Culture as Strategy: The Why, The What and The How

The past year and a half has been very difficult for everyone. With the sudden emergence of the COVID-19 virus, people were forced to go to isolation. This crisis left many organizations questioning what will happen as we move forward. The future of work may be a little unclear but this is where we can use Culture as strategy.

It is undeniable that your company’s culture plays a vital role in ensuring you reach your business goals. It is also crucial in retaining your best talents especially now during the Great Resignation. Now that we are in the middle of the pandemic, it is important to build and strengthen your culture and make use of it in the best possible way.?

Last March 8, 2021, we had the chance to converse with Michelle Tenzyk, Kristen Mashburn, Rahul Kalia, Smriti Handa, Pamela Turay, Lauren Rudman about how to build and strengthen your company culture amidst the global pandemic. In this article, you will learn more about Culture as Strategy: The Why, The What, and The How.?

For the past year and a half, many of us have been accustomed to work from home. But as restrictions are beginning to ease, many have been talking about what will be the working set up. Will it be fully returning to office, a hybrid model, or remote working? Regardless of what the organization has decided, this may serve as an opportunity to approach this ‘return to work’ subject not from a business standpoint but as an opportunity to do things differently than before.?

We will never go back to what we used to do thus it is high time to find a different approach to things. This topic on returning to work is different for everyone, especially for global companies who have employees all over the world. Workplace redesign may also take place since we got used to working from home. It is very difficult to go back to our pre-pandemic setup.?

Despite that, this is where company culture can become a competitive advantage. A lot of employers should work on their employer brand to ensure that they are able to attract and retain the right set of people. Now with the phenomenon of Great Resignation wherein many employees are quitting their jobs and changing careers to find better opportunities, it is high time that companies listen to their employees.?

Since there is no one size fits all solution to this, a mass customization should be considered. Your policy must be customized based on the set of employees that you have. Build, strengthen and sustain the culture of the company which is the customization that we need. Leaders must be focused on their employees’ individual needs. More so, it is also crucial to address the skill gap for employees and managers. People's development should not stop and it should be improved. The secret to high engagement and positive work culture is that it can happen anywhere. May it be in a fully remote working setup or a hybrid model. Strong culture can be maintained and built depending on how the leaders deliver their message and their consistency. With continued interpersonal interactions, it will be easier to achieve high engagement and productive workforce. If your strategy is clear but your culture is not, the organization will just suffer. Show your care to your employees and earn their trust, a strengthened culture ensures better engagement and connection. Despite the remote setup, there are many ways in which you can have better communication and connection with your employees. Look for creative approaches to foster collaboration and culture during online meetings.?

Culture is also defined by the external environment and the vision of your organization.?

In the talks of employee’s needs, prioritizing mental health is very important as we move forward. Listen to what your employees have to say. Build a culture wherein people are not afraid to speak up. More so, make sure that you have built a positive work environment for everyone.?

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is also a vital part of building your culture. Make opportunities for everyone. Take bolder risks to change the dynamic of the conversation around DEI. A diverse set of people must have a leader that is willing to listen and include everyone in the conversation.?

In the end, building and strengthening one’s culture will be highly dependent on how the leaders of the organization take actions. Any strong organization is driven by efficient leadership. We must be stronger together. It is now more than ever that leaders should step up and listen to their employees.?

Culture is the outcome of your vision that drives the company.?

If you want to watch the full video, you may head over to Hacking HR LAB: https://www.hackinghrlab.io/library-item/conference-library/99