The four-day workweek with a three-day weekend is nice, but condensing five days of work into four can prove stressful for some workers and may even be considered non-viable.  There may be other alternatives. Some organisational psychologists suggest shortening the workday, such as six hours rather than eight. Some businesses need to be available five days a week and may find it easier and more convenient to shorten the workday.

The four-day workweek

Eight-hour workdays are standard for many industries – and this structure is hard to change. Everyone thinks of work as five days a week, eight hours a day. But, the lack of evolution is a failure of imagination, not actually measuring people's results.  Studies show working longer does not necessarily correlate to greater productivity in general. Workers' output decreases sharply after about 48 hours. Other experts suggest the optimal working-hour number could be as few as 35 hours per week or six hours a day.

Arguments for a shorter workday

<ul><li>A shorter workday is linked to increased worker wellbeing and potentially heightened productivity. </li><li>A UK survey showed that, on average, people only feel productive for about half the workday. So shortening it could motivate them to increase that window. </li><li>Increased productivity could also stem from better worker morale. Many workers’ efficiency may increase while their mistakes decrease.</li><li>With shorter days, workers may be more inclined to do effective, efficient work instead of wasting time or taking on busy work to fill eight hours a day.</li></ul>

Benefits of a shorter workday

<ul><li>There’s no guarantee every worker will be equally productive during a shorter day, especially for less committed workers. </li><li>A shorter workday for multinational companies in some industries could also interfere with the overlap among time zones.</li><li>There may be hidden costs to employers, such as hiring more employees to make up for the need.</li><li>There’s also a danger that shortening the workday won’t actually change how much people work.</li></ul>

Potential pitfalls

There’s a lot of talk about four-day workweeks – but could shorter workdays be a better approach?

productivity

Productivity

career

Career

corporateculture

Corporate Culture

timemanagement

Time Management

The case for a shorter workday

Culture is a system of behaviours that you hope most people will follow, most of the time. No large organization ever gets anywhere near 100 percent compliance on every value, but some do much better than others. It’s actually a minor miracle if a culture isn’t dysfunctional. Our aim here is to be better, not perfect.

What Culture Is

Culture is not like a mission statement; you can’t just set it up and have it last forever.There’s a saying in the military that if you see something below standard and do nothing, then you’ve set a new standard. This is also true of culture. If you see something off-culture and ignore it, you’ve created a new culture. Meanwhile, as business conditions shift and your strategy evolves, you have to keep changing your culture accordingly. The target is always moving. Culture isn’t a magical set of rules that makes everyone behave the way you’d like.

What Culture Is Not

Creating a culture is more complex than just trying to get your people to behave the way you want them to when no one is looking. Remember that your employees are far from uniform. They come from different countries, races, genders, backgrounds, even eras. Each one brings to your organization a different cultural point of departure. To get all of them to conform to and be reasonably happy with a common set of norms is a challenging puzzle.

Creating A Company Culture

Culture clearly has a powerful effect. So how do you shape it, how do you set it deep in people’s minds, and how do you fix it when it goes wrong?The right answer for your company depends on what your company is, what it does, and what it wants to be. Your culture is how your company makes decisions when you’re not there. It’s the set of assumptions your employees use to resolve the problems they face every day. It’s how they behave when no one is looking. If you don’t methodically set your culture, then two-thirds of it will end up being accidental, and the rest will be a mistake.

The Effect Of Culture

<ol><li>Keep what works.</li><li>Create shocking rules</li><li>Dress for success.</li><li>Incorporate outside leadership.</li><li>Make decisions that demonstrate cultural priorities</li><li>Walk the talk.</li><li>Make ethics explicit.</li></ol>Culture is a consequence of actions rather than beliefs, so it almost never ends up exactly the way you intend it. This is why it’s not a “set and forget it” endeavour. You must constantly examine and reshape your culture or it won’t be your culture at all.

