How do you analyse your current organisational culture?

A lot has changed over the last year. Including the meaning of work for employees.

Teams have been introduced to “furloughing” for the first time, they’ve become home-schoolers and their reason to get up in the morning: trust us when we say it’s changed. Safety, flexibility and purpose now take precedence for employees while they navigate the new world and their ever-changed organisations.

Now (more than ever) is the time to take the pulse of your organisational culture. Why? Because, like sales and ROI, company culture and employee experience are also an extremely reliable predictor of successful company performance. And like every revenue driver, they should be analysed and measured. Especially right now, when times are so tough.

So, just how do you set about analysing your company’s existing culture?

1. Observe

Ask and observe:

• How do people interact?
• What behaviours do people demonstrate?
• What approach do leaders take? Are they collaborative, do they bark orders?
• How are conflicts resolved?
• How do employees interact with managers and senior leaders?

2. Interview

As many people as you can from across the organisation. Ensure you’re interviewing a representative sample – those on the “front-line”, senior managers, remote workers etc. Start with asking how they feel about the culture. But, be prepared – this won’t be enough to (?). Culture is challenging to articulate and so, you’ll benefit from asking indirect questions. A few examples are:

• What do you think of the office environment?
• What motivates you to come into work every day?
• What would you tell your friend about us before they came to work here?
• What is the one thing you would change about working here?
• What is the best thing about working here?
• Who do you admire in the company?
• What do our company values mean to you?
• How do you contribute towards the purpose of the organisation?
• What makes you feel like you belong here?

3. Don’t take existing employees’ word for it

Head to Glassdoor and check out your recent reviews. Why people left and why the organisation wasn’t for them, can tell you a lot about your current culture.

4. Implement a pulse survey

The last year has significantly accelerated work trends such as home-working, flexi-hours, people starting side-hustles. All of this has a significant impact on your company culture. And, if you’re waiting for the annual employee survey to get a feeling for your company culture, you’re doing it wrong. Weekly pulse surveys are a great way to ask questions and get immediate feedback – meaning you can intervene and nudge your culture easier if needed.

Following these four simple steps will help you to develop a snapshot of your current culture. And understanding where you are right now? Well, that’s the prerequisite to improving.

You’re welcome! ?