Event Details

There have been numerous changes in the modern workplace from the design of office spaces with open floor plans and break out spaces for collaboration, to numerous advancements in technology making employees more accessible than ever disrupting work/life balance. In addition, leadership and management are being challenged to include employees of all levels in the company planning process as opposed to the days when employees were expected to be fully on board with company plans even if they had no say in it. These changes open the door for Organizational Development (OD). OD has the power to not only improve companies but improve the overall well-being of their employees if done well.

Discussion topics:

• Organizational Development, how does it fit under the Human Resources umbrella
• Dedicated resource or an extension of the Human Resources Generalist’s tasks, how do you determine what you need?
• Moving away from the checklist and focusing on behavior, assessment, development, and implementation
• Change takes time, why starting small is a smart approach

Gretchen Apgar, Organizational Development Specialist, has been with Vibrent Health since 2017. She joined Vibrent with a staff of approximately 45 which grew nearly 2-fold before moving into her new role in early 2019. Gretchen has been able to identify key areas where process improvement, structured training, and employee development plans can be implemented to promote success across the company. Her years of work within the public education classroom, the non-profit education sector, the field of technology, and Public Health research, has allowed her to develop vital skills to grow in the field of Organizational Development. Gretchen completed her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Cultural Anthropology from Salisbury University, a Master’s of Science degree in Health Education and Promotion from Marymount University, and holds a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) license.

Please join us for this lively discussion. You are welcome to extend an invitation to interested colleagues.  No fee is charged for attending.  However, registration is required on-line, at least 24 hours in advance, via the Dulles SHRM web site (www.dullesshrm.org) -- Chapter Discussion Groups. If you have questions, contact Laurie Smith at 703-362-8082 or lauriesmith717@gmail.com. Participation may be limited to the first 25 people who sign up.