The Seven Key Tactics

Here are the rules for writing a rule so powerful it sets the culture for many years: <ul><li>It must be memorable. If people forget the rule, they forget the culture. </li><li>It must raise the question “Why?” Your rule should be so bizarre and shocking that everybody who hears it is compelled to ask, “Are you serious?” </li><li>Its cultural impact must be straightforward. The answer to the “Why?” must clearly explain the cultural concept. </li><li>People must encounter the rule almost daily. If your incredibly memorable rule applies only to situations people face once a year, it’s irrelevant</li></ul>

The Rules Of Writing A Rule

The Bushido code enabled the Samurai to rule Japan from 1186 until 1868—nearly seven hundred years—and their beliefs endured long after their reign.  Bushido looks like a set of principles, but it’s really a set of practices. It is a code of action, a system not of values but of virtues. A value is merely a belief, but virtue is a belief that you actively pursue or embody. The reason so many efforts to establish “corporate values” are basically worthless is that they emphasize beliefs instead of actions. What you believe means nearly nothing. What you do is who you are.

The Way Of The Warrior: Bushido 

The Samurai code rested on these eight virtues: rectitude (or justice), courage, honour, loyalty, benevolence, politeness, self-control, and veracity (or sincerity).Each virtue was carefully defined and then reinforced through a set of principles, practices, and stories. They all worked together as a system, balancing one another in a way that made it very difficult for any individual virtue to be misunderstood or misused. The Samurai required everyone to study the code, commit it to memory and live it every day.

The Samurai Code: Eight Virtues

Your view or your executive team’s view of your culture is rarely what your employees experience. The relevant question is, what must employees do to survive and succeed in your organization? If you’re a leader, how do you know what your culture is? The best way to understand your culture is not through what your managers tell you, but through how new employees behave. What behaviours do they perceive will help them fit in and get ahead? That’s your company’s culture.

Your Own Perspective on The Culture Is Not that Relevant

Genghis created a remarkably stable culture by founding it on three principles: Meritocracy: Genghis abolished inherited aristocratic titles and eliminated the steppe tribes caste hierarchy. All men were equal. Loyalty: Genghis viewed loyalty as a bilateral relationship that gave him significant responsibilities.  Inclusion: Rather than treating conquered aristocratic leaders with special care and enslaving the rank and file, he executed the aristocrats and incorporated the soldiers into his army.

Genghis Khan: How He Conquered The East

The first step in getting the culture you want is knowing what you want.  With seemingly infinite possibilities to choose from, how do you design a culture that gives your organization the advantages it needs, creates an environment you are proud of, and most importantly, one that can actually be implemented.

Design Your Culture

All cultures are aspirational. No company ever achieved total cultural compliance or harmony.While you can draw inspiration from other cultures, don’t try to adopt another organization’s ways. For your culture to be vibrant and sustainable, it must come from the blood, from the soul. You cannot just copy and paste a culture you like.

Culture Is Always Relevant

Culture begins with deciding what you value most. Then you must help everyone in your organization practice behaviours that reflect those virtues. If the virtues prove ambitious or just plain counterproductive, you have to change them. When your culture turns out to lack crucial elements, you have to add them. Finally, you have to pay close attention to your people’s behaviour, but even closer attention to your own. How is it affecting your culture? Are you being the person you want to be? That is what it means to create a great culture. That is also what it means to be a leader.

Bottom Line: Creating A Great Culture Is Real Leadership

Culture isn't what you say, it's what you do.

Ben Horowitz, a leading venture capitalist, modern management expert, and New York Times bestselling author, combines lessons both from history and from modern organizational practice with practical and often surprising advice to help executives build cultures that can weather both good and bad times. Ben Horowitz has long been fascinated by history, and particularly by how people behave differently than you’d expect. The time and circumstances in which they were raised often shapes them—yet a few leaders have managed to shape their times. In What You Do Is Who You Are, he turns his attention to a question crucial to every organization: how do you create and sustain the culture you want? To Horowitz, culture is how a company makes decisions. It is the set of assumptions employees use to resolve everyday problems: should I stay at the Red Roof Inn, or the Four Seasons? Should we discuss the color of this product for five minutes or thirty hours? If culture is not purposeful, it will be an accident or a mistake. What You Do Is Who You Are explains how to make your culture purposeful by spotlighting four models of leadership and culture-building—the leader of the only successful slave revolt, Haiti’s Toussaint Louverture; the Samurai, who ruled Japan for seven hundred years and shaped modern Japanese culture; Genghis Khan, who built the world’s largest empire; and Shaka Senghor, a man convicted of murder who ran the most formidable prison gang in the yard and ultimately transformed prison culture. Horowitz connects these leadership examples to modern case-studies, including how Louverture’s cultural techniques were applied (or should have been) by Reed Hastings at Netflix, Travis Kalanick at Uber, and Hillary Clinton, and how Genghis Khan’s vision of cultural inclusiveness has parallels in the work of Don Thompson, the first African-American CEO of McDonalds, and of Maggie Wilderotter, the CEO who led Frontier Communications. Horowitz then offers guidance to help any company understand its own strategy and build a successful culture. What You Do Is Who You Are is a journey through culture, from ancient to modern. Along the way, it answers a question fundamental to any organization: who are we? How do people talk about us when we’re not around? How do we treat our customers? Are we there for people in a pinch? Can we be trusted? Who you are is not the values you list on the wall. It’s not what you say in company-wide meeting. It’s not your marketing campaign. It’s not even what you believe. Who you are is what you do. This book aims to help you do the things you need to become the kind of leader you want to be—and others want to follow.

