SHAPING ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
The culture of an organisation is shaped in many different ways with a variety of positive and negative outcomes For example, in some organisations, the CEO with the support of other directors is perceived to shape the culture. In other organisations, the shaping is done by the HR team, which includes those skilled in organisational design.
Although a great deal of thought and effort goes into culture shaping it is interesting to note that feedback from employees suggests that it fails to match the rhetoric. I have been involved in a range of both public and private organisations that were investing significant resources to achieve their mission, vision and value statement. Unfortunately, in spite of genuine intent and effort the outcomes tended to fall short of what was desired. Although the reasons for the less than desirable outcomes are many, I will set out below what can lead to shaping a culture that is less effective to shaping one that potentially could be the most effective.
MAKING HR WORK FOR EVERYONE
HR policy and practices have a huge influence on determining the actual culture as they underpin how people are treated within an organisation and therefore influence how people behave. The outcome of wellbeing and effective achievement or alternatively stress, frustration and lack of performance, depends on how well the HR policies and practices are aligned to the espoused culture.The consequences can result in employees feeling (or not feeling) a sense of fairness/equity, being engaged/motivated, effectively led and managed.
I have observed the following ends of a continuum of two distinct organizational cultures that emerge from the implementation of HR policy and practices. These are the
- HR Dependency (Approval) Driven Culture
- HR Enabling/Engaged Driven Culture
The HR Dependency (Approval) Driven Culture describes how at one end of a HR policy and practices continuum the outputs produce significantly less effective results from employees. In my experience these organisations usually have employees with the capability of producing truly outstanding results if only they had been provided with effective leadership and an enabling environment.
Outlined below is the HR Enabling/Engaged Driven Culture. This describes a culture that will enable employees to produce results that most organisations dream of achieving.
HR ENABLING/ENGAGED DRIVEN CULTURE
In essence – this culture enables team leaders and individuals/teams to be empowered and accountable for delivering agreed outputs/outcomes. Most importantly, HR policy and practices (frameworks) align to this way of operating. The following scenarios are lived in this culture
Me, the Empowered Person
- I understand what the organisation wants to achieve
- I know what I have to achieve – aligned to the above (outputs and outcomes) – working in partnership/collaboration as required
- I have the tools and capability to do this work
- I take the decisions/accountability for achieving
- I inform and am informed
- I receive feedback on how well I am doing
- I get whatever training/coaching I need to improve
- I have access to development opportunities that grow my capabilities
- I am aware of promotion opportunities that suit my talent
- I am appropriately rewarded for my contribution
- I raise and resolve issues directly with those concerned
- I am motivated and engaged in my organisation’s goals
- My organisation has an enabling performance culture
- I am valued: I add value
Team Leaders – Accountable for leading the most important asset –people!!
Team Leaders are expected to take accountability for delivering effective leadership. They have the capability to take on the ‘people management’ functions and deliver within the aligned HR policy and practices (frameworks) of the organisation.
The demands from a rapidly changing world require every employee to be able to make an effective contribution and this can only be achieved by having an enabling organisational culture. This type of environment produces people who would give the following feedback about their Team Leader:
My Empowered Team Leader
- Is a People Manager who is capable and effective at:
- recruitment and selection
- performance management (outputs, outcomes)
- assessment and implementation of rewards
- coaching, mentoring, training, counseling
- acquiring effective resources required by the team
- ‘living’ enabling culture practices
My Team Leader is the right person to do this as he/she
- Provides leadership on what needs to be achieved
- Acquires team members based on the capabilities required
- Enables team/individuals to draw up plans on the part that they need to achieve
- Ensures the team/individuals acquire the resources they need to achieve their outcomes
- Monitors the overall progress being evaluated by individuals/team towards achievement
- Responds to performance issues as needed
- Keeps the bigger picture in focus
- Keeps team members and other relevant colleagues informed
HR ENABLING/ENGAGED CULTURE – THE VALUE ADDED HR ROLE
The value added role of HR is to design and deliver HR in a way that supports the enabling/engaged culture in practice. It needs to
- Provide aligned specialist frameworks for use by team leaders and individuals, in particular
- Performance management
- Recruitment and selection
- Reward
- Train/coach team leaders and individuals to be capable in the effective use of HR frameworks
- Keep frameworks updated to reflect best practice
- Keep up to date database of records of employment to meet legislative requirements
- Provide data on the capabilities that exist throughout the organisation to enable team leaders to make decisions on current and future planning of people resources that match ongoing organisational goals.
- Provide an impartial and unbiased service
- Be trusted, develop effective relationships
THE ANSWER
HR policy/practices and their delivery should match what is required to produce the agreed culture that will best deliver the outcomes for a business and its people. Each business and those employed are different. Tailoring the way HR impacts your organisation could significantly improve the health of your business and those you employ or contract thus enabling the achievement of the sustainable outputs/outcomes you seek.
SUMMARY
The HR Enabling/Engaged Driven Culture produces a culture where individuals are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour and actions, and self- manage any potential consequential risk that may occur. Achievement is recognized and celebrated. They also are willing and able to deal with outcomes that are not up to expectations because they are supported and encouraged to take full responsibility for their actions. This is done in a ‘non blame’ manner as the focus is on dealing with the issue firstly followed by looking for ways to improve performance with the full involvement of those involved.
The HR Dependency (Approval) Driven Culture produces a risk adverse culture where HR policy/practice dis-empower management and team members, leading to poor levels of motivation and productivity. See my next blog.
The choice is yours.
Sheila Hampshire
Chartered Fellow – Institute of Personnel Development
August 2011