Tips for improving organizational culture
By Linda Devis
January 15, 2007
Improving organizational culture has become a necessity in today's ever-changing business environment. People want to work for an organization where they can be happy and balance work and life. Organizations who treat their members well experience a better retention rate, increased productivity, and a happier overall culture.
Improving organizational culture can be a big challenge for the organization and its members. Focusing on a few important steps will help you get started in improving organizational culture. Getting the right training for your employees is the first step toward improving organizational culture. The other important steps for enhancing organizational culture include:
- Analyze your organization's existing culture and compare it with clients' expectations and perceptions.
- Form a diverse team of interested and enthusiastic people within an organization to enhance the organizational culture.
- Get your team to discuss the current culture and explain the parts of the culture that are already great and need to be supported. Then create a vision of the culture you want to create, taking into account the entire current picture of the organization.
- Provide the appropriate training to the team members regarding the vision of the culture.
- Communicate to everyone to bring awareness about the team and organizational leadership, that this isn't a band-aid or quick fix, but an ongoing, strategic intention to build a more attractive culture that fits the needs of the organization and that can improve its culture.
- Get the cultural team excited. Help the team recognize that not everyone else in the organization is going to think that these efforts are worthwhile immediately. Remember that enthusiasm is contagious. Do what you can to keep the enthusiasm of your team high. If their excitement falters, remind them of the vision they created to reinvigorate them.
Culture improvement is like any other change; it requires champions. The champion needs to be someone who is passionate about creating the new culture.
Any change will have a greater chance of success with momentum. Thus, get started but be committed to building momentum and staying with it. It will be one of the most rewarding efforts you and your team will ever engage in and with this you can bring great improvement in your organizational culture.
The above-mentioned list reflects specific tips that have enhanced and improved the organizational culture of various organizations. Obviously, these are not the only things you can do to enhance your culture, but these will provide you with a good starting point.
For further assistance, contact the Organizational Culture Center, a leader in implementing or changing the organizational culture of organizations, whether a for-profit or nonprofit entity. To receive special reports on organizational culture that includes resources, ideas and advice go to www.organizationalculturecenter.com.
Linda Devis, expert in building high performance cultures and organizational development, is the author of this article on behalf of the Organizational Culture Center. For more information about the center, visit: www.organizationalculturecenter.com.
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