Culture Audit Step 6: Compare with Desired Culture
Introduction
Organisational culture serves as the foundation that shapes the attitudes, behaviours, and overall dynamics within an organisation. For an organisation to thrive and achieve its goals, it is essential that its culture aligns with its mission, vision, and values. Conducting a culture audit is a critical step in assessing the alignment between the current cultural state and the desired culture defined by the organisation's core principles. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the process of comparing the current cultural state with the desired culture, identifying areas of alignment and improvement, and implementing strategies to foster positive cultural change.
Understanding the Significance of Culture Alignment
Culture alignment refers to the congruence between an organisation's current culture and its desired culture, as outlined in the mission, vision, and values. When the culture aligns with these guiding principles, employees share a collective sense of purpose, and their behaviours reflect the organisation's core beliefs. This alignment creates a positive work environment that fosters employee engagement, collaboration, and productivity. On the other hand, a misaligned culture can lead to confusion, resistance to change, and a lack of commitment to the organisation's objectives.
Comparing Current and Desired Cultural States
Step 1: Define the Desired Culture
The first step in the culture audit comparison process is to clearly define the desired culture. This is a significant step in its own right and needs to be carefully considered. Each organisation’s culture will be different, it is important to determine what is right for yours.
A well-defined desired organisational culture serves as the North Star for guiding an organisation towards its vision and strategic objectives. It shapes the attitudes, behaviours, and norms that govern how work is done and how employees interact within the workplace. To define the desired organisational culture effectively, it is essential to engage key stakeholders, articulate the core values, and align the culture with the overall business strategy. In this section, we will explore the step-by-step process of defining the desired organisational culture:
Engage Key Stakeholders
Defining the desired organisational culture is not a task that can be accomplished in isolation. It requires the active involvement of key stakeholders, including senior leadership, department heads, and employees at various levels. By involving stakeholders from different areas of the organisation, you ensure diverse perspectives, fostering a culture that resonates with the entire workforce.
Hold brainstorming sessions, focus groups, and town hall meetings to gather input and insights from stakeholders. Encourage open and honest discussions about the current culture, strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations for the future. This collaborative approach creates a sense of ownership and commitment to the culture-defining process.
Revisit the Mission and Vision
The mission and vision statements serve as the foundation of an organisation's purpose and long-term goals. When defining the desired culture, it is crucial to revisit and reaffirm these statements. Analyse whether the current mission and vision align with the future direction of the organisation.
The desired organisational culture should be intrinsically linked to the mission and vision, reflecting the values and principles that support the achievement of these goals. Ensure that the culture reinforces the organisation's strategic intent and creates a sense of purpose among employees.
Articulate Core Values
Core values are the fundamental beliefs that guide an organisation's behaviours and decision-making processes. They are the principles that shape the desired culture and set the standards for employee conduct. Articulate core values that reflect the organisation's identity, principles, and long-term objectives.
Consider the following factors while defining core values:
Authenticity: Ensure that the core values genuinely reflect the beliefs and principles of the organisation. Avoid generic statements that do not resonate with the organisational culture.
Inclusivity: Engage stakeholders to identify values that foster inclusivity and create a sense of belonging for all employees. Inclusive values promote diversity and embrace the uniqueness of each individual.
Aspiration: While core values should reflect the existing cultural strengths, they should also inspire employees to strive for continuous improvement and growth.
Clarity: Make the core values concise and easy to understand. Ambiguous or convoluted values can lead to confusion and hinder cultural alignment.
Once defined, the core values should be effectively communicated throughout the organisation. Ensure they are visible in employee handbooks, office spaces, and internal communication channels.
Define Cultural Behaviours
Culture is not merely a set of values on paper; it is the collective behaviours that reflect those values in action. While defining the desired organisational culture, identify specific behaviours that align with the core values and contribute to the desired cultural state.
For example, if one of the core values is "collaboration," the associated behaviours could include:
Openly sharing information and knowledge with colleagues.
Actively seeking diverse perspectives and ideas from team members.
Encouraging cross-functional collaboration and breaking down silos.
Recognising and rewarding teamwork and cooperative efforts.
Defining cultural behaviours helps employees understand what is expected of them and sets clear standards for evaluating performance and conduct.
Incorporate Employee Feedback
Employees are at the heart of an organisation's culture. Their insights and experiences provide invaluable input when defining the desired culture. Engage employees through surveys, focus groups, and suggestion boxes to gather feedback on their desires for the organisational culture and their aspirations for the future.
