Case Study: Chatfield Global LLC and Duratrack
Part 1: The Power of Strategic Partnership
Who is Chatfield Global LLC?
Chatfield Global LLC is a full-service human resources and organizational development firm that provides flexible and tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of their clients. The firm leverages decades of experience and a comprehensive approach to partnering with their clients from strategy through execution. Whether clients require day-to-day HR and talent support or embark on significant business transformations, Chatfield Global operates as an extension of the client’s team, developing and delivering customized, practical solutions that drive success.
Who is Duratrack?
Duratrack, a premier steel fabricator, operates a 63,000-square-foot facility in the Chicago suburbs. With a rich history spanning 75 years and an impressive average employee tenure of 13 years, Duratrack has built a reputation for precision, reliability, and expertise. The company specializes in overhead track and trolley systems, custom metal blanking and stamping, industrial laser cutting, and precision CNC turning and screw machining.
“Can You Find Me an Engineer?”
Russ Scott, President and Owner of Duratrack, faced a significant challenge as his company moved into a larger building, looking to enable growth opportunities. The expansion meant new personnel, strategies, and behaviors. Expressing his concerns about hiring additional personnel to a key manufacturing association contact, Scott learned that the association members in a similar situation have found exceptional success working with Chatfield Global to find and hire for key positions.
The Chatfield Global and Duratrack partnership began with a straightforward need: Scott asked, “Can you find me an engineer?” Chatfield Global’s customized recruiting solutions and proven track record led to their initial engagement. The collaboration soon expanded, allowing Duratrack to leverage Chatfield Global’s expertise in HR management and business growth support. “Two things were clear after my first conversation with Chatfield Global,” says Scott. “They focus on building successful partnerships at an extremely fair cost. And their expertise extends far beyond recruiting. They are now helping my company in many different ways.”
Uncovering Further Needs
Duratrack was undergoing a significant transition when Chatfield Global first engaged with them. “What made them unique at the time we first met was that they were in the middle of moving facilities, which is a massive workload and significant change for the business and all the employees. And Duratrack leaders were making the change on one of the most aggressive timelines I’ve ever seen,” remarked Marcy Brajkovic, President of Chatfield Global.
As Marcy began conversations with Russ, the scope of their discussions quickly expanded. “As I started talking with Russ and he learned about Chatfield Global‘s capabilities, and I learned about Duratrack’s opportunities for the future, our conversations shifted from simply hiring someone to fill an open role to how can we grow this organization, develop our people, and be bigger and better than we were in our prior building,” Brajkovic explained. Russ was keen to explore these broader questions, and through a series of conversations, they built a mutual understanding of how they could work together to significantly impact Duratrack’s trajectory.
“Chatfield Global has been instrumental in developing Duratrack’s overall business and marketing strategies, providing training to enhance our interpersonal skills and leadership performance, writing procedures to improve our onboarding process for new employees, and advising on beneficial changes to HR practices,” Scott notes. “They are very easy to work with because their goal seems to be to provide support only when needed and desired by their client. This has become a true win/win relationship.”
“The bottom line,” Scott concludes, “is that the changes I envisioned happening when we moved into our new building are happening faster than I planned. I feel very fortunate to have started a working relationship with Chatfield Global.”
Find Grow Keep
Chatfield Global LLC organizes its work into three focus areas: Find, Grow, and Keep. These are more than just divisions of work; they form the framework through which Chatfield guides their clients to success. As outlined below, the remainder of this four-part case study series delves into how Chatfield Global has and continues to support Duratrack in each of these areas.
- Find: Explore how Chatfield has helped Duratrack develop a dynamic strategy for identifying and recruiting new talent in a time of expansion and rapid growth.
- Grow: Learn how deliberate and focused onboarding, training, and coaching prepared Duratrack’s employees for success in their current roles and positioned each team member to take advantage of professional growth and development opportunities in front of them as Duratrack grows.
- Keep: Examine the behaviors and techniques Duratrack has adopted to drive process change adoption, retain team members in the long run, and ensure continued growth and success.
Learn more about Duratrack: http://www.duratrack.com/
Part 2 of this case study
Case Study: Chatfield Global LLC and Duratrack
Part II: “Can You Find Me an Engineer?”
Introduction
Duratrack embarked on a transformative journey to strengthen its management team with the help of Chatfield Global LLC. The partnership focused on finding the right talent to drive the company forward, ensuring the new hires seamlessly integrate into Duratrack’s culture and contribute to their long-term success. This case study delves into the comprehensive recruiting process led by Chatfield Global and highlights the positive impact of these efforts on Duratrack.
