Cultural Transformation As A Driver For Success

A few years ago, an MNC pioneer in their field decided to start their operations in India. Armed with a global reputation for their "People First" approach and stellar HR practices, they set their sights on the Indian market. To start off their operations in India, they roped in the Sales Head of their competitor and made him the MD of their India operations. They hired key heads of various departments from other competitors. Since the company had already defined all the process flows, the same were handed over to their Indian counterparts. Soon, the team was ready to rock the market. With some aggressive targets to chase, the team delivered the expected sales revenue. The Indian venture was on a rapid ascent, growing not only in terms of revenue but also in team size.

Fast forward 5 years, the senior management was having sleepless nights. Attrition had shot up to between 20-25% even though they were already in the top quartile of compensation range. Glassdoor reviews were at an all-time low with more negative comments than ever before. As the senior team - huddled together - a quick survey revealed a glaring disparity between the company's HR policies and their real-world implementation. Majority of the workforce was stressed and felt rudderless. Even the employees who had joined the company right at the start had developed a negative perception of the company.

This is when the company approached us to discuss if we could help them analyse and rectify the situation. After numerous conversations with the management and employees alike, it became clear that what was needed was a "cultural transformation". Despite the company's impeccable HR policies, they had failed to implement them effectively for their Indian operations. There was a chasm between the veteran employees and the fresh recruits. The veterans perceived the newcomers as less productive, while the newcomers felt abandoned, and lacked the support and guidance they needed to thrive in the organisation.?

Worse yet, the toxic twins of groupism and internal politics had infiltrated the company's culture, corroding its very foundation. It was an alarming wake-up call as the management realised that the culture within an organisation is both the compass and the driver that guides its growth trajectory. Cultural transformation was now not just an option; it was imperative. Realigning the company culture with their strategic objectives was the path ahead.?

At this point, it is useful to take a look at the ways in which different types of organisations can benefit from cultural transformation. Some of these are:

• Improved employee engagement and satisfaction: Cultural transformation helps improve employee engagement and satisfaction by creating an environment that aligns with the company's values, fosters clear communication, encourages collaboration, recognises and supports employees, and addresses stress and burnout. When employees feel valued, empowered, and part of a positive workplace culture, they are more likely to be engaged and satisfied in their roles. This helps to boost productivity.
• Enhanced innovation and creativity: When open communication, diversity, learning, collaboration, and a customer-centric mindset are embedded in the culture, employees are more likely to think out of the box and contribute with innovative solutions to challenges and opportunities.
• Better adaptation to change: Cultural transformation creates a foundation for better adaptation to change by encouraging a flexible mindset, effective communication, and a shared vision. It builds resilience, encourages learning, and celebrates success, making it easier for organisations to navigate the ever-changing business landscape with confidence and agility.
• Improved talent attraction and retention: Organisations with a positive and supportive culture attract top talent. These policies can help in recruiting and retaining skilled employees, reducing turnover costs.

• Better decision-making: A healthy culture promotes open communication and diverse perspectives. This can lead to better decision-making as teams are more willing to share ideas and challenge assumptions.

Cultural transformation policies should be tailored to the distinct objectives, prevailing culture, composition of the workforce, and industry dynamics of each organisation. Achieving this level of alignment requires an in-depth examination of the organisation, ensuring that the policies are crafted to suit its requirements.

It has been two years since we completed the process of cultural transformation at the aforementioned company. Similar to how an artist takes pride in their work, we too are delighted to see our client thriving in their field. Regular assessments confirm that the changes recommended by us are showing great results. When they share employee photos on their social media handles, and we witness those genuine smiles, we realise that these smiles stem from the happiness the team experiences while working for the company, and are not forced just for the sake of a camera or a social media post.

If you want to discuss how our experts can help in enabling your team to perform better, contact us now .