Cultures are all around us; they are a group of people’s collective attitudes, beliefs, and rituals. Having a healthy culture within your business creates a thriving workplace.
A work culture where employees feel appreciated, heard, and valued increases productivity and reduces employee burnout and turnover.
“Workers who feel valued in their positions are 50% more productive than those who don’t.”
The Psychological Effects of Workplace Appreciation and Gratitude
Creating Cultural Change in the Workplace
Remember, this will be an ongoing process. You may have resistance at first, but if you follow the tips we have laid out, it will be worth it!
1) Identify your current culture – you can’t change if you don’t know where you are starting. Be sure to include perspectives from various levels within your business. This can be done through the following:
- Survey employees
- Hold meetings with multiple departments
- Anonymous box, so employees won’t feel threatened to express themselves
2) Outline the culture you want – knowing your direction is just as important as knowing where you are coming from. Ask leadership to define the new culture. Questions to consider:
- What behaviours show commitment to our business?
- What behaviours show commitment to our staff?
- How can those behaviours be shown?
- What behaviours are not in line with our company culture?
3) Make a plan – you can’t get to your desired destination without the map. Use the current strengths of your team to make a change in major cultural behaviours. The plan should be:
- Long-term; nothing changes overnight
- Concise and clear; break it into manageable chunks
- Measurable; understand what you will see as you achieve each step
- Ensure understanding of the plan. All employees need to know the new expectations and priorities.
4) Evaluate your progress – the only way to know if the plan is working is to track it. Consider the following:
- Are staff members accepting the changes?
- Are business targets being met?
- Why or why not is this working?
- What needs to be adjusted moving forward?
5) Hire the right fit from the start – it is easier to hire the right fit than to change someone to fit the company culture. Use your company culture as a selling point to potential employees.
- Celebrate milestones
- Create a place where employees want to come into work.
As the company work culture changes, it will produce new habits and rituals. Rituals bring employees together as a shared experience. They are creating a feeling of belonging.
Stick with the plan through ups and downs. The benefits will be worth it!
Changing a company culture will take patience and work. If you need help creating an actionable plan, contact SH Consulting.