The Challenge
As Friesen Group expanded, HR Director Crystal Mapes noticed a pattern: managers cared deeply about their teams yet sometimes lacked the practical skills to hold others accountable, resolve issues early, and build meaningful relationships with staff.Â

With a lean HR team of three supporting more than 140 employees across multiple operating companies, Crystal needed a solution that could enhance manager effectiveness without creating more overhead.

There was also a strategic opportunity. The company had just completed its annual employee engagement survey. If leadership development was done right, she believed, it could directly move engagement scores and support stronger business performance.
“Our managers wanted support. Our employees were asking for it. And I knew if we did it right, we could reduce turnover, improve engagement, and drive stronger results across the board.”

The Results
Within months, Crystal and her team were seeing measurable change across multiple dimensions:
- Engagement scores increased in categories tied to management effectiveness, following a pulse survey conducted after the training
- Voluntary turnover declined, reversing trends from prior years
- Proactive behavior among managers surged, with earlier HR escalations, faster problem resolution, and fewer lingering people issues
“Our managers are acting faster and owning more. We’re solving issues before they snowball, and it’s created a noticeable shift in trust and responsiveness across teams.”
From Crystal’s perspective, the training also delivered something harder to quantify: confidence. Leaders began engaging more directly, leaning into conversations they used to avoid, and modeling the kind of behavior Friesen Group wants to grow.
Her advice to other HR leaders?
“Just do it. If you’re trying to improve engagement, reduce turnover, or create consistency across your managers, this is a no-brainer.”
— Crystal Mapes
Human Resources Director