Shape and Sustain Organizational Culture

A gap remains between organizations’ stated culture (espoused values) and employees’ lived experience. This gap varies by employee level, with leaders of leaders having more positive perceptions of their organization’s culture than nonmanagers.
HR departments know that shaping and sustaining culture is important for achieving desired organizational outcomes, but few believe that HR is very effective in doing so.

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Our Advice

Critical Insight

Shaping an organizational culture where everyone thrives hinges on leadership role modeling, implementation of strategically aligned culture initiatives, and HR alignment, all of which reinforce the desired values and behaviors. Culture sustainment enhances competitive advantage and supports the achievement of desired organizational outcomes.

Impact and Result

Clarify key players’ roles and accountabilities in managing and reinforcing culture change.
Bridge the gap between your current and desired culture, addressing pain points, preserving strengths, and building a competitive advantage.
Align HR programs (e.g. performance management, recognition) and build leadership accountability to reinforce desired behaviors and maintain shifts in mindsets and beliefs.
Implement change management tactics and sustainment components to embed the desired culture into the organization’s day-to-day operations.

Shape and Sustain Organizational Culture Research & Tools

1. Prepare for culture change

Identify the driving need for culture change, determine the scope of change, assemble a cross-functional team, and set goals and metrics.

2. Work with leaders on culture initiatives

Gain leaders’ commitment for culture change and partner with them to develop culture initiatives and prepare action plans.

3. Identify opportunities for HR alignment

Identify opportunities for HR culture initiatives to reinforce the desired culture and create roadmaps for each prioritized initiative.

4. Manage and sustain culture change

Craft communications about high-level culture change and prepare change management plans for each culture initiatives.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 11 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Prepare for culture change

Call 1: Discuss the driving need for culture change, evaluate the organization’s level of readiness, uncover existing subcultures, and determine the scope of change.
Call 2: Conduct a key player analysis and assemble a cross-functional team to lead culture change.
Call 3: Set goals and metrics to track the success of culture change and prepare to build accountability.

Guided Implementation 2: Work with leaders on culture initiatives

Call 1: Understand the role of leaders and prepare to gain their commitment for culture change.
Call 2: Enable leaders’ reflection and prepare them to align their teams’ work practices to the desired culture.
Call 3: Discuss how to develop culture initiatives and prepare action plans with leaders.

Guided Implementation 3: Identify opportunities for HR alignment

Call 1: Prepare HR for culture change and discuss opportunities for HR culture initiatives to reinforce the desired culture.
Call 2: Prioritize culture initiatives and create roadmaps.

Guided Implementation 4: Manage and sustain culture change

Call 1: Review key considerations, discuss how to craft communications for key audiences about high-level culture change, and prepare to address behaviors that hinder culture change.
Call 2: Prepare to support initiative owners in creating change management plans for their culture initiatives.
Call 3: Determine how progress on culture change and initiatives will be measured to inform future iterations.

Contributors

Allen Annet, HR/OD Consultant and Executive Coach, DMD Connects
Jennifer Baar, Sr. Human Resources Business Partner, SMART Technologies
Richard Barrett, Speaker, Author, and Values Thought Leader, Barrett Values Centre
Greg Bresner, CEO, Culture IQ
Maria Buchholz, Associate Vice President of Human Resources, University of Calgary
Phil Buckley, Managing Director, Change with Confidence
Chad Carr, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Principled Transformation
Alexis Dean, Founder and Chief Experience Officer, Dovetail
Amy Dodson, Director, People Operations, Hire Heroes USA
Joshua M. Evans, Keynote Speaker & Co-founder and Managing Director, Far Flung Creative
Michael Franklin, Employee Engagement Specialist, MagnaCare
Shane Green, CEO, Foley Entertainment Group
Matthew (Matt) Herzberg, Managing Partner, Principled Transformation
Dr. Ivan Joseph, Director of Athletics, Toronto Metropolitan University
Carol Leaman, CEO, Axonify
Tanya Liblik, Principal, ITP | It’s the People
Edward Marshall, Adjunct Professor, Duke University
Colleen Meeker, Vice President of Human Resources, Victorinox Swiss Army
Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus, WD-40 Company
Catherine Spence, Co-Founder, Pomello
Carolyn Taylor, CEO, Walking the Talk
Dr. Felice Tilin, President and CEO, GroupWorksConsulting LLC
Dr. John Traphagan, Professor of Religious Studies and Human Dimensions of Organization, University of Texas
Dr. David S. Weiss, President & CEO, Weiss International Ltd.