Organizational Culture Cannot Be Static

Changing your culture is not a one-time event that involves an employee survey or a new foosball table in the break room. Culture change must be a deliberate effort to redefine how people think, feel, and act to drive business success

- Elizebeth Varghese

The pandemic has fundamentally changed work and life. It has been a significant catalyst that has transformed our outlook on people, work, and culture. The new world of work warrants agility, adaptability, innovation, and customer-centricity as the critical components of work culture.

COVID-19 has upended the culture at work. Remote and hybrid modes of work have challenged how leaders and co-workers connect. With uncertain times still at the forefront – and hybrid work set to be planned by most employers over the coming months, a new approach to culture must uphold more inclusive communication methods with remote workers.

That is because, unlike preCOVID-19 times, employees are no longer anchored to their desks. Instead, workers are now increasingly mobile, location-agnostic, and demand more flexible work arrangements. This calls for the consideration of adjusting policies and procedures moving forward.

As a result, the needs of workers and employees are getting complicated. So, how can companies create a vibrant culture where the best minds are connected and driven to perform at their optimum levels? It is crucial to focus on three critical aspects of corporate cultural transformation – talent, tech, and leadership.

Talent

According to a recent study by the IBM IBV (Institute for Business Value), “The traditional ways of assessing performance, of judging which businesses are worth learning from, were dramatically upended in 2020… The global pandemic and ensuing rolling lockdowns ravaged some industries and locations while boosting others. Moreover, the heavy impact of circumstantial factors meant that sometimes merely being in the right place was rewarded, and merely being in the wrong place was punished.”