Company culture can’t stand in the way of lasting change
One of the biggest barriers to delivering lasting change within a business is company culture. At the same time, according to Entec Si CEO Eman Al Hillawi, businesses need to think if a change project is always worth the risk of damaging a positive workplace culture.
The old saying goes, “why fix something that isn’t broken?” But that’s not always entirely applicable. Having a great company culture doesn’t exclude a business from needing to undergo change. It just means that in some cases, having a positive company culture with clear communication channels, a happy team and empowered leadership might make undergoing a transformation just that little bit easier.
Of course, some organisations may already struggle with company culture, which, in turn leaves senior leaders nervous about implementing change. Rather than risking rocking the boat, they instead bury their heads in the sand and continue to operate as usual, leaving them at risk of financial losses, stagnation and falling behind the curve. It is understandable why they feel the need to avoid change, but the truth is that without it, organisations will flatline, therefore they must look to implement not only business improvements but also culture change simultaneously.
Instead of avoiding change altogether, organisations should identify the areas of their culture that must be protected or enhanced to navigate the appropriate ways to protect values, behaviours and trust.
A huge part of cultivating a positive culture is to embrace continuous learning and improvement which can be done by bringing employees along on the change journey. Involving the team right from the very beginning of the project and giving each individual a meaningful role to play is a great way to encourage and foster a positive working environment. Lack of training will leave employees without the necessary skills, tools and willingness to adjust and sustain the change, so building a capable and confident workforce will ensure that change is accepted and sticks.
For example, during the planning and strategy phase of a digital transformation, business leaders should consult the wider team to share the future plans of the business and collect feedback on the proposed changes. In this consultation, leaders will have the opportunity to pick up on early signs of resistance that could be having an adverse impact on company culture, then an appropriate plan of action can be developed.
This might be to encourage specific employees to take ownership of roles within the change process, for example, acting as a change champion and a first port of call for others needing support. Not only will this encourage ownership and engagement in the transformation project but also help to maintain a positive workplace culture at the same time.
Culture and change
Improving company culture can be as simple as fixing the issues that management might not always have oversight of. In order for this to happen, there needs to be a strong foundation of trust built to allow employees to open up honestly about the working environment. It’s vital that managers lead by example and demonstrate the behaviours that they want others to follow. Scheduling regular engagement sessions to listen to concerns and act on feedback will build trust.
One-to-one meetings with team members where they ensure employees that all feedback is strictly confidential will also build psychological safety and create authentic engagement. Some team members may be hesitant to provide honest feedback at the risk of facing negative repercussions, so, it’s important for managers to remain empathetic and true to their word, otherwise they risk losing the trust of the team.
Maintaining trust is not just about upholding confidentiality but also relies on leaders acting on the information that has been made available to them, where they can. Employees want to feel seen and heard in the workplace and implementing culture change based on firsthand feedback is a great way to solidify this relationship and ensure employees remain engaged. If nothing changes, the risk of employee dissatisfaction increases, making business transformation harder to navigate.
Leading an organisation through culture change and a business transformation simultaneously is tricky, even maintaining a positive environment for employees through a project can be difficult, but it is possible. Avoiding change altogether can lead to innovation stagnation, employee burnout and in some cases, financial loses through decreased productivity and efficiency.
To ultimately find success in business and culture change, a top-down approach to leadership, influence and communication is essential. Employees need to feel heard to feel valued, so putting people at the heart of every change project, whether that be culture or digital focused, is vital. Communication is key and can be demonstrated through regular face-to-face meetings, regular communication and open conversations around experiences with company culture to allow for improvements without the risk of negative repercussions.
Culture plays a huge role in the success of a change project. Businesses that are aware their culture may need some work can use a change journey to re-align the team through shared goals and values. A happy team is an empowered team and by having the majority on board for a transformation project, change is far more likely to have a lasting positive impact on a business, improving culture and process at the same time.
Eman Al-Hillawi is CEO at business change consultancy Entec Si.
