What is Culture Change?
Culture Change refers to the transformation in the underlying beliefs, values, practices, and behaviours within an organisation. This shift often aims to align the organisational culture more closely with current objectives, strategies, or external environments, driving improved performance, employee engagement, and adaptability to change.
Why is Culture Change relevant to internal comms?
Culture Change is profoundly relevant to internal communications professionals because it's primarily facilitated through effective communication. Internal comms play a critical role in articulating the vision for the change, engaging employees in the process, and ensuring a shared understanding and commitment to new cultural norms and values.
Examples of Culture Change in internal comms
An example might include an internal campaign to foster a more innovative culture, featuring storytelling around successful innovations, recognising employee contributions to innovation, and providing forums for sharing ideas.
Best practices for Culture Change
Clearly communicate the reasons for the change, the envisioned culture, and the benefits for employees and the organisation.
Engage employees at all levels in the change process to gain buy-in and insights.
Model the desired cultural attributes at the leadership level and recognise cultural alignment in employees.
Common challenges for Culture Change
Overcoming resistance to change and the inertia of existing cultural norms
Ensuring consistency in the new cultural messages across all departments and levels
Measuring and sustaining the change over time
What does Culture Change mean for frontline teams?
For frontline teams, Culture Change can mean a shift in daily practices, team dynamics, and interactions with customers. It's essential that these teams understand how the change affects their roles and are supported through the transition to embody the new culture in their work.
Culture Change FAQs
How can you measure the success of Culture Change?
Through employee engagement surveys, feedback mechanisms, and observing changes in behaviour and decision-making that align with the new culture.
What strategies can facilitate effective Culture Change?
Clear communication, leadership involvement, employee engagement, and aligning systems and processes with the desired culture are key strategies.
How long does Culture Change typically take?
Culture Change is often a gradual process that can take several years, depending on the depth of the change and the size of the organisation.