The Challenge
Russ Scott, the owner of Duratrack, faced a critical need to enhance his management team to cope with the increasing demands and pace of changes within the company. The initial request was simple: “Find me an engineer.”
However, this evolved into a broader initiative to fill several key positions, including a Plant Supervisor, a Production Scheduler, and a Customer Service/Account Manager.
The Recruiting Process
Sari Weil, a specialist in recruiting at Chatfield Global, spearheaded the “Find” work, encompassing all aspects of the recruiting stage.
The process included job postings, phone screenings, interviewing, recommendations, pre-hire assessments, and onboarding activities.
“We posted the jobs on Duratrack’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Prevue, and sponsored the jobs on Indeed,” Weil explained. “I handled the paper screening and initial phone screenings before sending recommendations to Russ and Melissa, the VP of Operations.
“Following their approval, I scheduled the first onsite interviews. If the initial interviews went well, we conducted Prevue assessments for specific roles, followed by a second onsite interview and tour before extending an offer.”
Sari emphasized the importance of both skill set and cultural fit.
“Duratrack values hard-working, dedicated team players who are willing to pitch in when needed. It’s not just about the qualifications but also finding individuals who align with the company’s culture.”
Building a Team
Russ Scott’s initial meeting with Marcy Brajkovic, the owner of Chatfield Global, was pivotal. Marcy’s expertise in Strategy and Change prompted a reevaluation of the hiring sequence, prioritizing roles to provide quick relief to overworked employees and ensure proper onboarding.
“Marcy’s insights helped us re-prioritize the hiring sequence, focusing on creating the fastest relief for our current employees,” Russ noted. “We also recognized the need for companywide training on communication and change to help our long-term employees adapt to the faster pace of changes at Duratrack.”
The Results
Over seven months of collaboration, Duratrack and Chatfield Global achieved significant milestones. The changes and improvements, while challenging, were managed effectively to ensure long-term benefits without creating chaos.
“Chatfield’s partnership is helping us navigate these changes with confidence,” Russ remarked. “Their support is instilling a sense of certainty in our strategic direction and future success.”
Sari Weil echoed these sentiments, highlighting the seamless collaboration with the Duratrack team. “Russ and Melissa trusted us from the start. Within a few months, we hired three key new team members. Their responsiveness made the recruiting process smooth. It’s an honor to help build Russ’s vision for Duratrack and work with such a caring and dedicated team.”
Impact on Duratrack
The impact of the “Find” work on Duratrack has been profound. The newly hired Production Scheduler ensures order efficiency, streamlining operations, and driving consistent communications about priorities to the shop floor.
The Customer Service/Account Manager is building meaningful relationships with Duratrack’s customers and driving order management excellence. Their new Production Manager rounds out the investment Duratrack made in talent to support their growth.
Interestingly, the engineer role Russ initially sought will be the fourth hire, after truly assessing Duratrack’s needs and priorities.
With Chatfield Global’s assistance, Duratrack has not only filled critical positions but also fostered a culture of adaptability and teamwork, laying a strong foundation for future growth and success.
The partnership between Duratrack and Chatfield Global serves as a testament to the power of strategic recruiting and collaboration. By focusing on both skill set and cultural fit, and prioritizing effective onboarding and communication, Duratrack is now better equipped to handle the demands of a rapidly changing industry landscape. With continued support from Chatfield Global, Duratrack is poised for sustained success and growth.
Learn more about Duratrack: http://www.duratrack.com/
Part 3
Growing Together: Inside Chatfield Global’s Grow Phase | Duratrack Case Study Part 3
Introduction to Chatfield Global LLC’s “Grow” Concept
Chatfield Global LLC’s “grow” phase evaluates future organizational design and staffing levels, seamlessly integrates newly recruited talent into existing teams, and emphasizes foundational skill building and leadership development.
Building upon Duratrack’s existing strong culture, growing a shared language around leadership, behavioral norms, and reinforcing company values, were the focus. Additional energy was spent envisioning Duratrack’s expanding organizational structure to showcase their growing leadership influence and positioning high-performing team members in roles they are passionate about.
Along with the initiatives above, Duratrack tackled several additional initiatives within the “grow” category. These initiatives include training in both English and Spanish, 1-on-1 coaching and development planning, career coaching, executive coaching, and enhancing HR practices and documentation.
Shaping the New Team
Chatfield Global’s first goal was to integrate Duratrack’s newly recruited Plant Supervisor, Production Scheduler, and Customer Service/Account Manager into Duratrack’s team.
