What are the best tools to assess the current and desired culture of your organization?

1 Surveys and questionnaires

One of the simplest and most common tools to assess your culture is to use surveys and questionnaires. These can be designed to capture the perceptions, opinions, and experiences of your employees, customers, and stakeholders. You can use standardized instruments, such as the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), the Denison Organizational Culture Survey, or the Competing Values Framework, or create your own customized questions. Surveys and questionnaires can help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your culture, as well as the gaps and discrepancies between the current and desired state.

3 Observations and audits

A third tool to assess your culture is to observe and audit the behaviors and artifacts of your organization. These can include the physical environment, the communication patterns, the decision-making processes, the reward systems, the rituals and ceremonies, and the symbols and stories. You can use checklists, rubrics, or rating scales to evaluate how well your culture aligns with your vision, mission, and goals. Observations and audits can help you uncover the hidden and implicit aspects of your culture, as well as the inconsistencies and contradictions between what you say and what you do.

4 Workshops and games

A fourth tool to assess your culture is to use workshops and games that engage and involve your people in the process. These can include activities such as visioning, storytelling, role-playing, brainstorming, or problem-solving. You can use tools such as the Culture Map, the Culture Canvas, or the Culture Game to facilitate the discussion and reflection on your culture. Workshops and games can help you create a shared understanding and ownership of your culture, as well as generate ideas and solutions for culture change.

5 Feedback and analytics

A fifth tool to assess your culture is to use feedback and analytics that monitor and measure the impact and outcomes of your culture. These can include indicators such as employee engagement, customer satisfaction, innovation, productivity, or profitability. You can use tools such as surveys, dashboards, or reports to collect and analyze the data and trends. Feedback and analytics can help you evaluate the effectiveness and progress of your culture change, as well as identify the areas of improvement and opportunity.