Video transcript:
How important is respect in an organization’s culture? In a 2021 MIT Sloan Management study, researchers found that “employees feel respected” is the single best predictor of a company’s culture score on Glassdoor. In fact, respect is 17.9 times as important as the typical feature and is almost twice as important as the second most predictive factor (supportive leaders).
Knowing that respecting employees is powerful is one thing. Building and sustaining a culture of respect is another thing entirely.
Our proven culture refinement process is the result of 30 years of research and implementation. Our three-phase approach requires senior leaders to define their ideal work culture, align all people, plans, decisions and actions to that ideal work culture, and refine their work culture over time.
Defining your ideal work culture includes formalizing your Organizational Constitution, specifying your servant purpose, values and measurable behaviors and strategies and goals.
The define phase requires time (two to four months), energy, guidance and collaboration. And, it’s the easy part — 10% of our culture process.
The other 90% is holding everyone accountable for modeling your values and behaviors in daily interactions.
Simply announcing your values and behaviors doesn’t mean people immediately embrace them. Senior leaders must model, celebrate, measure, coach and mentor your valued behaviors daily to build credibility for the change and to ensure all leaders and team members embrace your ideal work culture.
The key? Consistent consequences.
Specifically, to sustain a culture of respect, senior leaders must apply consistent consequences (positive and negative) and hold all people accountable, regardless of role or title.
Leaders must apply positive consequences and validation for aligned behaviors that build organizational trust. Leaders must initiate tough conversations that include negative consequences when disruptive behaviors (bullying, for example) erode organizational trust.
Culture is built upon the desired behaviors rewarded. Culture is torn down by the disrespectful, unproductive behaviors tolerated.
Don’t leave the quality of respect in your work culture to chance. Define your ideal culture, then align and refine players and practices daily to sustain a culture of respect.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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