A ROCKSTAR company culture leads to ROCKSTAR employees. Great company culture is really important, and not just the visible components, but it’s the invisible components which really matter. The attitude of employees towards one another and towards the organisation are extremely important. Culture influences everything that goes on in an organisation that’s why it is vital to cultivate a great company culture. Three main questions come to my mind when thinking about culture:

  1. What exactly is culture?
  2. Can culture be changed?
  3. How to bring about a change in culture?

 

Focusing on these three questions will give you a starting point if your organisational culture is in the dumps and needs to be turned around.

What is Culture?

There is a lot of debate as to whether culture in the workplace can be defined as it encompasses many different characteristics. Company culture has two main elements the physical elements and the non-physical. The physical elements are things such as the ping pong table in the office, PT sessions at lunch time and providing alcohol on a Friday afternoon. The invisible elements are how employees react with one another. Or more formally put culture is the shared values, norms and expectations that govern the way people think. That means that culture is about the expectations for behaviour established through organisational structures, systems and leadership practices.

Can culture be changed?

Now that we have defined culture it is clear that culture can be changed. Expectations for behaviour, and the shared values and norms that govern the way people think are all elements that can be influenced and altered. The hard part is identifying exactly what expectations values and norms need to be changed in your workplace. You may have a great set of company values written down but conveying them and engaging your employees can be quite difficult. If you realize that your organization needs a change of culture don’t think that you can’t bring about that change, but in most cases when a culture change is needed a complete makeover and culture shock may be the way to go. +

How can employees be engaged through a HRIS?

A HR System may be the tool that you need to engage your employees and bring about a culture shock. With a HRIS you will be able to focus on building a strong core with a resilient culture which will help your organisation be where you want it to be.

Traditionally HR Systems were all about automating and integrating. Now the emphasis is on engaging and empowering the employee, by engaging and empowering the employee you will in turn foster the culture which will lead to a more positive and productive workplace.

 

From Talent to People Management: Engagement, Empowerment, Environment

System of Empowerment

HRIS can be used in many ways to empower employees and therefore foster the type of culture which is beneficial to an organisation. When employees feel empowered they are more likely to take initiative and to take on tasks that are beneficial to the organisation outside their job scope. This then becomes the culture of the organisation. So rather than everyone sticking to their job description, wherever an employee sees a gap or short coming they are willing to step in.

Employees are more likely to feel compelled to work outside the box when they are in charge of their own information. When an employee can visually see where they stand they are not only engaged because they don’t just feel like a number but are empowered to make decisions and changes in their behaviour when they are in charge of their own information.

HR systems with strong Training, Performance and Succession planning modules are the foundation for a culture shock in an organisation, and foundations of a system of empowerment.

Empower Employees via Training

A strong training module that allows for employees to apply for courses empowers them to better their skillset, more so because they are registering for the course themselves. Employees feel valued when they are given the resources to skill up. This leads to a positive culture in the organisation where employees are yearning to learn and develop. Benefits of a learning friendly environment are tenfold. Your organisation will have more qualified staff and lead to a higher retention rate of employees because they feel valued and empowered.

Empowerment Positively Influences Performance

The era of the annual performance review is extinct. Performance management is moving towards an ongoing conversation between managers and employees. An effective performance management process is essential to engaging and empowering employees. Using a HR system will allow you as an organisation to identify company goals and values and align them with employee goals. Keeping track of these goals and if your employees are in line with them is essential. By having an ongoing review system employees will feel empowered as they are constantly in discussion with their managers about where they are heading and if they are on the right track. This leaves less room for employees to go off on unnecessary tangents and creates a culture of productivity along with innovation. Shock your employees, show you care and give them the information they need to perform their best.

Succession Planning & Employee Development

Are you keeping track of your employees and where they sit in the organisation? Succession planning allows you to take the performance review one step further and determine where employees stand within the organisation in terms of performance and what to do with these employees. Do you motivate, train, develop or discipline? A strong succession planning module allows you to set tasks for employees to complete which correlate with their current position on performance. By receiving specific tasks for their current performance rating employees feel empowered in the sense that they have the ability to improve their performance in the organisation with direction.

Culture is the driving force that influences everything that goes on in an organisation. It comes into play when people are solving problems and making decisions; when people are working together in meetings or as a team; when people are having to respond to a crisis; when people are planning and setting targets for performance; when conflicts occur; when managers manage and when leaders lead. Every organisation must learn for itself what it must do, they can not simply copy other successful organisations. You are able to look for good examples but focus on identifying your needs and the outcomes you want to achieve rather than copying. Why wait, if you think you need a culture revamp then start working on your ROCKSTAR culture today!