I can't tell you how many times I have seen companies try to change their culture by implementing new policies or 'culture transformation programs' both of which have their place but the fundamental element they miss is really understanding how their people feel & the impact their feelings & emotions have on an organisations culture.
People are what make an organisations culture. Not just the leadership team, every single employee in the organisation impacts the culture so if you are serious about improving your organisation's culture, take the time to understand how your people are really feeling & build your strategy around that.
How people 'feel' or are 'made to feel' at work can make or break an organisations culture yet most organisations and leaders still don't pay enough attention to how employees are or should be feeling. They underestimate how central emotions are to building the right culture and employee experience.
Positive feelings influence satisfaction, connection, motivation & engagement. They are associated with productivity, performance, quality & positive workplace cultures. Whereas negative feelings usually lead to negative outcomes, poor performance, high staff turnover & a poor organisational culture.
Behavioural science tells us that emotions drive our behaviour, So when we understand & influence how people feel, we can understand & influence their behaviour.
"The Emotional culture of an organisation influences employee satisfaction, burnout, teamwork, financial performance & absenteeism". (Jeremy Dean, The Emotional Culture Deck)
So let's stop thinking we can change a culture by changing or implementing new policies. Let's start understanding our people and influencing their behaviour that is what will create sustainable culture change.
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" (Maya Angelou).
The Emotional Culture Deck is a tool that we have been using at Insync Workplace Solutions to help organisations understand & create sustainable change in their workplace culture. It is a uniquely powerful way to create human conversations about what really matters in the workplace. It nudges vulnerability. Builds empathy, creates connections & fosters trust within a team & an organisation something policies can't do.
Remember "Emotions drive our behaviour, so when we understand & influence how people feel, we can understand & influence their behaviour". This is the foundation for building a positive, inclusive, human-centred employee experience & workplace culture.
Change your team, Change your culture, Change your results. Reach out to our team today at enquiry@insyncworkplacesolutions.com.au to find out how we can help you transform your Organisation's culture.
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