Energy Collective Co observes that businesses often recognise that people-related challenges can have significant implications for cost and performance, yet the route to resolving them is not always clearly defined. “We’ve seen organisations encounter HR solutions that appear broad in scope or disconnected from tangible outcomes,” says founder Jade Donegan. “This can create a gap between identifying an issue and implementing an effective response.” She established Energy Collective Co to help bridge this space, encouraging a closer examination of how performance is influenced across both people and systems.

The company focuses on helping improve workforce productivity by examining the psychosocial factors that influence how work is designed and experienced. Drawing on her background in culture and transformation, Jade positions the business alongside organisational decision-making, where people, systems and commercial priorities meet. “I work with leaders to understand what’s driving performance,” she explains. “I believe the path forward becomes clearer when you can distinguish between system factors and individual factors.” This viewpoint sets the foundation for how the organisation engages with its clients and informs the structure of its services.

This perspective, Jade notes, also connects to a common assumption within organisations: that increased HR investment will lead to improved outcomes. She says, “Additional spend can sometimes focus on visible symptoms instead of underlying causes, which can limit the overall impact.” Energy Collective Co introduces the idea that many organisational challenges are not immediately visible, even though their effects can be observed through productivity or engagement. By identifying and addressing one or two high-impact factors, organisations may begin to unlock meaningful improvements in performance.

Broader research provides useful context for this way of thinking. A report shows that 82% of organisations experience some level of misalignment between HR and overall business strategy, with only 18% reporting strong alignment across key areas such as strategy execution and leadership collaboration. “This indicates that even well-intentioned initiatives can fall short when they aren’t directly connected to commercial priorities,” Jade remarks. In this context, Energy Collective Co places emphasis on linking people-related insights to measurable business outcomes, helping ensure that interventions are informed by both organisational needs and strategic direction.

Jade shares an example that illustrates how this philosophy translates into action. “In one case, a company considered investing approximately $15,000 in personality profiling to improve collaboration within its procurement team,” she shares. “Through diagnostic analysis, I identified that the challenge was process inefficiency rather than interpersonal dynamics.” By refining the workflow instead of introducing a new tool, Jade notes that the organisation was able to address the issue more directly.

“It’s about asking whether we are solving the right problem,” she says. “Sometimes the answer sits in how the work is designed, not in who is doing it.” This example highlights the importance of examining assumptions before committing resources.

To support this level of insight, Energy Collective Co has developed a structured diagnostic process that moves beyond standard engagement surveys. The organisation uses a culture, performance and productivity survey with adaptive questioning, allowing responses to guide deeper exploration into specific areas.

This is complemented by a psychosocial diagnostic framework that examines several factors, including leadership capability, work design and organisational systems. Through this process, Jade notes that organisations may gain a clearer understanding of whether challenges originate from structural elements or individual behaviours, which in turn informs the next steps.

This distinction becomes increasingly relevant when considering wider workforce trends. Insights from an HR monitor survey indicate that 32% of employees do not yet have all the skills required for their current roles. “This tells us that performance challenges may relate to capability development, role design or system effectiveness, rather than individual effort alone,” Jade says. By incorporating these factors into its analysis, Energy Collective Co connects workforce capability with broader organisational performance, helping ensure that recommendations reflect both immediate and longer-term considerations.

Once key drivers have been identified, the organisation focuses on delivering targeted and scalable solutions. These may include consulting engagements, tailored training programmes or self-service tools that enable leaders to address challenges directly within their teams. Ongoing pulse checks form part of this process, providing a way to monitor progress and maintain alignment over time. “Sustainable change happens when the business takes ownership of the solution,” Jade states. “Our role is to provide tools that make that possible.” This emphasis on ownership supports continuity beyond the initial intervention.

The delivery model is designed to remain accessible, with streamlined engagement processes and a focus on timely implementation. This can allow organisations to act on insights without unnecessary delay, supporting momentum as changes are introduced. At the same time, it can provide leaders with a structured way to consider the implications of inaction, including replacement costs, legal exposure and complexities linked to workforce management.

Alongside organisational systems, Energy Collective Co also considers individual energy as a contributing factor to performance. Its frameworks explore how mental, emotional and physical energy influence decision-making, collaboration and resilience. By connecting these elements with organisational dynamics, the model presents a more integrated understanding of how performance develops across different levels of the business.

Ultimately, as organisations continue to navigate evolving workforce expectations, Energy Collective Co encourages leaders to reflect on the nature of the challenges they encounter. Questions such as whether an issue stems from people or processes, and how that distinction can be identified, offer a starting point for more informed decision-making. Jade states, “Leaders need to ask more precise questions to create the conditions for more effective decisions.”