business

Business

books

Books

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Ben Horowitz, a leading venture capitalist, modern management expert, and New York Times bestselling author, combines lessons both from history and from modern organizational practice with practical and often surprising advice to help executives build cultures that can weather both good and bad times. Ben Horowitz has long been fascinated by history, and particularly by how people behave differently than you’d expect. The time and circumstances in which they were raised often shapes them—yet a few leaders have managed to shape their times. In What You Do Is Who You Are, he turns his attention to a question crucial to every organization: how do you create and sustain the culture you want?To Horowitz, culture is how a company makes decisions. It is the set of assumptions employees use to resolve everyday problems: should I stay at the Red Roof Inn, or the Four Seasons? Should we discuss the color of this product for five minutes or thirty hours? If culture is not purposeful, it will be an accident or a mistake.What You Do Is Who You Are explains how to make your culture purposeful by spotlighting four models of leadership and culture-building—the leader of the only successful slave revolt, Haiti’s Toussaint Louverture; the Samurai, who ruled Japan for seven hundred years and shaped modern Japanese culture; Genghis Khan, who built the world’s largest empire; and Shaka Senghor, a man convicted of murder who ran the most formidable prison gang in the yard and ultimately transformed prison culture.Horowitz connects these leadership examples to modern case-studies, including how Louverture’s cultural techniques were applied (or should have been) by Reed Hastings at Netflix, Travis Kalanick at Uber, and Hillary Clinton, and how Genghis Khan’s vision of cultural inclusiveness has parallels in the work of Don Thompson, the first African-American CEO of McDonalds, and of Maggie Wilderotter, the CEO who led Frontier Communications. Horowitz then offers guidance to help any company understand its own strategy and build a successful culture. What You Do Is Who You Are is a journey through culture, from ancient to modern. Along the way, it answers a question fundamental to any organization: who are we? How do people talk about us when we’re not around? How do we treat our customers? Are we there for people in a pinch? Can we be trusted? Who you are is not the values you list on the wall. It’s not what you say in company-wide meeting. It’s not your marketing campaign. It’s not even what you believe. Who you are is what you do. This book aims to help you do the things you need to become the kind of leader you want to be—and others want to follow.

Ben Horowitz is the cofounder and general partner of Andreessen Horowitz, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in entrepreneurs building the next generation of leading technology companies. The firm's investments include Airbnb, GitHub, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Previously, he was cofounder and CEO of Opsware, formerly Loudcloud, which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion in 2007. Horowitz writes about his experiences and insights from his career as a computer science student, software engineer, cofounder, CEO, and investor in a blog that is read by nearly 10 million people. He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the New Yorker, Fortune, the Economist, and Bloomberg.

Ben Horowitz

What You Do Is Who You Are

Across our society today, norms of noisiness run deep. Demands like constant connectivity and maintaining a competitive advantage still prevail in most office cultures. Few organizations prize or prioritize pristine human attention. But there are simple strategies we can employ in order to find our own personal sanctuaries and to shift broader cultures. By reclaiming silence in the workplace, we can create the conditions for reducing burnout and enhancing creative problem solving.

