Cultural transformation: What are the key drivers of employee engagement for a change of culture

Quels sont les leviers et les freins de la transformation culturelle ? Comment engager et accompagner les collaborateurs, le middle management et même la direction de l’entreprise dans cette voie ? What are the drivers and barriers when it comes to cultural transformation? How do you engage and support company employees, middle management and even senior management on this path? What constitutes best practice? What is the role of HR in such a cultural shift? These are the key questions that we discussed at the final Inside Success Lab of the year. This article summarizes the answers shared among our members.

Cultural Transformation: Drivers and Barriers

Corporate culture is the foundation for change

• In order to fully entrench change, it is important to instill a meaningful corporate culture beforehand
• Transformation involves defining a clear vision that is aligned with a pre-existing corporate culture
• For those yet to establish a corporate culture, digital transformation represents an opportunity to create one and give it substance

Barriers to cultural transformation

• A change in governance
• A reluctance to “think outside the box” in terms of organized workstreams
• Conflicting values or wishes of one department with those of the group
• Decentralized authority
• Pressure from employees who are focused only on short-term objectives
• The scale effect of large-scale “deployment” of initiatives

Exemplary management—A simple prerequisite, complex to illustrate

• For it to be relayed effectively, senior managers must epitomize any transformation
• It has to conform with a holistic vision
• It is important for managers to take on the role of project champions
• The greatest driver of cultural change is the commitment of middle management

The invisible wall: When managers form an obstacle to transformation

• The role of managers can encompass significant cultural shifts, which may be impeded by a fear of change (a fear of lost status or lack of effort)
• Consolidate their leadership using various methods: transforming processes, designating ambassadors for change, etc.
• In terms of public services, information can be perceived as a bargaining chip by middle management, who may withhold it to “cling onto power”

Best Practices

Build trust and motivate

• The main objective is to motivate, build trust and offer support throughout the transition
• Set up peer-to-peer discussion groups on a volunteer basis to facilitate sharing of information
• Companies or local government entities often use a relocation to new premises as a catalyst for cultural change, in particular via a change in working practices
• Cultural transformation is achieved when a company successfully motivates and builds trust among its employees (“employee as a consumer”) by encouraging self-empowerment using simple and engaging tools

Give managers the keys to successful transformation

• Managers must learn to work with their teams and allow them to put forward ideas
• Time must be set aside for managers to work on transformation, in addition to the time spent on their everyday duties
• The reduced responsibility that comes with open access to information represents a huge time-saver for managers (who are no longer tasked with providing such information)
• Simple and effective tools can help managers to communicate and share information, while involving them in the transformation process

Market your internal transformation projects

• Companies have undergone transformations with great success through corporate cultural leadership that places equal value on both internal and external marketing
• A host of measures and support can be put in place to gain traction among all target groups, including video testimonials, best practices shared by ambassadors or gaming

Equip the leaders of change by going digital

• Digital tools facilitate the ongoing moderation of all transformation projects by optimizing resources and providing employees with a personalized transition experience, whereby they have “on demand” access to the adoption drivers designed for them. Find out more.

The Inside Success Lab meets every trimester. To find out more and be co-opted into the circle: Contact us!