With intentional onboarding plans and a gracious group of Duratrack employees to welcome them, the goal was to ensure this new team became a cohesive, happy, and highly productive unit.
Alongside onboarding the three new hires, Chatfield aimed to develop individual team members for future leadership roles within Duratrack.Communication-focused training was the first all-company training topic to roll out.
The first set of courses covered fundamentals of communication, nonverbal communication, active and empathetic listening, collaborative communication, giving feedback, conducting crucial conversations, and intentional questioning.The second set of courses focused on evolving the team member’s mindset and behaviors, which includes learning about generations in the workplace, critical thinking and problem-solving, behaviors and empowerment, and managing oneself through change and transition.
One of the significant outcomes of these training programs was the formation of stronger bonds within smaller groups, especially among Spanish-speaking employees. The choice Duratrack made for Chatfield to deliver the same training topics in both English and Spanish facilitated continuous conversation and learning beyond the training sessions.
As noted by Chatfield Global’s Organizational Development Consultant and bilingual trainer, Talia Block, “It is incredible to see the smaller groups forming bonds and becoming more open with one another. This is especially great for the Spanish speakers, as they can learn and grow in their own language and continue the conversation outside the training and on the production floor. Employees feel empowered to change and improve for themselves and the company’s betterment. There is a shift occurring in behaviors and how the employees relate with one another as they see the possibilities for what can be and how an already great company can become even better.”
Creating a Clear Path for Duratrack’s Future
Another goal at Duratrack is to establish a clear path for employee growth as the company continues to grow. This involves developing a modern organizational chart and a succession plan that aligns with the company’s future growth plan and expected retirements.
By doing so, Duratrack can better prepare for the future and ensure that all employees understand their current roles and potential career progression within the organization.
Understanding the vision for the future structure enables Chatfield Global and Duratrack senior leadership to take a step back, evaluate the big picture, and turn more attention to working “on” the business rather than “in” the business.
Russ Scott, President and Owner of Duratrack, Marcy Brajkovic, President and Owner of Chatfield Global LLC, and Melissa Reid, currently Duratrack’s VP of Operations, have formed a casual, yet focused and intentional executive coaching partnership. As a neutral third party, Marcy gave Duratrack’s leaders free space to develop new ideas and give their thoughts on Duratrack’s future through inquiry-based exploratory conversation.
The executive coaching happens organically at Duratrack, rather than in a more formal way.Melissa Reid has taken advantage of the executive coaching opportunity as she begins her transition to her next role in her career development. Although Melissa has excelled in her long career and her current position as the Head of Operations, she has always had a love of serving customers.
Through multiple conversations about her interests, goals, and ideas for the future, Chatfield helped Melissa shift her focus from leading operations to leading sales and driving an excellent customer experience.
We asked Melissa what excites her most about her shift to sales, to which she explained, “My experience at Duratrack is in operations, scheduling, and purchasing. I know so many different aspects of the business, and I can tie them together to deliver a fabulous experience to the customers as I’m trying to help them address their needs. Because I’m picturing different work centers, processes, and teams of employees that we can use to help provide the right solutions, we can connect the dots easier in the sales process and improve lead times to our customer’s benefit. Duratrack is an amazing manufacturing company. We have over 30 different types of manufacturing processes in-house, so we can be that one-stop shop for our customers. And I love that I now get the opportunity to help our customers every day.”
Melissa also sees this transition as an advantage, as her operations skillset will remain in her toolbox.
“My background in operations and working closely with engineering allows me to help identify solutions and talk about different changes for design and manufacturability with the customer. And what that allows us to do is help them develop a product that’s going to be repeatable, reliable, and cut costs in the manufacturing process, which will save them in the long term.”
Melissa’s transition from operations to sales aims not only to align her career ambitions with her current interests, but also allows her to delegate her operations responsibilities to develop future leaders within the company and coach others as they step into greater responsibility and accountability.
The Results
Through our “grow” initiatives, Duratrack has evolved into a more cohesive and dynamic organization. Employees are not only more engaged but also better equipped to tackle challenges collaboratively.
Kate Spilotro, Director of Organizational Development at Chatfield Global, acknowledges the progress: “In the past, people would go to leadership when they had something to share about a colleague, how work was getting done, or needs they have of their peers. With training and practice, everyone is becoming more comfortable with and adept at giving and receiving positive and constructive feedback. For many, this has already had a positive impact on job satisfaction and engagement.”