Get Quiet For A While

There’s empirical evidence that <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/11/the-end-of-silence/598366/?msclkid=1bb30c64ba5a11ec9d700cf68c9ed273">life is noisier</a> than ever before — there are louder and more ubiquitous TVs, speakers, and electronic device notifications in public spaces and open-plan offices. Across Europe, an estimated 450 million people, roughly 65% of the population, live with noise levels that the World Health Organization deems <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Why-Noise-Matters-A-Worldwide-Perspective-on-the-Problems-Policies-and/Stewart-McManus-Rodgers-Weedon-Bronzaft/p/book/9781849712576">hazardous to health</a>. All this has serious implications for our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020319693">mental</a> health, our <a href="https://newsroom.heart.org/news/chronic-exposure-to-excess-noise-may-increase-risk-for-heart-disease-stroke">physical</a> health, and our ability to <a href="https://hbr.org/2017/03/the-busier-you-are-the-more-you-need-quiet-time">generate creative work</a>.

A World of Noise

The meaning of noise can sometimes be subjective. One person’s symphony is another person’s annoyance. We define “noise” as all the unwanted sound and mental stimulation that interferes with our capacity to make sense of the world and our ability to act upon our intentions. In this sense, noise is more than a nuisance. It’s a primary barrier to being able to identify and implement solutions to the challenges we face as individuals, organizations, and even whole societies.

What Is Noisy To Us

If we want organizational cultures that honor quiet, there are a few general principles we need to apply to make the transformation. The first is that we have to deliberately talk about it; we need to have clear conversations about our expectations around constant connectivity, when it’s permissible to be offline, and when it’s acceptable to reserve spaces of uninterrupted attention. These conversations can get into deeper cultural questions like whether it’s possible to be comfortable in silence together rather than always trying to fill the space.

Talk About The Noise

Maybe you unwittingly leave ringers and notifications on full blast. Maybe you “think out loud” or habitually interrupt others. Perhaps you impulsively post on social media or send excessive texts or emails that require responses. Maybe you play music or podcasts in common spaces without checking in with others or jump on important work calls while your daughter is sitting next to you doing her homework. If your self-observation doesn’t yield clear insights, ask a truth-teller in your life for observations about how you could do better.

A Noise Creator

While you can’t set the overall group norms and culture unilaterally on the basis of what you think is right, you can be on the lookout for new ideas to propose or new possibilities for managing the soundscape or enhancing the ambiance, especially ones that serve the interests of those who lack influence.

Give Others Quiet Time To Think

Across our society today, norms of noisiness run deep. Demands like constant connectivity and maintaining a competitive advantage still prevail in most office cultures. Few organizations prize or prioritize pristine human attention. But there are simple strategies we can employ in order to find our own personal sanctuaries and to shift broader cultures. By reclaiming silence in the workplace, we can create the conditions for reducing burnout and enhancing creative problem solving.Even in an increasingly noisy world, we can be quiet together.

Transforming Norms of Noise

Across our society today, norms of noisiness run deep. Demands like constant connectivity and maintaining a competitive advantage still prevail in most office cultures. Few organizations prize or prioritize pristine human attention. But there are simple strategies we can employ in order to find our own personal sanctuaries and to shift broader cultures. By reclaiming silence in the workplace, we can create the conditions for reducing burnout and enhancing creative problem solving.

How to Build a Culture That Honors Quiet Time

On a psychological level, we lie in part to paint a better picture of ourselves. We connect our fantasies to the person we wish we were.
Our conscious mind only controls about 5% of our cognitive function. The other 95% is beyond our awareness. While our brain is dreaming about who we wish we were, it's letting signals slip by.

We hear anywhere from 10 to 200 lies a day

Studies suggest lying about a personal topic takes hard work. It results in a different language pattern. Linguistic text analysis identifies four common patterns in the subconscious language of deception:<ol><li>Liars refer less to themselves when they are untruthful.  They talk more about others often using the third person to distance themselves from the lie.</li><li>Liars tend to be more negative because they feel guilty about lying on a subconscious level.</li><li>Liars typically explain events in simple terms as the mind struggle to build a complex lie.</li><li>Liars insert irrelevant but factual sounding details.</li></ol>

