Successful corporate giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft understand the competitive advantage offered through a cohesive workplace, as they actively pursue improved employee experience through various initiatives, equity, and workplace strategy. According to a study done by Harvard Business Review, in 2018, 47% of 2,000 managers surveyed noted needing to revamp their businesses to stay in the game. That number has increased in 2020 to 58%, with more data yet to come.
So, what does this mean for business leaders? A unified corporation leads to higher employee retention, improved performance, more effective communication, a better sense of belonging, and overall positive employee well-being. Start implementing the below methods to build an engaging, diverse corporate culture.
Clarify the desired cultural changes
Once you decide on the necessary cultural change, it’s time to alert your colleagues and offer them the right tools to fulfill the vision. The staff must understand the organization’s values and purpose while shifting the workplace culture.
Build a strategy based on assessments, not perception
Cultural change initiatives must be built on the organization’s needs, which can be achieved through initiatives like DEI planning and proper research. Assessing and auditing areas like employee well-being, employer brands, and company policies offers useful statistical data. This data provides a method of recognition and retention for staff via employee feedback, improving the organization’s health.
Understand that it’s a process
Organizational cultural change is a multi-year financial and people investment. It takes time and patience to see the changes in workplace culture occur. This is especially true, as it is normal to reassess and pivot if specific strategies are not advancing the overall goal.
Get senior leaders on board
According to Raine Digital, less than one in three executives (28%) report they understand their company’s culture, though they’re aware it’s influential. Even still, the company is in good standing if the employees are confident in your culture, regardless of whether they understand it.
Leadership development through leader buy-in, full commitment, and active involvement are essential for successful culture change. They must use their influence to be vocal and visible so they can inspire, create community engagement, and motivate individuals within the company. Higher-ups need to want to understand the culture, commit time, and share their intellect to create a higher success rate in an inclusive workplace.
Use customer feedback for the better
Besides using employee metrics for statistical data, customer feedback can also provide key information on employee performance, like employee knowledge and gaps in employee training. It’s also important to note workplace culture affects customer experience. A negative work environment can spill over into other areas, like customer experience, leading to unsatisfied customers.
This feedback can also showcase organizational processes that stop a positive work environment in its tracks. For example, a too-complex process might limit the opportunity to empower staff to make customer-related decisions, leading to a higher resolution time.
Leverage metrics that matter
One of the key steps in improving your workplace culture is setting measurable metrics based on your business needs. Identifying your desired outcomes, like employee retention, customer satisfaction, or revenue growth, will help you journey toward a healthier environment. By putting measurable metrics in place, you can better evaluate the effectiveness of your diversity and equality improvement strategies and adjust as needed.
Set the stage for better, challenging conversations
Townhalls, departmental meetings, and focus groups are all opportunities to create a space of open dialogue between all staff levels (aka inclusion!). Integrate it into your company by creating a human-centered, safe space for employees to share their experiences and personal stories. These vulnerable conversations, while challenging, allow leaders to nurture talent, resolve conflicts, and promote growth.
Transparency fosters a community
Based on research conducted by Future Forum, “Employees who perceive their companies to be transparent have 12x greater job satisfaction than employees who have the opposite perception”. Transparency with staff is essential for a better company environment. It helps boost communication between employees and leaders, creates trust, and improves the feeling of employee appreciation.
Employees who feel included in company decisions are more likely to feel valued. That leaves you with higher productivity and more employee engagement in the workplace.
Get ready to flip the cultural switch at your organization! At Levyl Culture, we can provide a coach/mentor or general support to help you create a more diverse, inclusive workplace. With a harmonious workplace environment, leaders can cultivate engaged employees, aiding company-wide prosperity. For more exclusive insights on creating a positive work environment with thriving employees, subscribe to our mailing list!