Create the right culture
Improving company culture can often fall down the priority list. When left unaddressed, however, it can lead to businesses being caught in a negative cycle of workplace dilemmas. Even when the signs of a flawed company culture aren’t obvious, it doesn’t mean that leaders can bury their head in the sand and assume their organisation doesn’t need culture change.
With the right culture in place, businesses will find that transformation, including digital change journeys, are much smoother. When employees feel valued, informed and empowered, change processes are more likely to deliver lasting benefits that are felt company-wide.
1. View company culture as an ongoing investment
As the starting point, leadership should build an understanding of the value that a positive company culture can bring. When staff feel prioritised and listened to, productivity and retention is likely to increase.
This is especially vital during a business transformation, when deadlines and capacity can change day-to-day, making burnout a greater possibility. Businesses can plan ahead for this by capacity planning prior to beginning a project, ensuring this is reviewed and adapted as needed at regular touchpoints.
2. Look beyond misconceptions
Businesses also need to look beyond misconceptions around company culture to ensure they are able to create change for good. Superficial perks or one-off team-building days won’t be enough to mask a culture in which employees feel undervalued and neglected. Material or short-term initiatives should only be implemented alongside a wider strategy to prioritise wellbeing.
Instead, it’s people that sit at the heart of company culture and, similarly, determine the success of any change journey. When this is understood, leaders will be able to take the right steps towards a positive working environment.
3. Encourage ownership and feedback
In any project or change journey, the employees that determine its success should feel involved from start to finish. During the planning stage of a transformation, leaders can proactively consult the wider team to inform them of planned changes, identifying any signs of resistance or concern that can be addressed early on before having an impact on culture.
As the project progresses, encouraging employees to take ownership of certain roles where appropriate, can help them feel empowered and valued, creating mutual respect. When trusted with responsibility, staff will see that their skills are genuinely recognised, and this is likely to translate into improved productivity.
4. Foster trust and authenticity
Leaders need to remain a trustworthy and reliable point of contact in day-to-day work. Scheduling regular one-to-one meetings can create a space for open and honest conversations about the working environment, with feedback being used to further improve company culture. During this, it’s important for leaders to remain empathetic, especially for staff who may feel hesitant to provide honest feedback in fear of perceived consequences.
During change such as digital transformations, employees can use one-to-one meetings to provide feedback on the process. This allows managers to identify worries, take actionable steps to address them, and reassure staff.
Company culture provides the foundation for any businesses’ success, enhancing employee satisfaction, loyalty and productivity levels. While companies might assume they don’t need significant culture change, it becomes tested during business transformation. This is the time that leaders will truly need to demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthy and happy workplace, through an ongoing approach to culture improvement.
Read more on how leaders can build trusted teams in times of change here.