Changing elements of your organization's culture

As the world of work emerges from the pandemic, organizations and their employees are facing the impact of the acceleration of the development of new business models, the swift adoption of digital technologies, and the implementation of new ways of working. The imperative to engage in these transformations is driving many business leaders to consider changing their cultures to ensure that the values, mindsets, and behaviours support the impact of these changes.  Attempting to change an organization’s culture can be complex since culture not only shapes the way organizational members make decisions, do their work, and interact with internal and external stakeholders but it is also inextricable from the emotional and social dynamics of people in the organization. So, what can leaders do when the need arises to make cultural transformations? 

• Change elements of the culture, not the whole culture.

It is very difficult to try to change the entire culture of the organization, instead a more achievable approach is to change parts of it, which then, in turn, affect the whole culture. This is like dropping pebbles in a pond where the ripples from each pebble create interconnecting ripples across the pond. Most changes to cultural elements happen without a massive culture change programme, but through changes (such as to how people are recruited and rewarded) which have a cumulative impact on the whole culture of the organization.

• Carefully frame why elements of the culture need to change.

Since organizational culture has a rather ambiguous and hidden nature, it is often better, when attempting to make changes to elements of it, to refer to tangible problems, such as market pressures or the challenges of growth, in order to help stakeholders to fully understand and connect to the need for change. This means framing changes in terms of real and present organizational challenges and opportunities, as well as aspirations and trends.

• Understand and assess the current culture.

Changing elements of a culture needs to begin with an analysis of the current culture – this analysis should include discussions with key internal and external stakeholders. This will enable leaders and managers to identify those elements that need to be improved and those not needing to change. Once this has been done there is a need to articulate what must change and how it will be achieved.

• Engage key stakeholders in dialogue. 

To change elements of a culture requires commitment and ownership from managers and front-line employees. Individuals and teams need to understand the rationale for the changes and the impact it will have on them, which will help to alleviate anxiety, cynicism, and resistance. This means engaging front-line staff in dialogue about what they value in the culture, what they would like to alter, and how they view the culture impacting on their performance. As well as giving employees the opportunity to voice ideas, concerns, hopes, and fears, managers need to ensure that these opinions are listened to and taken seriously. 

• Create a picture of the future culture.  

The desired culture and behaviours need to be defined, including what will be different and what will stay the same. This can be done by visually depicting what the future culture will look like with every team, department, division and unit shown and the differences that there may be in the sub-cultures within them. This depiction should illustrate changes in behaviours as well as the processes and the systems that will support and reinforce the changes.  

• Build a bridge to the desired culture. 

Outline the desired culture in the form of a compelling set of leadership principles and behaviours. These principles and supporting behaviours will then need to be embedded into the performance management and reward systems, to help to reinforce them. It is vital to identify the elements of the current culture which should be preserved as well as any strengths which must be recognized and built into the future culture.

• Cascade the desired culture.  

The changes will need to be cascaded through individual, team and large group discussions and embedded into goal and objective setting. This will help employees to understand why and how they should change their focus and work priorities and will highlight the impact of doing so.  

• Shape and nurture the desired changes. 

The shaping and nurturing of the culture can be done through symbolic management, which involves influencing the norms and values by fashioning the surface elements of a culture, such as the symbols, stories, and ceremonies, as well as through patterns of rewards and punishments, since these determine what is valued and not valued (in terms of behaviours and outputs). 

• Reward the emerging changes.  

People processes (such as reward, recruitment etc.) should be aligned with the desired changes. This means that employees need to offered incentives to behave differently, hire differently and develop new capabilities. Furthermore, ways of working may need to be adjusted to reflect the required behaviours. Managers must recognize and reward people for behaving and working differently, especially when employees take risks to work together differently, break-down silos, and begin to live the desired culture.

• Adopt a ‘do as I do’ approach

Fundamentally elements of culture are not changed by new thoughts or words, they are changed by behaviours and actions that reinforce desired cultural attributes. To achieve such change takes time and the message will need to be constantly reiterated in person by leaders and managers. It is important to change behaviours in order to arrive at the culture the organization needs. To change elements of a culture also requires leaders and managers to change their behaviour. This means demonstrating the values, beliefs, capabilities, and behaviours that they want their organizational members to demonstrate, by adopting a ‘do as I do’ way of behaving and working. In other words, they must authentically and genuinely support the desired culture transformation in order to help to ensure its success.

• Build and enhance capabilities

For employees training and development practices can help to create an understanding of the drivers for change, the implications of not changing, a recognition that new behaviours and practices are required, what they are, and how they will have a positive impact on the proposed or ongoing transformation. Managers will need to ensure that training and development practices are followed-up with ongoing support, since it can be very difficult for individuals to move out of their comfort zones and change overnight their behaviours and ways of working. For some, this can be very challenging, and they may need additional help. It is also important that managers recognize when the new behaviours are being enacted and provide appropriate positive feedback to individuals. 

• Recognize people doing the right things well

Acknowledging people doing things right and rewarding positive behaviours is important. This requires managers to understand the importance and process of giving feedback. Often culture change initiatives miss out this vital activity. Too many leaders and managers identify the required changes to values and behaviours and communicate them, but then continue to reward and promote against the old values and behaviours, which can negate everything that has been achieved.

In order to change elements of a culture, leaders and managers must take a proactive approach and engage stakeholders in the process. Changing elements of a culture take times – it is a marathon not a sprint - but to ensure the finish line is reached people need to feel part of creating the change and not that it is just something which has been imposed upon them.

Professor Julie Hodges is the author of several books including: ‘Managing and Leading People through Change’ (Kogan Page); ‘Consultancy, Organizational Development and Change’ (Kogan Page); Sustaining Change in Organizations (Sage) and ‘Employee Engagement for Organizational Change’ (Routledge) and ‘Organization Development: how organizations change and develop effectively’ (Palgrave McMillan). Her latest book is ‘Reshaping the HR: the role of HR in organizational change’ (Routledge).