By Richard Samuelson
The past few years have been tough on workers. The ripple effects of a global pandemic still loom large, inflation is stretching household budgets to the max, and return to office mandates are causing workplace tension to reach an all-time high. Needless to say, employees everywhere are navigating a storm of stressors.
Gallup’s most recent survey of U.S. employee engagement reflects this turbulence, showing continued stagnation, lower levels of satisfaction, and a pervasive feeling that no one at work cares about them as a person. This low satisfaction and engagement impacts the bottom line for businesses, with Gallup estimating approximately $1.9 trillion in lost productivity nationally.
Against this backdrop, Quantum Connections recently launched a new program, Connecting At Work, designed to optimize relationships within the workplace. The program is based on a methodology developed over the course of 40 years by relationship experts Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. Using principles grounded in the neuro and quantum social sciences, Connecting At Work trains workplaces to use dialogue to build respect and acknowledge differences without judgment.
Leading this effort is CEO Dennis Holland, who joined Quantum Connections in 2023 to fuel the organization’s entrance into new markets. We recently sat down with Dennis to discuss his passion for developing high-impact teams and learn what’s on the horizon.
Can you tell us about your career journey leading up to Quantum Connections?
Holland: I started my career with one of history’s most storied companies, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) – whose meteoric growth following its acquisition by General Motors shaped the outsourcing industry. There, I spent 10 years helping to build its marketing infrastructure and processes.
Later, I led all marketing for the once fledgling company, Fidelity Information Services (NYSE: FIS) during its growth from approximately $400 million to $4 billion in annual revenues. Then, I joined First Command Financial Services to engineer one of the largest brand turnarounds in the history of the financial services industry.
A common thread in my career is stepping into ‘make or break’ situations and turning things around. I truly enjoy rolling up my sleeves, building highly-competent and high-performing teams, while developing and implementing strategies for overcoming seemingly insurmountable hurdles.
What inspired you to join Quantum Connections?
Holland: My passion is building organizations from the ground up, and transforming them into high-impact teams that accomplish great things. But this can’t happen without the backing of a strong vision, and that’s exactly what drew me to Quantum Connections.
The vision behind the organization is truly inspiring. Harville and Helen have been teaching their methodology for 40 years, and their human-centric vision connected with me. The need for relationships is fundamental to us as human beings. We’re designed to live in connection with others. The vision I heard was so bold and so grand that I said, “Well, how wouldn’t someone want to be exposed to this and be a part of it?”
What makes the Connecting At Work program different?
Holland: The Connecting At Work program is unique because it harnesses the essence of human connection through structured, dialogue-based methodologies that are not theoretical but practical and applicable in everyday interactions. The foundation of our program lies in creating psychological safety through mirroring, affirmations, and eliminating negativity. This isn’t just about improving work relations—it’s about transforming them. By teaching individuals how to engage in meaningful dialogue, we equip them with tools to not only improve their work environment but also enhance their personal relationships. Participants tend to see a ripple effect that begins shaping how they approach relationships in their family and communities.
What’s next for Quantum Connections?
Holland: We’re doing exciting things with data analytics. As we roll out our Connecting At Work program, a question we continually hear is “How can I measure this?” That reveals a big gap in workforce analytics. We know that employee connectedness is a significant factor in predicting an organization’s success, but how do you know if your employees are connected, and to what extent?
The great news is that we’ve created, tested, and statistically normed and validated a ground-breaking business designed to measure the impact of connected working relationships on key performance indicators of employee engagement and retention. We plan to formally connect this metric in Q3 2024. More to come.
Published By: Aize Perez