Linguistic text analysis and lying

<ul><li>Minimal self-reference: "Absolutely no party took place at this house" instead of "I didn't host a party here."</li><li>Negative language: "Sorry, my stupid phone battery died. I hate that thing."</li><li>Simple explanations: A US President once famously insisted, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."</li><li>Convoluted phrasing: "I can say, categorically, that this investigation indicates that no one on the White House staff, no one in this administration presently employed was involved in this very bizarre incident."</li></ul>

Examples of linguistic analysis

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-language-of-lying-noah-zandan We hear anywhere from 10 to 200 lies a day. And although we’ve spent much of our history coming up with ways to detect these lies by tracking physiological changes in their tellers, these methods have proved unreliable. Is there a more direct approach? Noah Zandan uses some famous examples of lying to illustrate how we might use communications science to analyze the lies themselves. Lesson by Noah Zandan, animation by The Moving Company Animation Studio.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

communication

Communication

videos

Videos

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-language-of-lying-noah-zandan

We hear anywhere from 10 to 200 lies a day. And although we’ve spent much of our history coming up with ways to detect these lies by tracking physiological changes in their tellers, these methods have proved unreliable. Is there a more direct approach? Noah Zandan uses some famous examples of lying to illustrate how we might use communications science to analyze the lies themselves.

Lesson by Noah Zandan, animation by The Moving Company Animation Studio.

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TED-Ed

The language of lying — Noah Zandan

For many software engineers, the pinnacle of their careers can mean landing a job for some of the most well-known companies such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook, etc. For good reason as well, as they have some of the most talented people in the world working for them and provide benefits that will attract such talent. They also look great on your portfolio and will boost your career.Here are some insights and the cons to consider before starting work at a tech giant.

The Premise

Long hours might be the biggest issue. Work-life balance starts to become a juggling act. A job with a salary of 100k+ for a fresh graduate probably won’t have you clocking in at nine and clocking out at five.The benefit is that they don’t care when you work. The task is expected to be completed in a predetermined time. Many use Agile methodology and expect around five story points worth of tasks to be completed every day. You can work less, or you can work more, as long as the work is done.

Long Hours

Google is famous for its food offerings. They have restaurant-quality choices at many of their locations. The food isn’t just to provide a perk to save their employees some money on food. Now, everyone can have their breakfast, lunch, and dinner at their desk. They have sleep pods too! You don’t have to EVER leave!

 Never Leave The Google Building, Ever!

Having experience with a company’s technology stacks can help your marketability. Experience in Amazon’s AWS or Microsoft’s Azure is sought out by many recruiters. Google is a bit different. Many of their tools are internal, which means they are used only by Google. Work experience in these tools will only help you land a job at Google.They are skills that make it difficult to meet the CVS receipt size list of requirements that employers mark as Must Have. Building some marketable skills is important as you will need them.

The Internal Tools In Use

Long hours and being overworked are common in the tech industry. At some point, it will drain you and you will lose your motivation. If you are starting your career and are very passionate, you may last longer. One common issue all large tech companies have is employee retention. The average tenure is around two to three years, which means many people leave relatively quickly. That’s why they are constantly looking for new talent.

The Burnout Rate

Almost all the top tech companies offer some signing bonus, usually in the form of stocks. You don’t get all, and in most cases, none of it when you start. They are typically vested across four years, receiving a fraction each year. If you decide to quit after two years, any amount of the signing bonus awarded to you is yours, but any remaining balance is forfeited. To receive the full amount, you must stay the four years. This is surprising considering most people will leave before receiving the full amount.

Golden Handcuffs: Stock Options

Things to consider before joining a tech giant.

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Here are some things to consider before applying for a Tech Company.

Is the Grass Greener On the Tech Giants' Side?

The first and most foundational thing you can do is to get to know your colleagues as people — not just coworkers — and support them. Invite them to lunch or to chat over a virtual coffee. Suggest other people that would be good for them to connect with, or if you are in the office, take the initiative to introduce them yourself. The same goes for those colleagues with who you may have fallen out of touch.These small gestures can make all the difference. After all, if you and your coworkers are going to spend 40 to 50 hours a week together, you may as well enjoy the company.

