Corporate culture has received a lot of attention lately — people are looking for ways to improve the overall experience at work. Let's know know more about what beliefs and employee behaviors determine corporate culture, what influences it, and how we can develop our culture more organically.
In this podcast, Steve Simpson explains the correlation between corporate culture and Unwritten Ground Rules (UGRs), a term that was coined by himself.
UGRs are the foundation of the corporate culture. They are the unwritten or unsaid aspects that are crucially important to consider in a corporate culture. It includes the habits and routines that employees follow, which may or may not correspond to real business "values."
About the speaker:
Steve Simpson is an international speaker, author and consultant who has worked with companies for more than 30 years to help them understand and strategically improve their workplace culture. He is the creator of the globally acclaimed UGRs concept - used by companies across the planet.
Steve is the author of two books including ‘UGRs: Cracking the Corporate Culture Code.' He is the co-author to a further three books, the latest being ‘A Culture Turned.' He has a Masters Degree from the University of Alberta, and was invited to undertake an Australian city lecture tour to co-present with Harvard University Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter.
Professional Speakers Australia recently recognised Steve’s achievements by awarding him the prestigious Australian Educator of the Year Award.
Connect with Steve on Linkedin
Show Notes
(01:17) Let us know a brief about your journey in the corporate world.
(02:40) Today's topic is corporate culture; so, let's begin by talking about how to design a corporate culture. But, before we do that, it would be better if you define corporate culture and make sure we're all on the same page.
(05:20) I was just thinking that corporate culture is primarily about those behaviors, like how we relate to one other, and how we interact, all of which are visually appealing, but all of this stems from attitudes, beliefs, values, and mindsets that lie beneath. What is the best way to design the culture we want for our team?
Related blog: Improve Employee Attitude: 4 Incredible Tips
(08:32) If it is unwritten, how do one know that it is the rule?
(12:30) Who creates the UGRs?
(19:13) Being a manager how does one deal with UGRs?
(21:30) Leaders who are responsible ensure that their employees are always ready. They teach them the skills and techniques they need to be prepared for the unexpected. What are some of the unwritten rules that leaders must teach their employees to ensure that they are well-prepared to succeed on their own?
Also read: Mastering Workplace Readiness Skills For Organizational Success
(24:52) What are a corporate culture’s impacts on performance and how they might be addressed through UGRs? How does it provide leaders with the language to improve their corporate culture so that employees become more productive?
(27:24) Being familiar with a company's "understood" policies and practices can be particularly difficult for new hires who work remotely, given they may never visit the company's physical location. It's difficult to learn the unwritten rules, and given the number of people working from home these days, it's not an insignificant issue. Under this circumstance, how does a manager make sure that your new employees are aware of your company’s or team’s unwritten rules?
Related blog: Work From Home Policy: A Definitive Guide For Managers
(30:57) Your suggestions to our listeners?
