostic framework, and determine which engagement tier is the right fit. No obligation. No sales pitch.

Schedule a Free Consultation

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