ascentis peoplepro culture "want to grow your company? improve the culture!"

H E A L T H W E A L T H C A R E E R

W A N T T O G R O W Y O U R C O M P A N Y ? I M P R O V E T H E C U L T U R E !

Presented by:

Amit Loungani, Mercer PeopleProTonushree Mondal, Mercer PeopleProRuth Baylis, Mercer PeoplePro

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W H A T Y O U W I L L E N J O Y T O D A Y

• The latest innovations in HR that enable a company to thrive

• How best to define your organization’s culture

• How to make the organization’s culture sustainable

• How to scale your company while keeping your culture as your strongest asset

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T O D A Y ’ S F E A T U R E D S P E A K E R S

Prior to this role, Amit was a Health and Benefits consultant , helping clients on various topics such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Regulations, annual market trends and benefit strategies.

Amit Loungani

Mercer PeopleProPrincipal and Business Leader

Tonushree Mondal

Ruth Baylis

Mercer PeopleProPRO

Mercer PeopleProPRO

Ruth Baylis has 20+ years in HR, on the client side of the business. She has experience in Financial Services, Healthcare, Tech startups and Environmental non-profits. Her specialties lie in the Talent Acquisition/Management and Business Partner space,.

A 20-year veteran, Tonushree Mondal has worked across the Consumer, Technology, Financial Services, Education, Oil and Gas industries, for global clients, in country and in field operations throughout the world.

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W H O I S M E R C E R P E O P L E P R O ?

Mercer PeoplePro is the most powerful and affordable virtual marketplace for HR consulting and solutions. Designed to bring Mercer’s trusted brand and expertise to the small business segment, Mercer PeoplePro will power the HR engine needed by companies to grow fast, and attract and retain the best talent.

MERCER PEOPLEPROTM

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WHAT IS CULTURE?WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TODAY?

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C U L T U R E

Culture is a pattern of beliefs, values and expectations, shared by the members of an organization, which produce rules forbehavior. These values, beliefs and expectations powerfully shape the behavior of individuals and groups within the organization.”

Culture is the way we do things around here

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W H Y I S C U L T U R E M O R E I M P O R T A N T N O W ?

Business evolution continues to have a far-reaching impact on where and how work is done– Talent scarcity amidst increased globalization– Disruptive innovation and improved technology creating new business models– Added competition impacting market share and sustainability

Workforce shifts in the world are redefining traditional work arrangements– Nature of work

- New work models and remote/flexible work arrangements changing how work is done

– Generational shifts - Millennials dominating the workforce, young entrepreneurs and ‘start-up’ boom creating new demands

– Employee expectations on careers, work-life and rewards changing– Baby boomers retiring, creating gaps in the leadership pipeline

The culture code is more strongly defining who stays or leaves an organization in the war for talent!

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Z A P P O S

Zappos • Shaped by the CEO• 10 core values that are simple to remember• Constantly reinforced in everything they do• Integrated with all programs• Kept fresh with employee input on how they are living the

values • Given a unique identity by being quirky

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DEFINING YOUR COMPANY CULTURE( I ) ARTIFACTS

( I I ) AUTHENTICITY

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ECO-SYSTEM Enabling mechanisms that ensure culture success

Are the structures, rules and regulations enabling the achievement of the culture?Are decisions made at the right level in the organization?

How is performance measured and rewarded?How transparent are the communication channels in the organization?

Is everyone pulling for the team?

CORE BEHAVIORS

Behaviors expected of all employeesExpectations vary based on career stage/level

Embedded within talent programs

D E F I N I N G Y O U R C O M PA N Y C U LT U R E

How is culture

defined?

How is culture

enabled?

CORE VALUES

Foundational beliefs of the companyCore traits expected equally of employees

Less scope for scalabilityNon- negotiables

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A R T I F A C T S S U P P O R T C U L T U R E

Increasingly being used to foster:

• Innovation• Collaboration• Mindfulness

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Free food, beer, ping-pong, gym, and yoga classes are all becoming the norm in attracting talent in technology companies

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Core Values clearly articulated and visibly demonstrated reinforce the core beliefs of a company

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A R T E F A C T S D O N ’ T W O R K W I T H O U T A U T H E N T I C I T Y

Don’t let leaders off the hook!!!Measure leaders on how quickly and consistently they emulate the values!

