Proof That Culture And Values Matter

They defined values with observable behaviours so that everyone – leaders and employees – understood what the rules were for effective daily interactions. The team increased performance accountability across their production lines. They measured how well leaders lived the organization’s new valued behaviours. The organisation praised leaders who modelled their values, coached leaders who struggled, and redirected leaders who didn’t model or manage to the new values.
They even “lovingly set free” those leaders and employees who were unable to embrace the new valued behaviours.
Within six months, conflicts, absenteeism, re-work, and grievances dropped by 60 per cent. Within twelve months, efficiency had improved by over 40 per cent. Customers were WOW’ed at the “new service attitude” that company staff displayed. They demonstrated that culture and values matter.
When the next “all company” employee engagement survey came around twelve months later, their plant scored 62 out of 100 points! Theirs was the biggest gain in engagement scores of any of business unit in their company system. And, their plant earned the top score across the organization.
Joel came to us to create more structure and discipline for the desired culture change. We helped their leadership team create their region’s organizational constitution and manage to it. Twelve months later, Joel’s region enjoyed 40 per cent gains in employee engagement, 40 per cent gains in customer service, and 30 per cent gains in results and profits.
Another client, a manufacturing plant in the Midwest discovered a fabulous peripheral benefit to their organizational constitution. Their small town suffered flash flooding one spring, which caused tremendous damage in their community. Families were evacuated with little time to gather necessities. Within hours, plant employees banded together to provide food, clothing, and transportation for their neighbours. They volunteered hundreds of hours for the Red Cross at the evacuation centre. They secured funds from the plant’s parent company to rebuild homes and businesses in the following months.
S. Chris Edmonds is a speaker, author, and executive consultant. He shares insights on organizational culture, servant leadership, employee engagement, and workplace inspiration.
He writes books and articles and records podcasts.
In his free time, he’s a working musician with the Brian Raine band in Denver, CO.