Huma Ponders: New year, new culture?

Every year, around the turn of the year, I see posts on social media with people who are going to change their lives completely. You know, "new year, new me" and that sort of thing. It's almost to the point of parody, and if I think about it, maybe a lot of it is just nonsense, too. But I think some people actually have big ambitions to change their lives completely.

Perhaps there are also some managers who want to make some changes in their company, more specifically in its culture. But is that a good idea? Is it a case of new year, new culture? I'm going to take the liberty of pondering a bit.

So is it a good idea to change the entire culture?

Before I go any further, I'll just give you a quick refresher on what corporate culture is. Simply put, it's the shared norms, values and attitudes that shape how people behave and interact with each other. It's a product of the company's history and the people who have worked there for an extended period of time, and is often shaped naturally by the people who work there.

Culture can be healthy and good, toxic and unpleasant - and everything in between. But should you change it completely if it's a culture your employees are used to and comfortable with? Even though people may be used to it, there may be some things about the culture that aren't quite right.

As mentioned, culture is naturally shaped by the people who work in the company, and is therefore a large part of the workplace's identity. That's why it can be risky to change the whole thing. Your people have had this culture - perhaps for years. Should they just forget everything they've learned and start something completely new?

No, I don't want them to do that, but the New Year can still be a good time to make some adjustments to things that aren't quite right. There may be some things that are accepted at your company, but which would be completely outrageous in other workplaces. The individual elements can be changed to great advantage, but don't change the entire culture in one fell swoop.

But why shouldn't you change everything?

There are several good reasons why you shouldn't change your entire company culture, and here they are!

First of all, you're creating a very unstable workplace, where employees don't quite know where to go. This creates confusion, and it can be difficult to adapt to sudden and major changes. The consequence of this is that it can weaken employee engagement.

Changing an entire culture can be very costly too. Physical changes may need to be made in the office. You may need expensive and lengthy training courses. And let's not forget the time it takes for everyone in the company. Time they could be spending on what is actually their job. Because changing an entire culture requires the effort of the whole team.

What I mentioned earlier about culture being a big part of your identity is also an important point. You may have used your identity and culture in employer branding, and potential applicants may be interested in your company precisely because of the culture you display externally.

Last, but by no means least, I'd like to mention what I think is most important. Suddenly changing your entire culture can lead to high turnover. Those who have worked with you for a long time have done so for a reason. Precisely because they thrive and are in a culture where they are comfortable and feel valuable.

You may have to make some changes, but...

To conclude, I would say that you can make adjustments to the company culture, but with some reservations. Improving the culture is something you do for your employees, and it's important to make sure you do it in collaboration with them. Don't do a straight 180 and change everything, but rather take small steps that everyone is involved in and can keep up with. And remember: small changes can be more effective and valuable than big changes.