Employee strategic alignment at a wood manufacturer: An exploratory analysis using lean manufacturing

dThe implementation of a new strategic initiative requires employee alignment with that strategy, yet little is known about the means of achieving the necessary "buy-in" of blue collar employees to new strategic programs. Employee strategic alignment occurs when they understand and are able to enact the organization's strategy. This exploratory study evaluated employee strategic alignment in the context of employee adoption of a lean manufacturing program, and investigated relationships between types of alignment and employee-level outcomes. Data were collected from an on-site survey of 163 employees at a secondary wood products manufacturing facility. Results indicate that employees with increased knowledge of a strategy tend to exhibit increased levels of commitment, job satisfaction, and trust. We also found that employee cynicism decreases both when employees have greater knowledge of the strategy and when they engage in strategically aligned actions. Producers attempting to manage a strategic change initiative should therefore strive to increase employees' interest in and knowledge of the new initiative.