Cultural transformation and behaviour change are notoriously challenging endeavours in the corporate world. Countless organisations struggle to achieve their culture transformation goals, as research consistently reveals. However, at the recent CultureScope Club Q3 Event, we delved deep into the heart of successful organisational culture transformations. Through a series of compelling case studies shared by fellow members, we explored diverse goals, measurement approaches, intervention strategies, challenges, and most importantly, the insights gained.
Case Study 1: Banking on Culture Transformation
A major UK-based bank embarked on an ambitious culture transformation journey. Their initial focus was on living up to the company’s values and enhancing risk management and consumer duty. Their approach leveraged CultureScope’s predictive analytics to uncover the behaviours aligned with the bank’s values and risk management objectives. They identified development areas to do with empowering teams and fostering collective innovation, which led to multiple company-wide actions and interventions.
The team articulated that they faced challenges with responding to the dynamic nature of culture, emphasizing the need for continuous measurement and agility. Shortly after implementing interventions around communication, prioritization, and leadership development, the bank experienced dramatic shifts in targeted behaviours as well as positive changes in 100% of the outcomes measured. The team emphasised that their culture transformation is still a work in progress at the bank but are pleased to see the significant progress made on their journey toward embedding their desired culture.
Case Study 2: A Journey of Values and Engagement
A Middle Eastern telecommunications company shared their culture transformation journey. Their objectives included evaluating their current values and their impact on company engagement and well-being outcomes. Their approach involved deploying CultureScope to identify the necessary behaviours to drive desired engagement outcomes. They implemented an extensive range of interventions, from new companywide artefacts, innovation portals, and leadership development initiatives to new communication channels. The team were relentless in ensuring that employee capability building, and organisational systems were strongly aligned with the target behaviours.
The team faced challenges around adapting to new leadership and ensuring openness to culture change. However, the culture transformation actions enabled a profound culture shift, with employees reporting strong alignment to the organisation’s values, and the key behaviours underpinning these values.
Case Study 3: Proactive Culture Shaping in a Diverse Environment
A prominent energy company took the stage to discuss a series of culture change initiatives that they have undertaken across various segments of their business. Their primary aim was to proactively drive the culture they needed rather than leaving it to chance. They emphasized the importance of diagnostics upfront. Their approach included (1) Mapping CultureScope dimensions against World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Leadership Attributes, (2) Deploying CultureScope consistently across different business areas, (3) Identifying culture gaps and leading indicators of desired outcomes to inform interventions.
The outcome? They witnessed significant culture shifts and are now gearing up for remeasurement. Notably, they highlighted the challenge of dealing with “micro-cultures” within their large organisation and the need for tailored measurement strategies. Leader buy-in was crucial, and CultureScope helped them synthesize an abundance of data and focus on behaviour-driven outcomes. Metrics rooted in behavioural science proved invaluable for shaping leadership and organisational development strategies.
Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts
The event was a testament to the power of sharing insights and experiences within the CultureScope Club community. Attendees learned lessons about the intricacies of culture transformation and the critical role of behavioural insights, evidence-based intervention planning, senior leader sponsorship and an agile approach to strategy and planning. The consensus was clear: culture is an ever-evolving work in progress that requires a holistic approach, top-down and bottom-up input, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
In the face of the challenges that come with cultural transformation, one thing became evident at the CultureScope Club Q3 Event: the effort put into strategically measuring and designing culture is not only worth it but essential for organisations looking to thrive in a constantly evolving business landscape.