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SUSTAINING YOUR COMPANY CULTURE( I I I ) BEHAVIORS L INKED TO

( IV) BUSINESS STRATEGY

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B U I L D A S U S TA I N A B L E C U LT U R E

ReinforceBuild into the culture of the organization by reinforcing through programs & processes, with fun, engagement and ownership from the top.

Communicate (“Leading in the Company Way”)Develop a communication and change management plan and cascade effectively through different levels. “Teach” the culture, what it means and how you live it and make decisions based on it.

Current State AssessmentGain understanding of current state data and perspectives from leaders and employees. Understand the pain points and barriers to change.

Future State VisionExplore best practices, envision the future and understand gaps from current state. Clearly define what the future looks like.

Culture implementation plans generally progress along four dimensions starting at the bottom and working up over an 18-24 month period.

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23

4

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D E R I V E B E H A V I O R S F R O M T H E B U S I N E S S S T R A T E G Y

Business Strategy

ILLUSTRATION

Leadership Behaviors should be drawn from the Business Strategy of the Organization and clearly tied to drive the right outcomes

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D E F I N E L E A D E R S H I P B E H A V I O R S B Y C A R E E R S T A G E

Staged Leadership Behaviors

Staged Leadership Behaviors Anchor Career Paths

Managing Managers

Company was trying to drive a new culture with new behaviors and career paths that offered lateral career movements across their businesses

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E M B E D B E H A V I O R S I N T A L E N T P R O C E S S E S

CAREERFRAMEWORK

Rewards

Performance Management

Selectionand

Retention

CareerDevelopment

WorkforcePlanning

SuccessionManagement

Hire, on-board, measure, grow and reward talent on the basis of the behaviors they demonstrate

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C H A M P I O N S O F C U L T U R E

What are champions of culture:

• A group of individuals, chosen from all levels of the organization, who are tasked with being the “culture champions”– Have inherent believability and respect– Are natural leaders – not based on position within organization– Will ensure culture is being reflected in all actions across the business

What a champion is not:

• Only senior levels of the organization or HR

• Someone who is a great producer but has a negative attitude

• The party planners

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W H A T C H A M P I O N S O F C U L T U R E C A N D O

• Embed and enforce your culture, along with vision/values/mission

• Ensure the company’s culture is meeting the needs of the business and employees

• As organizations grow:– They can be catalysts for change– Can develop creative ways to stay true to company culture– Can help institutionalize the culture

• Lastly, they can be a connector

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C O N N E C T I O N S

• The champions of culture usually have a natural ability to connect people and ideas– They are great networkers– They know how to use their resources and where to find other resources– They are engaging

• By using their natural skills, they will be able to keep the culture alive but also be a safe place for people to express themselves when they see a need for change

• Remember they will still need the support and guidance of a few key management individuals for their day to day work. Additionally, your Champions need the full support of upper management

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R E T A I N I N G C U L T U R E D U R I N G T I M E O F G R O W T H

• Define most important pieces of culture– Check in with staff regarding importance– Accommodate new ideas– Make sure culture is in alignment with vision/mission

• Adaptability is key

• As you grow some things will need to change – that is ok

• Embed culture into all areas of measurement (performance appraisals, bonus calculations). You get what you measure!

• Keep lines of communication open, develop more formal ways to communicate as necessary

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S O U T H W E S T

Southwest • Three simple attributes• Close involvement of the

CEO and C-suite• Embedded in every program • Lived every day in every

action• Strong links to the hiring and

on-boarding process• Employees measured

against the values• Lot of recognition programs

and videos constantly reinforcing the values

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I N C O N C L U S I O N – T H I N G S T O R E M E M B E R

• Even if you think you don’t have a corporate culture, you have one.

• Business growth is an offshoot of a robust culture

• Attracting people is important but retaining people is key

• Although Artifacts may be an expectation, they enhance the culture, not create it

• Do what you say…walk the walk to ensure culture remains embedded in the business

• Simply put, each organization is different. Do not be intrigued by what other companies are doing…Be true to your culture, values and mission

Enjoy 2 free hours of Mercer PeoplePro consulting on these topics, or other HR hot issues at https://mercerpeoplepro.com/culture compliments of Mercer PeoplePro.

https://mercerpeoplepro.com/culture

https://mercerpeoplepro.com/culture

ascentis peoplepro culture "want to grow your company? improve the culture!"

Recruiting & HR