Embracing change – and shifting the culture of your business

Embracing change – and shifting the culture of your business

Creating the right culture can often be a key factor in the success of your business. When this is done correctly, you will quickly see the improvements and reap the benefits. However, if it goes wrong then it can prove incredibly difficult to manage.

Thankfully, it is possible to create a culture that is right for you and your business, and to change a culture that you know isn’t working.

Like most things in life, realising this change is not always easy. Implementing new practices and trying to shift ingrained mentalities is often daunting, and even a change for the better can come with setbacks.

Speaking as someone who has been charged with the brief to change existing workplace cultures, I can confidently say that I have found that the positives will always far outweigh the negatives and justify the hard work it takes.

Create a vision and values that matter

For most businesses, the culture that you create (directly or indirectly) is a result of various interlocking elements – including:

• Vision
• Values
• Goals
• Roles
• Processes
• Attitudes
• Assumptions
• Communications
• Leadership style
• Behaviours

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is a pretty good starting point for most businesses. And in order for a positive (and sustainable) culture shift to occur, a combination of these elements will usually need to change.

If you want to create a new culture it’s important to first draw up a list of three things…

Vision: Where do you want your organisation to go and what is the timeframe for this?

Values: These should provide a clear framework that sets the parameters for your team to operate clearly and effectively.

Behaviours: Setting a common standard for all teammates to adhere to in terms of attitude, appearance, etc.

Once you’ve done this, it becomes easier to achieve the vision by working together as a team. However, the change in culture has to come from the top.

Lead by example – motivation is mandatory

To achieve a successful culture shift in any business, the change always needs to be driven by its leaders.

It is important to remain open-minded and to show your staff that the changes that you are making are a positive move for everyone. If your team sees that you’re excited to embrace a new approach, they’ll be far more likely to do the same.

At Northern Accountants, we’re no different from any other business, and we want our team to feel positive about where they work and engaged by the work that they do. Most importantly, we want them to understand how we want to achieve our vision. Our values are fundamental to realising this as they give everyone in the business a clear set of of ground rules establishing the foundation and guiding principles for decision making, taking action and being part of our team.

If you want to change your business culture, my best advice is to start with small steps. It’s often much easier to deliver long-term success by breaking down bigger goals into several smaller and more manageable actions.

Address any of the initial fears or reluctance by encouraging every team member in your business to fully participate in all aspects of the change process.

If you introduce new tools or processes, ensure your team receives proper training for successful application.

Redefine roles and responsibilities, and adjust how you measure success without hesitation. People are more engaged and perform better when they understand their role and its link to the overall vision. Having the right people in the right roles is key to building your desired team and culture.

This is what our employees/previous employees said about us:

“It’s been a fantastic career move for me to join the team at Northern Accountants, the atmosphere in the office is great and everyone is extremely helpful. Being a team player is key when you become an employee of NA.

Culture is also very important at Northern Accountants, which is what makes it an exciting place to work.

Northern Accountants offers strong career progression, supported by a personal development coach for both group and individual sessions. Having someone to help you 1-2-1 in getting the best out of yourself at work is something I’d never experienced before, but this has helped me progress in my career whilst at Northern Accountants.” – Anelya Tucker – Accountant

“The management is always open to employees’ progression and training and how they want to develop within the team. This is shown through many aspects such as monthly appraisals providing time for employees to express where they see themselves within the company in the near or distant future. As well as 1-2-1 sessions with an experienced personal development coach. Promotions are always looked at internally before recruiting, I have experience with this after working in 3 different departments of the business and each move was necessary for the company but also great for my career progression.” – Sophie Hill – Production Manager

Be bold, take action and create the culture you want – it might be the best business decision you ever make.

Read about our team and how we foster culture here.