What is a Culture Audit?
Summary
A Culture Audit is a systematic analysis of Organisational Culture and is the first step towards Culture Change. An audit is designed to reveal deep insights into the inner workings of an organisation (such as a business, school, or charity). It doesn’t cover the products or services that make up the business of the organisation. Rather, it uncovers the human side - how well people work together, their collective beliefs and processes.
A Culture Audit can be conducted by an internal team, or an external team such as by consultants like ourselves. It normally involves tasks like:
Determining desired culture. Sometimes this is treated as quite separate from the audit process, but it’s helpful to provide a comparison point and longer term goal.
Data collection such as surveys, interviews, focus groups.
Data analysis to figure out the current culture.
Presentation of results to all stakeholders.
The outputs should be an identification of the current culture with respect to the desired culture, which then helps leaders identify areas of strength and areas in need of improvement. This improvement process is known as Culture Change and the benefits of a positive culture can be profound.
For more information you can read about how to conduct a culture audit yourself or get in touch with us.
What is Organisational Culture?
Organisational culture itself is broad, multifaceted and quite dynamic. Briefly, we can think of it as the collective set of beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, and norms that shape how individuals within the organisation interact with one another and approach their work. It's the shared mindset and attitudes that define how employees interact, how work gets done, and what the company stands for beyond its products or services. More than just a buzzword, organisational culture is a fundamental aspect that influences every facet of an organisation's operations and success.
At its core, organisational culture is like the personality of a company. Its rules are unwritten, for the most part, yet it governs and guides how employees think, make decisions, and behave. Culture permeates through every level of an organisation, affecting the relationships between colleagues, how conflicts are resolved, and how leaders lead. Culture is about shared understanding and consensus. It's not something that can be created or changed overnight.
A strong organisational culture acts as a guiding compass, helping employees understand what is expected of them and how they can contribute to the company's goals. It provides a sense of shared identity and unity, fostering a deeper connection and commitment to the organisation’s mission. Positive cultures promote collaboration, creativity, and innovation by creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and individuals are empowered to contribute their unique strengths. Conversely, a toxic or unhealthy culture can hinder growth and innovation, leading to high turnover rates, low morale, and poor performance.
It's crucial to note that culture is not static. It evolves over time as the organisation grows, adapts to market changes, and responds to internal dynamics. As such, organisations must actively cultivate and shape their culture to align with their values, strategic goals, and the ever-changing needs of their workforce and industry.
In practical terms, culture appears in various ways within the workplace. From the daily behaviours and interactions of employees, in the language they use, to the symbols and rituals that are a part of the organisational routine. It can be seen in how meetings are conducted, how conflicts are resolved, and how decisions are made. All of these aspects of workplace life are influenced and shaped by the prevailing culture.
Please also see our article: Why is Organisational Culture So Important?