By incorporating employee feedback, you can address cultural pain points, align the culture with employees' needs, and ensure that the desired culture is one that resonates with the workforce.
Align Culture with Business Strategy
An effective organisational culture aligns with the overall business strategy. It reinforces the organisation's competitive advantage and supports the achievement of strategic goals. As you define the desired culture, consider how it complements the business strategy and creates a competitive edge.
For example, if the business strategy is focused on innovation and agility, the desired culture should promote risk-taking, adaptability, and a willingness to experiment. Aligning culture with business strategy ensures that all aspects of the organisation work cohesively towards a shared vision.
Step 2: Compare the Current Cultural State with the Desired State
Once a well-defined desired culture has been established, the next step is to compare it with the outputs of your culture audit. A culture audit is a valuable tool that provides quantitative and qualitative data about the current state of the organisational culture. By comparing the survey results with the desired culture, leaders can identify areas of alignment and misalignment, understand the gaps between the current and desired states, and develop targeted strategies for cultural improvement. In this section, we will explore the process of comparing a well-defined desired culture with the outputs of a culture audit:
Identify and Align Correlating Categories
The first step in comparing the desired culture with the culture audit data is to identify and align correlating categories between the two datasets. As the data from the culture audit is likely to be quite distributed, it is essential to start with the desired culture and look for corresponding data points in the culture audit.
Begin by reviewing the well-defined desired culture framework established in the earlier stages of the culture audit. Familiarise yourself with the core values, cultural behaviours, and strategic alignment outlined in the desired culture. This review serves as a reference point to assess the extent to which the current culture aligns with the vision for the future.
Next, delve into the data collected through the culture audit. Analyse the survey responses, interview transcripts, focus group feedback, and other relevant data sources to find elements that correspond to the desired cultural behaviours and values.
Look for cultural dimensions where the survey responses demonstrate consistency with the desired cultural behaviours and values. For example, if one of the core values is "innovation," look for survey responses that indicate a culture of creativity, risk-taking, and idea-sharing. Identify specific survey questions or qualitative feedback that align with the desired culture's focus on innovation.
By aligning correlating categories, you establish a basis for a side-by-side comparison of the current and desired cultures.
Make Comparisons
With the correlating categories aligned, you can now make a comprehensive comparison between the current and desired cultural states. Examine each aspect of the desired culture and assess its level of reflection in the culture audit data.
For areas of alignment, celebrate the progress made in creating a culture that aligns with the organisation's vision and values. Acknowledge and appreciate the cultural dimensions where the survey results demonstrate consistency with the desired state.
On the other hand, for areas of misalignment, it is essential to identify the root causes and understand why the current culture falls short of the desired state. Pay close attention to survey responses that indicate a lack of adherence to the desired cultural behaviours or values.
For example, if a core value is "collaboration," but the survey results show that employees feel siloed and struggle with cross-functional teamwork, this indicates a misalignment between the current and desired culture. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses can be particularly insightful in uncovering specific pain points or cultural challenges faced by employees.
Compile Reports
After conducting a comprehensive comparison between the desired culture and the culture audit data, it is essential to compile detailed reports that present the findings in a clear and concise manner. The reports should clearly identify areas of alignment and misalignment between the current and desired cultures.
To effectively communicate the key points, consider using visual aids, charts, and summaries in addition to detailed analysis. The report should be structured in a way that enables easy review and understanding by all stakeholders, including senior leadership, department heads, and culture champions.
By providing a comprehensive report, you empower decision-makers with valuable insights into the organisation's current cultural landscape. The report should serve as a basis for informed decision-making and guide the development of targeted strategies for cultural improvement.
Conclusion
Comparing a well-defined desired culture with the outputs of a culture audit is a critical step in the culture audit process. It enables leaders to identify areas of alignment and misalignment, which will ultimately lead to prioritising areas for improvement, and developing targeted strategies for cultural enhancement. By engaging key stakeholders and involving employees in the process, organisations can foster a culture that aligns with their vision and values, driving long-term success and creating a thriving work environment for all. The culture audit, combined with the commitment to continuous improvement, empowers organisations to create a positive and impactful organisational culture that attracts top talent, inspires innovation, and achieves sustainable growth in today's dynamic business landscape.