The full service accounting and business advisory firm needed to do more than just measure performance and engagement
Sarah Page, an HR leader at DHJJ, could sense that her business needed a structured way to not only measure employee performance and engagement, but also take action to improve these critical outcomes.
Employees, managers, and the HR department were all feeling frustrated by a review system that relied on a cumbersome spreadsheet process, which led to inconsistent feedback and missed performance discussions. Many employees, especially newer hires, felt unclear on expectations and disconnected from leadership decisions.
Employees were left wondering how their performance was being evaluated and how compensation decisions were made. In a post-COVID employee landscape where the accounting industry was seeing high turnover rates across the board, this uncertainty contributed to concern about how to retain the firm’s top talent.
Choosing to 15Five for an Action-oriented Approach
“I’m not here to just do engagement surveys and performance reviews with no purpose. That would be incredibly frustrating, and deliver no value to the business” Page said. “I want to make a difference and I want my work to make a difference.”
Sarah knew something had to change. DHJJ considered adding BambooHR’s performance management tool, but it wasn’t flexible enough to fit their needs. The system relied on a traditional org chart hierarchy, which didn’t align with DHJJ’s workflow, where employees often worked under multiple leaders.
They also reviewed other tools, including PerformYard and Lattice but found it lacked the ability to assign clear ratings and analyze performance data effectively. What drew Sarah to 15Five was its ability to go beyond just performance reviews, offering actionable engagement surveys, out-of-the-box people analytics, and strategic action planning all in one platform.
Most importantly, 15Five provided a way to act on employee data rather than just collecting it.
“When we saw 15Five we saw strategic software – with the HR Outcomes Dashboard and Action Plans,” Sarah said. “This isn’t about just doing a survey and getting information. This is about taking action and 15Five gives you the tools you need to take action that makes a difference.”
Diagnosing the Key Challenges with HR Outcomes Dashboard
Before implementing new performance reviews, DHJJ wanted to diagnose any issues and launched an engagement survey using 15Five Engage. Previously, participation with in-house surveys had been around 30%, possibly due to concerns over anonymity. With 15Five, participation jumped to 75%, giving the company a far clearer picture of employee engagement challenges and areas for improvement. This greater participation increased leadership’s confidence in the survey data and buy-in for strategic operational changes.
Through the HR Outcomes Dashboard, Sarah and her team uncovered that role clarity and communication were two major pain points affecting engagement. Employees needed a clearer understanding of how performance was measured and what career growth looked like at DHJJ.
“With the HR Outcomes Dashboard, we weren’t just guessing anymore. We could pinpoint exactly where to focus our efforts,” Sarah explained.
Planning for Action
With the engagement data in hand, Sarah and her team redesigned their performance review process. They transitioned to skill-based reviews, ensuring employees had clear expectations for their roles. They also implemented goal tracking within 15Five, enabling employees to document achievements and professional growth.
To enhance transparency, DHJJ began sharing engagement survey results in company newsletters and firm-wide announcements, demonstrating to employees that their feedback was being heard and acted upon. This not only increased trust but also encouraged more participation in future surveys.
“We used to struggle with low survey participation because employees didn’t know if their input mattered. Now, they clearly see leadership making changes based on their feedback,” Sarah noted.
Acting on the Data: Implementing Lasting Change
Beyond structured performance reviews, Sarah got her people managers to go even further, taking targeted actions like 15Five’s High Fives and feedback tools to encourage ongoing recognition and communication. Employees were reminded to document key projects after their busy tax season deadlines, ensuring performance insights weren’t lost in the shuffle. DHJJ also began piloting 1-on-1 and Check-Ins through 15Five for its mentor program, standardizing mentorship discussions across the firm.
Looking ahead, DHJJ is rolling out Strategic Action Plans for people managers through the executive committee, ensuring leadership is not just aware of engagement challenges but actively working toward solutions.
“The biggest value-add has been visible accountability, which is one of our operational pillars at DHJJ. 15Five doesn’t just help us collect data—it helps us communicate to our staff that we will take real action based on their feedback,” Sarah emphasized.
The Results
- Engagement survey participation skyrocketed from 30% to 75%, increasing trust in leadership and internal processes.
- Turnover decreased significantly, from 15% to under 5%, with the right people staying and disengaged employees naturally exiting.
- Role clarity improved, as employees now have clear job responsibilities embedded in their performance reviews.
- Leadership now actively uses data from the HR Outcomes Dashboard to drive decision-making and retention strategies.
Sarah’s biggest takeaway?
Employees now feel empowered to own their performance and career growth.
By combining performance management, engagement insights, and real-time feedback, DHJJ transformed from a company struggling to communicate its initiatives to employees to one where people feel seen, heard, and valued.
“At DHJJ, we want to be the place where everyone wants to work,” Sarah said. “That doesn’t happen by accident. 15Five isn’t just about surveys—it’s about taking action. And that’s exactly what we needed.”
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