Culture cuts across all aspects of a company, so much so that even employees with divergent or corrective ideas may feel pressure to conform in order to alleviate the stress of not bonding with their workplace. But even when a company's current culture is functional and enjoyable, you should consider challenging it if it's not meeting your most important goals.
As I've progressed in my company, from marketing director to director of relations to president, I have recognized the ingrained meaning of “fitting in” that new employees feel connected to. But cultural ecosystems are constantly changing – or at least they should – and sometimes it takes new eyes to see what needs to change. That's why, instead of defining the company's cultural brands and spreading them, I invite employees to shape and reshape the culture to create a team with complementary values and diverse ideas and opinions.
Related: 4 Qualities of Breakthrough Employees
If you've recently taken on a new job and have ideas about how your business could improve, talk about them. As someone who follows cultural impact closely, I assure you that your insights are valuable and needed. Here are three strategies I've learned to change a company's culture:
1. Understand what the business needs.
People are suspicious of criticism. They're 30 times more likely to actively engage in the workplace when their strengths are recognized instead of their weaknesses — and they may worry that a new initiative will add more work to their plates. So you'll want to demonstrate that your idea will make everyone's life more satisfying.
When I started at Rocksauce, the company was lean and results-oriented, and it didn't spend a lot of time thinking culture or core values. But after attending a leadership conference focused on organizational culture, I realized that the company could become even better if it focused on this area. I volunteered to create a simplified system for managing employee benefits and a more transparent protocol for requesting time off.
After piloting a few initiatives, I proved that a more transparent culture makes the more productive and creative company. Addressing cultural issues has allowed the company to focus on larger priorities and has helped develop its current positive, gratitude-based work environment.
2. Do your homework.
When you observe a practice or attitude that could use an update, offer a specific solution or course of action. Before presenting it to your superiors, however, check to see if similar initiatives have been attempted. If so, how were they received? Did they succeed or fail? Understanding the context of the issue will strengthen your pitch and make it more likely to be approved. Study the company's mission statement and tie your proposal to the overall values and goals of the organization to present as compelling a case as possible.
Related: 5 Tips for Inspiring an Innovative Mindset
Then find a time to meet with your direct supervisor to float the idea. If you already undergo regular review sessions – at 30, 45 or 60 days – you can use these times. Your manager should be able to provide valuable feedback, not to mention helping you plan the timing of your presentation. He might know about an upcoming management meeting where your topic is on the agenda, or he might ask you not to mention it until the end of a busy quarter. Timing can make all the difference in innovation, so enlist knowledgeable allies in your plan who can help identify the right moment.
3. Bring your full personality to the project.
Speaking as a new hire is tough. You may feel a strong urge to blend in, confusing conformity with happiness. While happy employees benefit in many ways, from higher productivity to better health, studies have shown that workplace compliance is at odds with the strongest teamwork.
Celebrate your traits distinctive and share your divergent ideas. When leaders hire for a fit culture, they don't hire people like them; they hire team members who will challenge them and help them find more creative ways to work together. For example, we recently hired a serious gamer who incorporates gaming strategies into her duties as a manager, and her “work is play” attitude and unique approach to management has energized the company. Likewise, don't be afraid to leverage your strengths and interests when leading change, no matter how unorthodox.
As a new hire, you are able to provide invaluable feedback on how the company is perceived, how it onboards new team members, and how it can do better for employees and customers. Be the change you want to see in your workplace. You and your business will be all the better for it.
Related: 3 ways I created a culture of passion
