VEIC is a nationally recognized clean energy nonprofit with expertise in energy efficiency, building decarbonization, transportation electrification, and demand management for a flexible, clean grid. With nearly 400 employees across the USA, VEIC’s mission is to generate the energy solutions the world needs, guided by its vision of a healthy Planet and thriving People.
The organization is known for its programs and pilots that optimize energy use, reduce energy burdens for low-income customers, and advance innovative models and technologies that shape the clean energy future.
Industry: Nonprofit(Clean Energy)
Company Size: ~400 employees
Products Used: Performance, Goals, and Learning modules
Challenge: Gaps in Performance and Development
Before implementing Engagedly in 2022, VEIC faced multiple challenges across performance management, goal setting, and learning:
- Annual Goal Setting
- Teams created goals tied to organizational objectives, but no standardized process existed.
- How goals were defined (e.g., metrics, key results) varied widely, creating inconsistencies and fairness concerns.
- Senior leaders lacked a centralized view of goals for themes or progress toward organizational outcomes.
- Accountability for goal creation and completion was inconsistent.
- Performance Reviews
- Although quarterly check-ins were expected, there was no tool to document or track discussions.
- Conversations varied in frequency and quality across teams.
- HR and senior leaders had very little visibility into what was actually happening.
- Managers lacked guidance on what to ask or document.
- No formal self-review process was in place, preventing employees from reflecting on successes or challenges.
- Without standardization, equity reviews and calibration processes couldn’t be implemented—making it hard to link performance to merit or compensation adjustments objectively.
- Learning & Development
- VEIC did not have a Learning Management System (LMS) in place.
- Training resources were limited to recordings, which often expired or were inaccessible depending on file storage.
- Employees had to navigate multiple locations: LinkedIn Learning, compliance portals, and internal storage.
- No system existed to track engagement or assign content to new hires.
With headcount growing rapidly (15% increase in two years, 43% over five years), these gaps created challenges in equity, consistency, and accountability. Employees wanted structure; managers wanted clarity; leadership needed visibility.
Action: Partnering with Engagedly
VEIC implemented Engagedly in 2022, launching the Goals, Performance, and Learning modules in a phased approach that aligned with employee activities throughout the year.
- Goals Module: Launched in Q1, replacing Excel-based tracking during annual goal setting. All employees documented their goals directly in Engagedly, ensuring transparency and adoption.
- Performance Module: Launched in Q2 to align with quarterly performance conversations.
- Learning Module: Introduced in Q3 for HR annual compliance training and employee development.
- Annual Reviews: By Q4, the second performance review cycle was conducted fully within Engagedly.
Implementation Approach
- Training was multi-layered: in-person demos, PDF guides, tip sheets, recorded sessions, online courses.
- Employees were supported with Q&A sessions, office hours, and one-on-one troubleshooting.
- Key stakeholders (HR, leaders, technology, communications) worked closely on change management.
- The Engagedly team provided training materials, documentation, and configuration guidance.
- Early testing and bug identification helped ensure smooth adoption.
Performance Module Highlights
- Automatic pulling of annual goals into performance reviews.
- Flexible templates — e.g., conversation-focused mid-year reviews with no rating scale.
- AI capabilities to help employees craft measurable and meaningful goals.
- Seamless navigation between goals and reviews — a “game changer” for employees and managers.
“Engagedly has significantly elevated VEIC’s goal-setting and employee performance programs. Its intuitive functionality aligned seamlessly with our approach to annual goal setting and performance conversations, making implementation smooth and logical. Engagedly’s Goal, Performance, and Learning modules allow us to link metrics, creativity, and professional growth in one centralized platform.”
— Kate McInnis, Director, Leadership and Development, VEIC
Results: Structured Growth and Cultural Impact
The adoption of Engagedly transformed VEIC’s performance culture:
- 100% Completion Rate
Since 2022, every employee and supervisor has completed reviews across seven cycles (mid-year and annual).
- Strengthened Feedback Culture
Every employee participated in at least two documented performance conversations annually, tracked via Engagedly’s sign-off functionality.
- Universal Goal Alignment
100% of employees created annual goals aligned to departmental objectives and organizational priorities. Professional development goals were embedded into reviews and linked to learning content.
- Professional Growth Metrics Improved
In the annual Great Place to Work survey, “Investment in Professional Growth” increased by 10% between 2022 and 2023, the largest gain across all employee metrics.
- Consistency and Fairness
Engagedly enabled calibration processes, consistent templates, and transparent documentation — giving employees and managers shared frameworks for accountability and fairness.
“The implementation of Engagedly has fundamentally changed the quality of conversations happening between our supervisors and employees. The platform has created more transparent, honest dialogue about performance, challenges, and growth opportunities. Supervisors now have structured frameworks that encourage meaningful feedback and accountability. This hasn’t just improved our culture—it has deepened collaboration and trust across VEIC,” says Lisa Harris, Chief People Officer, VEIC.
Key Takeaway
By centralizing goal setting, performance reviews, and learning into one platform, VEIC achieved full participation, measurable improvements in growth investment, and more transparent, accountable performance conversations. Employees and supervisors now share a consistent, structured framework — making development fairer, feedback richer, and the culture stronger.
Book a demo with Engagedly today and see how our platform can help you achieve similar results.