Get to know people on a personal level

Recognizing and celebrating team members for their work is a great way to set an example and develop a positive culture, even if it’s only within your department. Your actions will signal that you’re paying attention, that you notice other people’s contributions, and that you’re an advocate of their work. You can remind your team of each other’s birthdays and work anniversaries, or you can encourage people to come together to show support when a colleague experiences a big life event. These gestures, while simple, can create a genuine culture of care.

Celebrate others (and be creative)

Show up for other people (without resentment).

teamwork

Teamwork

4 Ways Every Employee Can Contribute to Company Culture

Employees with a strong sense of belonging are ten times more likely to recommend their company as a place to work. They are also more likely to feel enthusiastic about their work. You feel a sense of belonging when you feel connected and secure within a community. There are five pillars of belonging:<ol><li>Welcomed</li><li>Known</li><li>Included</li><li>Supported</li><li>Connected</li></ol>

Building a culture of belonging

An employee who feels like an outsider may find it difficult to change their perception. To help an employee feel welcomed from the start, use a thoughtful onboarding process. <ul><li>Employees will feel more welcomed if they are encouraged to be involved in their company from the start.</li><li>Ensure new employees receive all relevant information and resources, get coaching from their manager, and can easily connect with their peers.</li></ul>

Welcomed

A team feels known when an organisation understands what they value and what they want from the organisation. When employees open up, listen and allow them to share to help them connect. The insights gained will help your organisation develop cultural alignment.

Known

Inclusion is more than how people socialise at work. It's accepting and valuing your employees' identities and experiences. <ul><li>Make diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts a priority.</li><li>Foster an environment of psychological safety so that team members feel comfortable in the way they act and speak.</li><li>Create avenues for employees to share their thoughts anonymously.</li></ul>

Included

Every employee should feel supported by their organisation, manager and teammates to empower them to succeed. <ul><li>Start by providing all team members with the tools, training, and resources to succeed.</li><li>Provide ways for your employees to grow, such as training initiatives and clear career paths.</li><li>Strive to establish a healthy work-life balance.</li></ul>

Supported

Your organisation must focus on the potential for employees to find meaningful connections. While connections between employees often happen naturally, you can also facilitate them.<ul><li>Make a diverse workforce a priority as it ensures that every individual can see themselves represented.</li><li>Make time for team building activities.</li></ul>

Connected

Recognition is central to the five pillars of belonging and should be encouraged. When employees are recognised, they are five times more likely to have a strong sense of belonging. Employee recognition takes the form of social and monetary recognition.

Provide recognition

Organizational practices for everyone to become more inclusive and enhance the performance of their teams.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

Diverse And Inclusive Workplaces

Organizations that develop a culture of belonging are more likely to have engaged employees that are devoted to their work.

Build a sense of belonging at your organization by focusing on the 5 core pillars a culture of belonging rests on.

humanresources

Human Resources

5 ways to build a sense of belonging at work

Routines come easy and don't require much thought. We know which ones are beneficial, such as regular sleep and exercise. We also know which aren't so good for us, like overstressing or smoking. But habits are hard to break. Companies also have habits. Some keep you afloat, while others might be holding you back. Companies can learn new habits, but not without effort. However, we can stick with something long enough to become a habit when we are motivated.

Not all company habits are profitable

Consumer engagement: The habit of regularly seeking customer input does not necessarily drive profitable growth. To do that, you need economic understanding. Companies with a widespread working knowledge of economics are more profitable. This is because a good habit requires you to know where you're starting and where you're going. When employees understand where the company stands, they can track progress or decline.

Some habits are consistently linked to performance

Economic compensation gives employees a shared stake in the results and makes them economic partners. This encourages good habits that drive profitable growth. It also creates a real team environment because it aligns motivation for owners, managers, and employees.

Economic compensation

Turnover and continuous improvement activities are tracked. Relying on superficial incentives doesn't change a hired hand into a trusted partner. When employees are treated like trusted partners, they think and act like owners.

Employee participation

Not all company habits are profitable. Changing habits is hard, but some things can motivate us to develop winning habits.

The question is, which habits are profitable?

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

Companies, Like People, Have Habits

Culture change is probably on your leadership agenda. You may want (or feel forced) to create a post-pandemic culture or become more collaborative, innovative, or aggressive.
But most companies fail in this because they try to change culture directly—through speeches, training programs, or direct intervention in meetings.
Dantley Davis, the new vice-president of design at Twitter, asked employees in a meeting to critique each other. The idea was that tough criticism would help. Instead, people ended up feeling insulted and angry.