The development of leadership skills and the empowerment of individual team members has positioned Duratrack to achieve greater operational efficiency and continue to grow the culture of a truly empowered and accountable high-performing team.
This progress has also amplified the confidence of individuals, making them see their individual potential as leaders and work towards the roles they want to take on. Melissa recounts a moment when she and Russ truly saw everything click.
“This was the ‘aha’ moment for us,” Melissa explains. “Chatfield came in to review a process map we created in shipping. We had all the key players from the shipping department involved in developing that process map. It was originally intended to be a time for Chatfield to show the process flow to the team to celebrate what had been done so far and to discuss next steps. At the start of the meeting, the shipping lead arrived with a new employee. While waiting on others, Marcy asked the lead if he would start to share the good work of the team with the new employee. Wonderfully and unexpectedly, the lead took over the meeting and owned sharing the map that he had helped create with the rest of the shipping team. The pride that I saw in him, and the pride that I saw in the team, I think it really hit home for Russ and me. Just seeing the confidence and seeing the rest of the team ask the lead questions, and walk through it together, they even identified something that they had missed before, and they made corrections. That’s what all of this has been about. We moved into this new facility to grow our space to do more for customers, and we quickly realized we needed to grow our personnel to match the new space. And the investment with Chatfield has allowed us to start building the foundation for doing that.”
Part 4: Chatfield Global’s “Keep” Work: Fortifying Duratrack’s Future
Introduction to “Keep” Work
Chatfield Global’s “Keep” work is centered around ensuring a business’s long-term success. The strategic planning and change management efforts at Duratrack focused on sustaining the people, process, and technology changes made in the business to deliver that objective.
Aligning change efforts to long-term business objectives embeds a commitment to the company’s future direction, drives employee satisfaction, and promotes the growth and development of individuals, teams, and the company as a whole. By implementing comprehensive strategies and actively managing resistance to change, businesses can create a sustainable environment where everyone thrives.
Importance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Updating and cementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have become a critical milestone for Duratrack. SOPs document best practices and provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for performing job tasks. SOPs are especially vital as Duratrack hires new employees, plans for retirements, shifts team roles, and implements a cross-training program. SOPs serve as an essential training resource both in the office and on the shop floor.
Katie Golub, a Chatfield Global HR Consultant, shares, “I am consolidating existing materials and simplifying processes into a Front Office Manual that will standardize the work that’s done in Customer Service, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Human Resources, and by the Office Manager. The purpose of the Front Office Manual is to streamline daily tasks, ensure tasks are completed consistently and regularly, and provide instruction for new employees while driving efficiency and delivering exceptional results for employees and customers. Old ways of operating were becoming too complicated and needed a refresh.”
HR Audit and Culture Change Management
Duratrack is also undergoing an HR audit to confirm compliance. This audit is a crucial step in maintaining a legal and ethical workplace.
Updating the employee handbook, and rolling out new positive policies regarding safety and PPE, among other things, continue to demonstrate to employees that Duratrack cares about them. Additionally, Chatfield Global is facilitating culture change and coaching the department heads in leading and modeling change so the changes they implement stick.
Becky Foster, who works in Accounting and Logistics at Duratrack, expresses her positive experience, “My experience with Chatfield’s work here at Duratrack has been very positive and enlightening. Our trainers are incredibly knowledgeable. I’ve put much of our training to use in my personal life as well as in my work life. I’m excited to see the transformations taking place at Duratrack, whether it be our updated procedures or the training. I am grateful for the investment Russ and Duratrack are making on our behalf.”
Bringing the Best Out of Duratrack’s Culture
Chatfield Global has been instrumental in evolving Duratrack’s already strong workplace culture by bringing a renewed sense of engagement and enthusiasm.
Melissa Reid, Duratrack’s VP of Operations, highlights the crucial changes, saying, “I’ll go back to the key things that Chatfield has helped us with that I don’t think we knew we needed until we knew we needed it. We’ve hired new people, and we’ve got the old way of doing things where we are on autopilot, which has worked but it was all in our heads, nothing was documented. Now we have all these new people in new seats that bring a lot of experience and are eager to add to our performance. Before they can jump in, we need to teach them the specifics about Duratrack.
“Chatfield has helped us in two ways with that: We’re doing company-wide fundamentals of communication training and bringing new and long-standing employees together to do value stream mapping. Seeing these projects in action and seeing our team develop through active participation in these activities has been so motivating.”
The intentional engagement approach has bridged the gap between seasoned employees and newcomers, fostering a cohesive and dynamic work environment that values history and experience as well as “fresh eyes” and new perspectives.
