Experiential Culture

“The companies that survive longest are the ones that work out what they uniquely can give to the world—not just growth or money but their excellence, their respect for others, or their ability to make people happy. Some call those things a soul.” -Charles Handy

I'm obsessed with people, what drives them to grow and change and how healthy business cultures grow people and consequently create successful businesses. At Expitality, we call this Experiential Culture.

Experiential Culture goes far beyond sharing your Core Values and Vision with your staff. It begins by being connected with the values and vision of the individuals that make up your business. It's about creating an environment that not only supports your goals, but facilitates your employees ability to achieve theirs through nurturing a deeper understanding of what your values and vision mean and where they fit. It's about identifying and leveraging the best of each individual by creating experiences that reveal talent, ability and strengths and then provides opportunities for them to meaningfully contribute to the organization. Experiential Culture, at its core, is about creating an Experience that everyone wants to engage in and contribute to.?

Consider these facts:

A recent Harvard Business Review reports that incivility has massively increased and has severe damaging effects on employees. "Stress (is counted as) the number one driver of incivility. 73% of respondents who had been rude to a coworker blamed it on stress, and 61% pointed to being overloaded with work."

An excellent November 2022 Forbes article discusses the impact this seeming pandemic of incivility has made on society. "The lively art of conversation is becoming a lost art, as we turn social media comments into real-life interactions. From the URL to IRL (in real life), keyboard warriors have perhaps emboldened the way that we interact interpersonally - often with disastrous results." The author notes that "In a world where 7 out of 10 employees are looking for another gig or a side hustle, people are not satisfied"?

The American Psychological Society's?2022 Survey shows that "81% of individuals said they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health when they seek future job opportunities."

"More than half of employees (53%) said their employer uses computers, software, cameras, bar-code scanners, or other technologies to monitor them while they work. Of those who reported knowing that they are monitored, about half (51%) said they felt uncomfortable with the way their employer uses technology to track them."

"Working in environments with electronic monitoring was also associated with a variety of mental health concerns. Employees who said they are monitored at work were more likely to report problems with emotional or psychological well-being at work. Six in 10 (60%) of those who said their employer monitors them also said that they typically feel tense or stressed during the workday, in comparison with fewer than four in 10 (35%) of those who said they are not, to their knowledge, monitored at work. Employees who said they are monitored at work were also more likely to report that their work environment has a negative impact on their mental health (45% vs. 22% of those who are not monitored)."

"Among those who reported that their company has EDI initiatives, nearly half (47%) felt the efforts are mostly for show, with 60% of employees between ages 26 and 43; said the efforts are mostly for show."

"1 in five employees described their workplace as somewhat or very toxic."

And Inc. Magazine reports "For years, the surgeon general has been warning that America is in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. Modern work culture is playing a significant part in this deadly epidemic."

According to Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, "In the workplace, new models of working -- such as telecommuting and some on-demand "gig economy" contracting arrangements -- have created flexibility but often reduce the opportunities for in-person interaction and relationships. And even working at an office doesn't guarantee meaningful connections: People sit in an office full of coworkers, even in open-plan workspaces, but everyone is staring at a computer or attending task-oriented meetings where opportunities to connect on a human level are scarce."

Thousands of studies and experiments have been done in an effort to crack the code on what drives a healthy, happy, positive and powerful culture. With all due respect to higher education, why does it take proof from Harvard and psychology experts for us to acknowledge and understand what matters to humans of all kinds? It doesn't need to be so complicated. We believe there is power in simplicity. Think of this power as the fusion of experience and wisdom.

Each Experiential Culture strategy is designed uniquely for your company and includes a creative, customized application of principles that make a difference.

Experiential Culture creates an experience your team members want to be involved and engaged with.

Experiential Culture embraces a vantage point that perceives what the business requires and serves the needs of the people who come together to create a community that builds the business, while at the same time helping each person become a better version of themselves to meet their personal goals.

Experiential Culture is about helping people grow to experience their personal vision and as a result, growing businesses. Growing people grow business.

Implementing What Matters

"Listen thrice. Think twice. Speak once.” ---Anonymous

Consider these essential components of a powerful, positive culture:

Encouraging a big picture perspective driven by Vision.

Creating the language of the organization from the Vision.

Delivering “Belonging Cues” constantly.

Clearly communicating that your business authentically values the Process of Learning, Growing and Personal Development

Valuing everyone's contribution.

Creating Psychological Safety.

Inspiring through Clarity of Direction.

Building Positive Belonging Signals into systems.

Creating Intimate Conversations.

Recognizing individual strengths and preferences

I see you, I value you, I want to connect with you.

Delivering the message that it's safe to Play, have Fun and embrace Laughter.

Creating space for Community.

Encouraging Creativity.

Connecting with everyone.

Creating an Environment everyone wants to Experience.

Allowing Autonomy and Close Proximity.

Prioritizing PEOPLE.

Listening.

Inviting vulnerability through modeling.

Powerful, positive cultures go far beyond the trending nod to the concept of empathy. Connecting with another person’s deep emotions requires investing time in getting to know each person on your team through conversations. Helping people increase their awareness and move towards connection is an ongoing effort.?

Stay tuned for discussions on each of the above aspects of creating a connected, Experiential Culture!