Woodie’s, an Irish-owned DIY retailer, employs over 1,400 colleagues across 35 stores and a support office. In 2014, the organisation faced a significant challenge: only 39% of employees believed Woodie’s was a great place to work, and trust levels were at just 16%. Recognising the need for change, the leadership team embarked on a transformational journey to rebuild trust, enhance workplace culture, and embed their brand values throughout the business.
Over five years, Woodie’s prioritised transparency, communication, and development, which led to remarkable improvements. By 2019, their trust score had surged to 71%, and 84% of colleagues regarded Woodie’s as a great place to work. This cultural shift not only benefitted employees but also had a direct impact on business performance, with operating profit growing from €2.4 million in 2014 to €22.7 million in 2019.
Building Trust and Engagement
The transformation began with a fundamental commitment to listening. Woodie’s launched over 600 locally driven Voice Action Plans to gather feedback and ensure colleagues felt heard. This commitment laid the foundation for a more open and collaborative workplace.
To further enhance communication and transparency, Woodie’s introduced a comprehensive Internal Communications Strategy, which included elements like:
- Weekly, monthly, and quarterly newsletters
- An Annual Communications Day
- The Workvivo Communication App
- Leadership Team Roadshows
By prioritising accessibility and engagement, Woodie’s ensured employees at every level were informed, involved, and valued.
Investing in Leadership and Development
A key pillar of Woodie’s' transformation was its investment in Learning & Development. All managers completed a leadership development course, with more than 20 training initiatives introduced to support career progression. These programmes created a clear path for employees to climb the career ladder within the organisation, empowering their people to grow and develop their skills.
Recognition and Celebration
Recognising and celebrating employees became a core part of Woodie’s culture. Initiatives such as:
- The ‘Kudos’ App for peer-to-peer recognition
- The ‘Woscars’ Awards for celebrating achievements
- Personalised birthday cards from the CEO
These initiatives reinforced a culture of appreciation, ensuring employees felt valued for their contributions.
Making an Impact Beyond the Business
Woodie’s' commitment to its people extended beyond internal initiatives. They launched external programmes to support the wider community, including:
- ‘Woodie’s Heroes’ – an annual charity drive that raised €1.5 million over five years
- A Bonus and Flexi-Wage scheme to support employees’ financial wellbeing
These initiatives reflected Woodie’s dedication to making a positive impact both inside and outside the organisation.
The Results
By embedding trust, recognition, and development into its culture, Woodie’s achieved outstanding results:
- Trust levels increased from 16% in 2014 to 71% in 2019
- 84% of colleagues now believed Woodie’s was a great place to work
- Operating profit increased from €2.4 million to €22.7 million
- Woodie’s earned multiple Great Place to Work recognitions, including Best Workplaces for Women and Most Trusted Leader awards
Declan Ronayne, Chief Executive, reflected on the journey:
“We place huge emphasis on building a confident organisation. We do that by giving people the opportunity to make more of themselves than they otherwise thought they may have. Trust is equally important in building a confident organisation. With trust in the business leadership, our colleagues speak up and help us shape our business for the better — for customers and all who work at Woodie’s.”
Watch Woodie's' installation in our Trust Insight series below, where Declan delves into Woodie's' journey and more
Woodie’s' journey is a testament to the power of trust and cultural transformation. Through a strategic focus on communication, development, and recognition, the organisation managed to turn a struggling workplace culture into one of Ireland’s Best employers. Today, Woodie’s stands as a shining example of how investing in people can drive both employee satisfaction and business success