The emphasis on communication and teamwork has been a cornerstone of Duratrack’s cultural evolution. Reid further explains, “New employees are talking to each other and sharing information while receiving support from experienced colleagues who are also contributing to the process and identifying existing weak points. It’s strengthened our teamwork even further.”
This collaborative approach ensures that information flows seamlessly and that everyone, regardless of tenure, can contribute meaningfully to the company’s goals. The continuous engagement of all employees and mutual respect developed quickly through joint experiences have accelerated the integration of new team members and enabled exceptional teamwork.
Furthermore, Chatfield Global’s initiatives have empowered employees to actively participate in shaping Duratrack’s future. Reid elaborates, “Our new people are offering us so much. They’re not just getting the downloads of information; they’re helping build and cement in the new ways we want to do business. The fundamentals of communication have been about empowerment, critical thinking, crucial conversations, and how to ask meaningful questions. That gives everybody the sense that, ‘I can ask questions and it’s safe,’ and ‘I have these ideas, what can we do with them?’”
This empowerment has led to a workplace where innovation and critical thinking are encouraged, and every team member feels valued and heard.
Eric Larson, the newly hired Production Scheduler at Duratrack, echoes this sentiment, noting the positive impact on the overall culture:
“In the short amount of time that I’ve been at Duratrack, I’ve been able to work in such a refreshing culture where innovation is nurtured and collaboration thrives, alongside a team and owner who not only supports each other but actively empowers every team member. It is truly a dream realized, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Together, Chatfield Global and Duratrack’s leadership have cultivated a supportive, innovative, and forward-thinking workplace culture where every person has a voice and feels valued.
Process Improvement
Chatfield Global has enhanced Duratrack’s approach to process management by shifting the company’s focus from primarily day-to-day operations to improving overall structure and processes as part of their daily routine.
Melissa Reid notes, “We are seeing the most progress by shifting the way we work from focusing on the day-to-day operations of the business to focusing on improving our overall structure and processes. While we’ve always had a mindset of continuous improvement, we’ve realized through our work with Chatfield that we are spreading ourselves too thin and not completing tasks, so we don’t reap the benefits we’re looking for. With the help of Chatfield’s project management processes, we now focus on implementing a few key projects at a time, and with that refined focus, we move faster and are finally starting to see the positive results of our hard work.”
This targeted approach has led to tangible improvements across the company.
Additionally, Chatfield has refined Duratrack’s project planning process, enabling better delegation and project execution efficiency.
Reid explains, “Chatfield has also helped improve our project planning process. Having a separate meeting specifically for planning before we start “doing” things has allowed leadership to engage others to generate good action steps, align on desired outcomes, and delegate more tasks instead of feeling the need to be involved in every step.
“By improving the planning process and ensuring that Chatfield has all the necessary information and documentation, we feel confident others can lead initiatives and take charge. As a result, our overcommitted leaders don’t hinder the process, and everyone has access to the information they need to move forward and deliver success.”
These changes have empowered the team, streamlined operations, and accelerated the pace of positive change at Duratrack.
Conclusion: A Better Duratrack
Through the comprehensive “Keep” work led by Chatfield Global, Duratrack is evolving into a better, more resilient company. By focusing on a refined project management process, implementing SOPs, assuring HR compliance, and fostering a positive culture change,
Duratrack is not only improving its operational efficiency but also improving both the employee and customer experience. As these initiatives take root, Duratrack is poised for long-term success, ensuring a prosperous future for the company and its team.
In conclusion, Duratrack’s journey towards continuous improvement has been marked by the unwavering dedication of its owner, Russ Scott, and his senior leaders. Their deep commitment to both customers and employees is a testament to the company’s values.
As Marcy Brajkovic, President and Owner of Chatfield Global LLC, aptly stated, “Duratrack is blessed with an owner and senior leaders who care deeply about their customers and employees. Everything Russ is investing in will be paid back tenfold in employee and customer loyalty. But, upon completion of this change journey, Russ and his Duratrack team will be well-positioned to drive continuous change and improvements independently with their new mindsets and behaviors.
“Russ and his team have been the perfect partners, and on behalf of myself and the Chatfield Global team, thank you for trusting us as your change partner.”
This partnership and the strides made in organizational effectiveness and mindset change have set a solid foundation for sustained growth and innovation, and we are eager to see the continued evolution and be a part of the long-term success ahead for Duratrack.
Learn more about Duratrack: http://www.duratrack.com/
Learn more about Chatfield Global: https://chatfield.global/what-we-do