Dura-Line manufactures infrastructure products used to support communication networks. Its Canadian plant operates as the company’s only location in the country, making a strong connection with senior leaders in the United States especially important.
When Jody Zurbrigg joined the Canadian plant as production manager in December 2020, the workplace was under significant strain. Employees were exhausted, supervisors were overwhelmed, and many workers were considering leaving.
Industry: Manufacturing and infrastructure solutions
Company Size: 1000+ employees
Product used: Butterfly EI by Engagedly
The Challenge: An isolated plant struggling with morale and turnover
The Canadian location faced a difficult combination of workforce and leadership challenges.
Supervisors were stressed and overworked. Mistakes were occurring frequently, while employees on the plant floor were becoming increasingly frustrated with the prevailing management approach.
Jody described the situation:
“Supervisors were flustered, stressed, overworked, and mistakes were constantly happening. The workers on the floor were growing exhausted of the oppressive management style at the branch, and many were looking for a way out.”
The global pandemic made the situation even more difficult. As travel restrictions prevented people from crossing the border between the United States and Canada, the plant remained physically separated from senior management for more than a year.
Employees needed a way to communicate their experiences and concerns directly to company leaders, while managers needed clearer insight into what was affecting morale and retention.
The Strategic Shift: Giving frontline employees a direct voice
Jody encouraged the Canadian team to use Butterfly EI by Engagedly as a consistent channel for employee feedback.
The platform gave employees an opportunity to speak openly and share their concerns with leaders in the United States, despite the physical separation between the plant and senior management.
However, introducing the platform was only part of the solution. Jody also changed how employees experienced leadership at the plant.
Employees were encouraged to share their views, and their concerns were treated as information that required a response.
Jody explained his approach:
“I truly believe in the servant leadership model. I believe I work for the people that report to me.”
This leadership philosophy helped establish a more collaborative environment where employees felt heard and managers were expected to remain involved.
The Impact: From Feedback to Visible Action
Employee feedback becomes meaningful only when leaders respond to it.
At Dura Line, managers were expected to acknowledge concerns, take appropriate action, or explain why a particular change could not be made. This helped employees see that sharing their opinions could lead to a genuine response.
The shift introduced:
- A direct channel between frontline employees and company leaders
- Greater visibility into employee concerns
- More responsive plant management
- Clearer accountability for workplace issues
- Stronger participation from team members
- A more collaborative relationship between employees and supervisors
Within months, Butterfly EI helped the plant strengthen communication and create lasting changes in how managers engaged with employees.
Management Accountability as an Engagement Driver
One of the clearest lessons from the Canadian plant was the importance of manager participation.
The platform showed a strong relationship between higher manager activity, greater responsiveness, and improved employee engagement and productivity.
When managers actively reviewed feedback and responded to employee concerns, teams were more likely to feel supported and involved.
This created a positive cycle:
- Employees shared their concerns
- Managers acknowledged and reviewed the feedback
- Leaders took action or provided an explanation
- Employees saw that their voices mattered
- Trust and participation increased
Technology made feedback easier to collect, but leadership accountability turned that feedback into meaningful workplace change.
Measurable Outcomes
The results were significant:
- 37% reduction in worker turnover: Fewer employees left the Canadian plant after the new feedback and leadership approach was introduced.
- 80% improvement in team mood scores: Employee sentiment improved substantially as communication and management responsiveness increased.
- Stronger employee participation: Frontline workers gained a consistent way to share concerns with leaders.
- Greater manager responsiveness: Managers became more involved in acknowledging and addressing workplace feedback.
- Improved communication with senior leadership: Employees at the isolated Canadian location could share their experiences with executives in the United States.
- More collaborative plant culture: Employees were listened to and encouraged to participate in workplace improvements.
Cultural and Operational Impact
The improvements at Dura Line went beyond survey participation.
By combining workforce feedback with servant leadership, the Canadian plant created a workplace where employees felt more comfortable speaking up and managers were more accountable for responding.
The shift helped reduce the stress and disconnection that had previously affected the plant. It also gave frontline leaders a clearer understanding of how their activity and responsiveness influenced employee morale, engagement, and performance.
The cultural change introduced:
- More open communication
- Greater trust between employees and managers
- A stronger sense of leadership accountability
- Better visibility into employee sentiment
- More consistent responses to workforce concerns
- A shared responsibility for improving the workplace
What This Means for Manufacturing Leaders
Employee feedback technology cannot improve engagement on its own. Its value depends on whether managers encourage participation, listen carefully, and respond to what employees share.
Dura Line’s Canadian plant paired Butterfly EI with an accountable and people focused leadership approach. Employees received a direct voice, while managers gained the insight needed to address concerns and strengthen the work environment.
The result was a 37% reduction in turnover, an 80% improvement in team mood scores, and a more collaborative plant culture built on listening and action.
Performance
