Empowered teams, resilient organizations: Harnessing risk management to transform workplace dynamics: Part two

In Part 1 of our series, we explored the growing challenges of employee dissatisfaction and disengagement in today’s workplaces. One organization I worked with faced pervasive disengagement and high turnover, threatening its ability to fulfill its mission. Leadership reversed this trend by authentically listening, collaborating, and sharing decision-making. A key tool in their success was implementing Objective-Centric Risk and Uncertainty Management (OCRUM).

In today’s blog, we take a closer look at OCRUM’s transformative characteristics and practical steps to foster empowerment and effective risk management.

Establishing an empowerment framework

Risk management is often viewed as a compliance task, detached from daily decision-making. At first glance, linking risk management with empowerment might seem counterintuitive. Yet this shift in perspective is critical to achieving meaningful results.

The true purpose of risk management isn’t about checking boxes or generating reports—it’s about enabling informed decisions and meaningful actions that advance organizational objectives. By embedding Objective Centric Risk and Uncertainty Management (OCRUM) into decision-making processes, organizations create a framework that equips employees to address challenges with confidence. By connecting daily actions with broader objectives, it drives progress and strengthens organizational resilience.

The following five foundational steps of the framework empower teams and promote collaboration across all levels, aligning efforts toward shared success.

1. Develop an objective register

Create and maintain a register with mission-critical objectives.

2. Assign accountability

Define who is accountable for each objective and determine the level of effort needed for risk analysis and verification.

3. Confirm decisions

Review and validate the decisions made in steps 1 and 2 with senior leadership and the Board of Directors.

4. Analyze and respond

Conduct facilitated workshops to explore risks and their impacts on objectives and determine the necessary actions.

5. Reporting

Deliver a consolidated report to the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer identifying mission-critical objectives, significant risks impacting the achievement of objectives, and management’s response.

It is in the implementation approach for these steps that OCRUM becomes a powerful foundation of ongoing empowerment and risk management.

The OCRUM principles that drive empowerment

The following principles embedded in the OCRUM approach are the keys to driving its effectiveness in empowerment and engagement.

1. Objective-centric focus

Shifting from a compliance-driven to an objective-centric view of risk creates a clearer link between individual actions and organizational success. When employees ask, “What might get in the way of achieving my objectives?”, risks become more tangible, and solutions more actionable. An objective-centric approach encourages proactive, results-driven behaviour. Keep in mind, this approach requires viewing risks differently, and initial training may be needed to adopt an objective perspective.

2. Transparency

Sharing information about objectives, risks, and actions creates a culture of trust. Employees and leaders alike understand how decisions are made and their roles in creating organizational success. Building transparency requires careful communication to avoid misinterpretation. However, when done effectively, it enhances organizational alignment and fosters trust and collaboration.

3. Diversity of perspectives

Research consistently shows that diverse perspectives lead to stronger solutions and engaging staff with varying perspectives leads to deeper risk analysis and response. Although managing diverse viewpoints may be time-consuming and discussions may sometimes lack focus, with a skilled facilitator, these conversations are effective at uncovering blind spots, and fostering innovation and employee engagement.

Real-world impact: Empowerment through OCRUM

To illustrate the tangible benefits of the OCRUM principles in action, let’s explore a real-world example of how this approach transformed one organization. In our example, a senior leader accountable for improving employee engagement noticed that progress toward the objective had stalled. To address this, the organization conducted a facilitated OCRUM workshop, bringing together staff from various levels. Participants were given background information on the objective, its expected benefits, previous actions, and concerns about minimal progress. Encouraging questions and fostering open discussion revealed valuable insights.

The collaborative approach was transformative. Blind spots previously overlooked came to light, and ineffective actions were reevaluated and improved. A pivotal enhancement to the risk response was integrating disparate action items into a cohesive strategy. For instance, the organization launched a broader communications initiative to educate staff on organizational values and developmental opportunities, and refined roles, creating alignment and clarity.

Through a structured discussion, participants identified what results to expect from revised actions and established timelines to evaluate progress. This ensured timely adjustments if desired outcomes were not achieved. The organization also implemented targeted measures to track meaningful progress, focusing on retention, recruitment, and turnover.

Accountability for sub-objectives was assigned to department managers, ensuring focused ownership of specific people-related goals. Additionally, a quality assurance team of diverse staff members evaluated the effectiveness of key actions, determining whether they mitigated risks and propelled progress toward the overarching objective.

Over time, the organization experienced a positive shift in outcomes. Recruitment and retention improved significantly, and overall turnover dropped sharply, with some departments achieving near-zero turnover. Empowering employees to contribute meaningfully not only helped the organization achieve its objective but also fostered a stronger culture of resilience and collaboration.

By prioritizing employee empowerment and collaboration, this organization demonstrated how OCRUM can transform not only risk management practices, but also employee engagement and organizational resilience.

Looking ahead

Is your risk management approach enabling decisions and action while fostering empowerment and engagement? If not, it may be time to rethink your strategy. Feel free to contact me for more information or check out the free OCRUM resources at https://riskoversightsolutions.com/resources/ 

In the meantime, stay tuned for the final article in our series, where we’ll explore how to sustain engagement and refine risk management practices through continuous improvement. In Part 3 you will learn how organizations build on OCRUM’s initial success to align staff and organizational goals effectively, creating a resilient, risk-aware workplace.

Working together, we can build empowered teams and resilient organizations.

Angela Byrne is a trusted Advisor and Consultant to boards of directors, C-Suite, and senior government officials in sectors that protect and serve the public, such as charities, regulators, and government. Specializing in risk, technology, and finance, for over 30 years, Angela has been privileged to work closely with organizations that are at the forefront of change. By harnessing the power of technologies and integrating diverse viewpoints, Angela has facilitated organizational change to nurture strategic growth and enable lasting success.

She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and holds certifications in governance, risk management assurance, information systems auditing and internal audit.

She can be reached at info@angelabyrnecma.com



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