Organizations’ approach to establishing a healthy culture has evolved due to shifting shareholder expectations and a growing focus on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, and other sources of value creation. As people take a renewed interest in workplace culture, organizations have the opportunity to refresh their practices and build a healthier culture that preserves their reputation and unlocks long-term success.
Culture is something that companies have to work at every day. Reactive approaches that look at culture only when a change is needed and try quick fixes are not going to deliver the transformation needed. Leaders need to live the change they want to see while understanding that the commitment to leading an organization’s culture is long-term and that ultimate accountability for the outcome remains with them.
Culture transformation requires a deep understanding of the level of alignment between espoused values and the lived experiences and beliefs of the employees at all levels. It also requires leadership willing to celebrate the positive elements of the culture and dig deep into the problematic aspects to ensure that the cultural transformation sticks.
In the age of increased transparency and accessibility of information, job seekers and employees are more empowered than ever before to question not only what a company does, but more so, how it does it. Strong, inclusive, and transparent cultures are a hallmark of companies that employees want to work for.
Cultural transformation depends on organizations having good data about their culture. Engagement surveys fail to provide an accurate picture of how the organization’s culture is perceived and actually experienced. Through our proprietary Culture Imaging tool, we can help you measure the degree to which your organization’s culture directly links beliefs and behaviors to strategy, enabling you to visualize how to best harness culture and create a sustainable competitive advantage.