How to Build the Right Culture in Your Organization

E&Y, in a 2017 report titled Is Your Board Yet to Realize the True Value of Culture, said:

• 55% of the FTSE 350 companies witnessed a 10% steep surge in operating profits by enhancing their investments in culture.
• 92% of the Board members from these companies said doing so shot-up their financial performance.
• 86% said culture has weaved itself in as the one basic connecting thread of modern organizations’ incredible success fabric.
• 97% of respondents said investors are zeroing-in on organizational culture which makes it indispensable for start-ups and mid-level organizations.
• And 48% of FTSE 100 organizations are investing over USD 1 million in culture uplift.

A 2016 research by Deloitte on Global Human Capital Trends concurs organizational culture is the prime concern for business leaders as they now realize it drives behavior and in-turn steers business performance for them. Many other consulting firms echo the sentiment.

This is no secret now - An organization is as strong as its culture. Its impact spreads far beyond the tangible boundaries of office spaces. Technology has empowered employees by giving them breezy access to information about the internal culture in the organizations. Your culture is your online employer brand. A volatile proposition that can significantly boost or hurt your competitive advantage with ramifications extending to myriad levels: clients, prospective employees, stakeholders, investors and whatnot. One wrong message pasted out there for everyone to see till eternity.

Dear Talent Managers, the above can come to haunt you forever. Fortunately, you can curb this by fostering a healthy culture. And here’s how this can be done.

4 Surest Ways to Enhance Culture:

Lead by example: Culture is a top-down drive. Strong and efficient leadership creates a positive impact on the system. Talent leaders need to advocate and evince greater qualities like employee well-being, high performance, integrity and empowerment so same trickle down to lower levels. In the E&Y’s survey only 19% respondents felt that the Board is accountable for the organizational culture; 47% said there is little consensus among board members on the kind of culture they must have in their organization; 51% said the board needs to take more initiative to drive and measure the organization’s culture.

Utilize technology: Weaving technology in the organizational culture can improve teamwork, encourage communication, facilitate learning through tools and promote recognition. In Deloitte 2016 survey Global Human Capital Trends, 77% of executives said people analytics is the top-most priority for them.

Wellness programs: Employees have shown a positive inclination towards wellness programs like walking/ weight loss challenges, yoga etc. These programs improve engagement and facilitate positive interactions.

Create a positive work environment: Google is leading this race with the title best place to work. The tech giant has a keen focus on culture and consistently calibrates factors to know what keeps its employees happy and productive. Talent managers can take these 6 steps to build and reinforce the right culture within the organization.

6 Rungs to the Climb Culture Crest:

Conduct pulse checks: Use questionnaire to establish baseline culture and measure change over defined intervals.

Set key milestones: Define the expected standards in 18 to 36 months’ duration and identify efforts that must be done to achieve those standards.

Test knowledge: Ascertain if employees can grasp the concepts delivered during trainings. Conduct knowledge tests within a few weeks of training completion.

Reinforce learnings: Unused concepts waste away with time. Reinforce learned concepts by conducting refresher courses. Mobile boost learning can significantly augment this process.

Assess: Use self-assessments. Multi-rater assessments can also be used if needed.

Maintain a culture impact scorecard: Use measurement tools at each phase and compile them together to get an overall view.

The Gist:

Employees these days don’t just look for jobs. They weigh in overall experience and root for traits like fairness, motivation, challenge, clear goals aligned to their personal success, transparency, flexibility, development opportunities, investments in social causes and character. These are ramifications of inherent culture. Culture has the potential to be that high-growth vitamin or a poison pill for your organization. Choose wisely!