Serving in a New Role Today on Global Company Culture Day

What would you do if your title were "Director of People and Culture?" While that may sound like a bunch of words, what would you do in that role?

Since today is Global Company Culture Day, I thought it might be fun to try out the title and pretend I served in that capacity, if only for one day.

But first, a little about Global Culture Day. Created by the Global Company Culture Association in 2019 and observed every year on September 18th, it's a day for companies and leaders to focus on ensuring that their corporate culture functions in a way that, above all, maximizes the happiness of employees.

According to Tercon Partners, "Culture is a company's personality. Culture defines the environment in which people work – the values, beliefs, behaviors, and underlying assumptions that drive every aspect of the organization's activities. Culture exists in all organizations, whether it is created through careful design or it evolves organically over time."

According to Wharton management professor Sigal Barsade, "Culture, within a company or organization, is like an iceberg. Just as we can see only the tip of the iceberg, most of what constitutes a company's culture is below the surface. The part that's visible includes things like physical office space, ways the employees dress, and behavioral norms. But they are not the whole picture...you need to understand what's below the surface. The values and assumptions that rarely get questioned are the ones that most organizations take for granted."

And now, if I served as "Director of People and Culture" for an organization, I would focus on the following five areas:

[1] Employee Experience: Employee Engagement and Culture Development

Employees must be happy and productive to create positive customer experiences, which leads to repeat business and increased profits. So, organizations must focus on engaging their employees and developing amazing cultures. Department supervisors must understand the benefits of collaboration and learn how to be culture carriers. And the org's employee manual must be regularly reviewed and updated. The concept of "Management by Walking Around" should be the mantra of this role so that employees see the person in charge and can talk to that person on a regular basis - the key HR person should never be seen as always sitting in an office with a closed door.

[2] DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)

This initiative would be more than just words. There should be a mosaic of people at every level from the C-Suite on down through all management levels. If someone within the organization wants to climb the corporate ladder, it is the org's responsibility to mentor and educate the person, rather than stop him/her/they due to gender, background, etc. All opportunities are open to all. Period. 

[3] Leadership Development

It's important for members of the C-Suite and department supervisors to keep abreast of leadership trends and attend leadership workshops and conferences in their specialty areas. It's also important to develop leaders from within the organization, and also promote from within.

[4] Continuing Education

Continuing education should not be for members of the C-Suite or top managers only. Courses should be available and offered for all members of an organization to help them learn on an on-going basis. Training sessions can be on-site, off-site, or online.

[5] Talent Acquisition: Onboarding and Offboarding

It's important to understand that the concept of employer branding is a real thing, and as a result, job applicants begin their relationship with an organization from the moment they read a job description. The relationship with the employer brand continues through a first conversation, a virtual or in-person interview (or more than one), and doesn't end there. The relationship continues through the job offer or SHOULD continue with a "no thank you letter or email" (which, too often, doesn't happen). In any event, the onboarding process should be courteous and professional and once a job offer is accepted, the new employee should receive a detailed employee manual (that reflects the org's policies and expectations of staff) and job-related materials to be successful at his/her/their job as well as a mentor within the organization. Lastly, it/when the time comes, the offboarding process should also be courteous and professional, and an exit interview should be handled in the same manner as the pre-employment process. Always remember, in today's social media era, everyone is a brand ambassador, and that also includes former employees. 

According to Wharton management professor Sigal Barsade, "Your culture can help you execute your strategy, but your structures need to support it. And if your strategy doesn't take into account your structures and culture, the execution will run into problems. For results, make sure all three complement and support one another."

What about you? Do you ever dream of working in the human resources or personnel area of your organization? If yes, what would you do to improve your corporate culture, especially today on Global Company Culture Day?

Image Credit: Tercon Partners.

My 2023 post: Let's Celebrate Global Company Culture Day:

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/09/lets-celebrate-global-company-culture.html

Culture Matters: Shaping a Culture That Works (Wharton @ Work - July 2015):

https://executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu/thought-leadership/wharton-at-work/2015/07/culture-matters/