What is a company culture consultant?

When people use the term ‘company culture’, what they are referring to is the personality and character of a business. Company culture means not just the stated – and written – policies and values of a business, but how its employees behave on an everyday basis. It is something that is considered to be increasingly important in the modern corporate world.

There is good reason for that too, because it can be the difference between success and failure. According to studies, one out of every five employees in the UK has cited negative company culture as their reason for leaving a firm. Therefore, getting it right is crucial to attracting and retaining the best people.

That is why businesses hire a company culture consultant, but what does such a person actually do?

What is a company culture consultant?

A corporate culture consultant is usually someone who is brought in from outside the business. His or her job will be to help companies manage the often-difficult process of cultural change. They will have a number of key functions:

• Assessment and analysis
• Strategy development
• Change management
• Training and facilitation
• Improvement of workplace environment

Assessment and analysis

This is the first thing that a culture consultant will do. It will involve taking a close look at the existing culture of a company to identify problem areas. Potential problems can range from high staff turnover to low productivity.

Strategy development

The next stage will see them take that analysis and use it to come up with a strategy for change. The goal will be to create a culture that fosters diversity, inclusion and high performance.

Change management

Once that strategy has been agreed upon, the next stage will be to begin the process of change. During that process, the company culture consultant will assist both managers and teams in navigating any complications.

Training and facilitation

To be able to successfully implement culture change, employees should be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills. The consultant will put together training programmes to achieve that. These could involve updating hard skills or they could be sensitivity training to achieve a more inclusive culture.

Improvement of workplace environment

The last stage will be to get the thoughts of employees about the culture change and ensure that they are onboard with it. That is essential to making it stick in a way that everyone is happy with.

Areas of expertise of a company culture consultant

The main areas of expertise possessed by a company culture consultant are:

Organisational development

This means the ability to collate and assess data relating to the processes of an organisation and then make interventions to improve them. It includes everything from enhancing systems and workflows to encouraging better collaboration and teamwork.

Communication and engagement

The consultant will seek to improve lines of communication across every level of an organisation. He or she will also ensure that everyone working for the organisation is engaged with the process of change. That way, they will feel that they have a stake in the future of the organisation.

When to engage a company culture consultant

There are a number of situations where it can be a good move to bring in a company culture consultant. Some examples are:

New organisations

Hiring a culture consultant at the start-up stage of your organisation will make the process a lot easier. It will enable you to construct your preferred culture from the outset and avoid problems further down the line.

Established organisations

For more established businesses, it can also have real benefits. Bringing in a culture consultant can help them to recruit and retain the very best talent. That is essential for any company that wants to maximise performance levels and achieve growth. Furthermore, a consultant will help established organisations to implement diversity and inclusion policies. That will ensure that they are complying with legal obligations, but will also improve their internal performance levels. Studies have shown that companies that embrace diversity are more profitable.

A company culture consultant can be useful to companies when they are undergoing a merger or acquisition too. They can help to manage the integration and ensure that management and employees from both companies align when it comes to values.

Finally, it can be beneficial if you are planning transformational change. That is a sizeable task to undertake and will distract from the everyday running of your company. A consultant will take on the strain of it.

At FiveRivers Consulting, we offer company culture consultancy services. Contact us now for more details.