Beyond Inspirational Speeches

Pain is part of the cost of successful knee surgery, but that doesn’t mean banging someone on the knee with a hammer is successful knee surgery. Culture is how a group does the things it does. It changes because people start doing things differently or start doing different things. The causality doesn’t go the other way.You first need to change how the company is organized, managed, and led in light of its strategic goals. The goals themselves may need to change. A new culture then emerges as a byproduct of these changes.

Changing Company Culture

Company culture cannot be changed by attacking it.Culture gets changed by doing real work in line with the new strategy, a new governance model, business processes, or performance management systems. Not much happens from pure culture conversations because they don’t result in a clear idea of what needs to change and how it will be changed to reinforce key strategic priorities.

Culture Is The Barrier To Change The Culture

When Allan Mullaly took over Ford in 2006, he faced a culture of competition between units rather than cooperation on strategic goals. Instead of chasing shadows by trying to change attitudes and culture directly, Mullaly created cross-unit meetings to identify and solve major business problems. 
Focusing on changing the way work was done to solve concrete business problems inevitably changed the norms for collaboration—that is, the culture.

The Ford Example

A Strategic Fitness Process (SFP) results in a “conversation” that’s honest (with the whole truth on the table), collective (involving key people across the organization) and transparent (nothing is hidden—neither the process nor what senior management learned and plans to change).SFP has proven a powerful tool because it not only changes how work is done and with whom, but also increases commitment to dramatic change and the trust that is essential to such a commitment.

Strategic Fitness Process (SFP) 

Skip the inspirational speeches and culture committees. Meaningful culture change comes about only when companies rethink how they manage, lead, and pursue strategic goals, says Michael Beer.

startup

Startups

To Change Your Company's Culture, Don't Start by Trying to Change the Culture

Over the last 18 months, companies have wrestled with extraordinary change and disruption. One challenge is employees that want to work in a hybrid environment. Deloitte reported that 68 percent of executives surveyed are implementing a combination of physical workspaces and remote work.  This new normal means that the need is far greater to develop a collaborative culture that keeps workforces motivated, connected and creative.

Developing a collaborative culture

Be deliberate in creating a collaborative culture. Give it the same priority as the elevator pitch. Find input from other CEOs, mentors, and employees. Make the words that describe the company culture a mantra and use it with every audience - employees, customers, investors, and the public.

Give culture a voice

People build connections by doing things together. Employees that are engaged are excited, enthusiastic, and involved in the success and direction of the company.  The hybrid work norms depend on new models of engagement. For example, investing in faster internet, unrestricted video conferencing, larger high-resolution monitors, better headsets, higher quality cameras and tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat, Zoom etc.

Use expanded models of engagement

Consider how to connect with the newest employees in your organisation to make them feel part of the culture and the team. Start with the cultural conversation.<ul><li>Tell them what collaboration means and create opportunities for new hires to share and discuss work with longer-term employees. </li><li>Assign each new hire a mentor and make mentoring part of that person's job.</li><li>Encourage teams to come into the office on the same days.</li><li>Help new hires understand where they fit into the organisation.</li><li>Be honest about the tradeoffs of in-office and remote work.</li></ul>

Make new hires 'sticky'

Collaborative cultures succeed when each employee has some opportunity to do what they do best and work with other teams toward common goals. Over the last 18 months, many employees dealt with the added challenges of schooling and childcare. Friction may exist among co-workers on issues. Therefore employees need encouragement to find common ground and connect with work friends.

Anticipate speed-bumps

<ul><li>The customer is the best reason for collaboration. Working together cross-functionally can provide the opportunity to solve a problem for a particular customer.</li><li>Invite employees to join in solving a problem they didn't cause. Completing tasks together encourages collaboration.</li></ul>

Customers can be the rallying cry

In the collaborative culture, the purpose of conducting meetings is for open and honest dialogue. Every person in the organisation will impact cultural collaboration as they commit to listening and actively considering all points of view.

Collaboration ≠ compromise

Engaged employees are excited, enthusiastic, and involved not only in their direct responsibilities but in the success and direction of the entire company.

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