A 2021 MIT Sloan Management Review/Glassdoor Culture 500 index found that 97% of employees rate coffee as a top workplace perk*. But a complimentary corporate caffeine kick is just one small part of the big culture picture.
With 2023 so far seeing ongoing economic uncertainty and continued workplace transformation being top of executives’ minds, let’s look at why organizational culture matters more than ever in the post-Covid era, and how you can shape it for better results.
Transforming organizational culture: clarity, inclusivity and collaboration
Organizational culture has changed hugely since the Pandemic, becoming a major factor in operational considerations and strategic concerns. In a rapidly changing world, a new model—in which everyone in the organization is responsible for culture—is becoming the norm.
Top-down culture practices are passé: most businesses must now be more adaptable and flexible than ever before. Culture has become less of a code established by leaders, and more of a toolkit for everyone in an organization to draw from and contribute towards.
How can you build a strong culture for success?
First, a company’s Board of Directors should actively help guide and develop its desired culture. The Board should prioritize evaluating, assessing and measuring results to determine if culture is well integrated and responsive to the needs and values of the organization’s people.
Further, each level of a business should support the clearly defined and communicated cultural values and norms of the organization:
- The executive team needs to ensure that a company’s culture is aligned with its strategic goals and objectives.
- HR should disseminate the organization’s cultural knowledge and values, integrating these into employee onboarding while setting the foundation and expectations for its employees.
- It should be part of the cultural politics of the organization and its shared language to ensure integration into all aspects of the employee experience.
- HR strategies should facilitate cross-functional collaboration with the Culture team to develop and implement employee engagement and recognition programs, including surveys, feedback loops and company-wide events.
Signs that a company’s culture is working well are that it has measurable results, driven by innovation and happier, more productive and loyal employees.
Is your organization keeping up with the times?
Culture drives performance, and both require hard work, commitment, plus the willingness to do uncomfortable things. But without change, excellence can’t be guaranteed.
So, do you have clarity about your company’s culture? Does your team have the discipline, rigor and camaraderie required to set up a strong and effective culture? What changes do you need to make to transform your organization’s culture?
The RoseRyan team’s ‘secret sauce’ is our uniquely inclusive and collaborative culture. And we bring this ethos to all our client engagements to help drive their excellence and performance. How can we help guide your business to greatness? Connect with us today and let’s find out!
*2021 MIT Sloan Management Review/Glassdoor Culture 500 annual index and research project
