What steps should employers take to implement a healthy culture?
- Assess the characteristics of the existing culture.
- Determine the desired culture.
- Communicate the desired culture to all employees.
- Have management that leads by behavior.
- Conduct appropriate training at all levels.
- Reinforce the desired behavior through recognition and reward systems.
- Continually evaluate, monitor and assess to maintain the desired culture.
How can you inspire employees to buy in to a healthy culture?
Active engagement, or true buy-in from your employees, and an organized, observable shift in your company culture are visible characteristics of successful programs that can move you in the right direction. True engagement of your team in healthy programs will result in a cultural change, just as a change in your workplace culture will steer those resisting the program unconsciously toward active participation. There are three keys to achieving true buy-in.
- Lead from the top. Actions speak louder than words, so you must have senior leadership involved in health initiatives. Senior management must be actively engaged in and using wellness services.
- Communicate. There must be a clear statement and clarification of new values and beliefs of the organization. Keep employees informed about the process of cultural change and allow them to be involved and to take ownership of initiatives.
- Offer recognition and rewards. Make sure your policies align with your company’s vision to strengthen the clarity of the message.
How can you determine if your company’s cultural changes are having the desired effect?
The most successful and profitable programs have active participation or engagement by at least 60 percent of employees. Healthy cultures support the principles of changing behavior, rather than simply providing information. Individually tailored information directed at behavior change is the most effective resource, and when this style of program becomes embedded within an overall healthy workplace culture, the results are clearly visible.
Achieving cultural change is not easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Proper preparation and systematic implementation of these steps to achieve a cultural shift can greatly improve your chances of success.
Approaches combining individual initiatives with ongoing support and a philosophy centered on achieving positive behavior make good business sense.
Sally Stephens is president of Spectrum Health Systems. Reach her at (317) 573-7600 or [email protected].
