Culture Change
People need to feel that they belong at work. The top reasons employees give for leaving a job were that they don’t feel truly valued and appreciated.
People are looking for connectivity, purpose, and a sense of how and where they fit into a company’s long-term talent strategy. Without it employees can disengage, retention takes a hit, performance and productivity may suffer which can often lead to a difficult, perhaps even toxic workplace.
Research suggests 1 in 5 workers have left their job due to a toxic work culture often citing bullying, pressure of work, unrealistic deadlines, conflicts which can impact mental health and yet toxic work culture is often left unchecked. Unhelpful behaviours become embedded.
Company culture is implicit and emotional, which makes it complex, but also makes it powerful.
Our five steps to drive and reinforce culture change:
- Create the case for culture change
- Coordinate the vision for culture change
- Collaborate to implement the culture change
- Commit to long term culture change
- Communicate to embed the culture change
Businesses that harness helpful behaviours in their people tend to perform better with less time, effort and cost. Make helpful behaviours a part of your business DNA.
What does a culture change consultant do?
Put simply, culture change consultants are facilitators that help leadership teams understand, develop, execute, and then manage the process of change in the workplace.
Working closely with companies, they help owners and executives understand the current culture of their business. After providing an overview, they identify areas that need improvement and offer guidance and support as firms implement positive change with the aim of reaching specific outcomes. Goals may include enhanced employee wellbeing, talent retention or increased productivity.
Measuring Current Culture
A variety of proven techniques and analytical tools are at the fingertips of culture change consultants, and they use them to understand the company’s existing culture. This culture audit often includes an organisation’s behaviour, beliefs and values. Consultants may conduct interviews and surveys or hold focus groups to collect relevant data on employee experiences and current perceptions.
Identifying Gaps and Opportunities
Consultants analyse data to spot discrepancies between the existing culture and that desired. They also pinpoint areas where the company culture is operating well along with weaker areas that require improvement. Consultants also help companies understand the underlying reasons behind gaps.
Collaborating with Leadership
Consultants collaborate with the leadership teams assisting them to articulate values and a compelling vision that both resonates with employees and aligns with company’s strategic aims.
Developing a Culture Plan
Consultants help firms set clear, achievable and measurable goals and develop specific initiatives and strategies to address gaps.
Facilitating Communication and Engagement
Culture change consultants design and implement strategies that encourage open communication, build stronger relationships and work to align staff with the company's vision.
Providing Training and Development
Consultancies also offer training and development programmes that equip leadership teams and employees with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the process of culture change and embrace it.
Supporting Leadership
Sometimes employees are resistant to change, but consultants support leadership teams are every step of the culture change process, helping them adapt and move forward.
Tracking Progress
Consultants continuously track progress during the change process. They use multiple metrics to help measure impact on the engagement and performance of employees.
Evaluating Success
Comparing the existing company culture with the desired culture and analysing measurable goals, consultants can effectively evaluate progress and ascertain when a successful result is achieved.
For expert assistance from leading culture change consultants, contact us today at FiveRivers Consulting.
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