WORKPLACE CULTURE: AN HISTORIC PROCESS IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITY
Kate Mortenson, Founder and CEO of iPondr
In the era of ‘The Quit’, we see a disproportionate number of women and diverse workers giving their version of the Pink Slip to the boss. Many of these are low-wage or front-line workers, but even in more stable, predominantly white, and male professions, such as tech developer, or lawyer, it’s still women and diverse workers who are most likely to leave.
Why?
Main points:
1. Deficient workplace culture is a predictor of employee intent to stay or leave, especially for highly sought women and diverse workers.
2. Poor workplace culture is a costly problem that will not resolve itself, and is best viewed as a process improvement opportunity for business.
3. Cultural Upskilling; ongoing quality culture-learning, develops Empathy skills and keeps pace with evolving societal and workplace norms, to foster an environment where workers can flourish.
4. This moment provides an opportunity to make needed business process improvements to workplace culture, since ‘what works’ is known and available, thanks to research, science about how the brain works, and technology.
The ‘elephant in the room’ of the Great Resignation is a process improvement opportunity that business has yet to meaningfully address: Workplace Culture. MIT Sloan Management Review concluded “…for now, the important point is that a toxic culture is the biggest factor pushing employees out the door during the Great Resignation.”
‘Process improvement’ provides a helpful way to think about the opportunity that comes with remaking workplace culture. Business is historically pretty good at process improvement and intolerant of processes that are wasteful, costly, or damaging to brand and reputation.
Whether the workplace is demographically narrow and stolid, or diverse but challenged by turnover, both illustrate the opportunity for process improvement to ensure that our workplaces produce the best results. Many studies have shown; well-supported, diverse and inclusive workplaces provide better results for business.
To achieve better results in the workplace, both employers and employees need Empathy Skill development and a more sophisticated version of DEI that helps us to both related and interrelate, for a more effective workplace. Cultural Upskilling provides this learning.
Cultural Upskilling is an upgrade to traditional DEI and includes Empathy skill development. Through Cultural Upskilling, we learn that workers can be both Black and Caregivers, Asian American and LGBT, Women (or Men) and Rural, or impacted by opioids. Or childcare deserts. Or mental health. And/Or…a myriad of unique experiences that sets each of us apart.
At the end of the day The Workforce means people, and people, have unique, complicated lives. They are our colleagues, or our customers, or are working somewhere in the supply chain — which is now global. The Future of Work will always include workers. All of these points underscore that now is the perfect time for Cultural Upskilling as a process improvement. If the workplace attends to new societal norms, providing what people need to perform their best, people will stay. The gains that enterprise with better culture can expect; in hiring, retention, customer service, and innovation adds up to a competitive advantage and better business results.
A further benefit to undertaking Cultural Upskilling now: the prioritization of Empathy skill development, will better prepare teams for everything we don’t know, yet.
Unfortunately, Business still largely relies on outdated practices that are mostly compliance-related. Unproven, ad-hoc approaches to improve culture may feel good to some, but it takes more than good intentions to reach the goal of unlocking the greatest potential of the workforce. Now we have science. We have evidence about how people learn and relate to each other. Most importantly, we have the internet. Quality Cultural Upskilling Solutions can be effective, efficient, affordable and scalable.
Workers want wage equity and opportunities for advancement. They also want Flexibility, Understanding and a Sense of Belonging. These are people-ish needs. Systematic culture-learning, and committed practice to Empathy skill development, can advance an enterprise’s capabilities in these areas. In meeting these needs consistently, with a culture-shaping process improvement, we engage the Durable Skills that companies desire for the future, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity.
Achieving workplace culture improvements involves commitment, but less time and financial resource than one might think. One could argue that NOT taking evidence-supported steps to meaningfully improve workplace culture, is a decision with growing cost to business, in reputation and results. There is no downside to Cultural Upskilling. Embedding an ongoing, quality practice into the workplace, now, creates a timely advantage for those who do.
Here are some Best Practice tips to guide your company’s Cultural Upskilling practice:
Commitment to regular practice. Like most things in life, you get good at what you practice. Culture-learning requires ongoing thought and attention. Management must view Culture-learning as a process improvement and expect to see results over time.
Micro-learning; a learning practice that can be sustained. In DEI concepts and culture-learning about our differences, a small dose goes a long way and helps to avoid backlash. Progress can be made in about ten minutes per week, according to academics at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.
Human experience stories unlock Empathy. According to Perry Firth, an advisor to housing advocates at Seattle University, “stories are empathy workhorses…that break down bias and foster inclusion.” Especially when told in rich media, stories access the learning part of the mind where new concepts can take hold.
Accountability with Technology. A quality Cultural Upskilling program must have an answer for ‘How do I know if it’s working?’. Technology allows for insights and analysis. Leaders can track culture efforts against retention, customer service and other business goals.
Now that we know ‘what works’ to shape a better workplace culture, it’s time to start doing what works.
Kate Mortenson is a pro-business social entrepreneur, EdTech company founder, and longtime equity advocate for diverse communities, from “Pre-K to Gray”.
Learn more at iPondratwork.com
More about the author: Kate Mortenson is an EdTech entrepreneur and social enterprise leader, leveraging the power of human stories, with technology, to shape a better culture. In 2021, Mortenson and her team launched content and learning platform iPondr.com and the workplace learning program iPondr@Work. Previously, Mortenson hired and led the team that hosted the 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Minneapolis. As a culture-shaping initiative from its beginnings, the Minneapolis host team was recognized for team member Diversity in Sport, local vendor Inclusion and record-breaking results. After the event, Mortenson wound down operations with a $1MM surplus.
Mortenson began building iPondr from Minneapolis, MN, to foster a more interconnected society as a response to toxic media and escalating culture wars, several months before George Floyd was killed. Since then, the need for culture solutions continues to grow. As a pro-business social enterprise, iPondr SBC is committed to Building a Kinder America™.
Kate is a speaker and thought leader, appearing as keynote at many regional events and contributing to podcasts, blogs and articles on her belief in what’s possible when we commit to doing and being better within society. Among other honors, she’s a Women in Business honoree of the Business Journal and an inductee to the Business Hall of Fame of Jr Achievement in the Minnesota region. Mortenson, who is a journalist by training, serves on the board of Delta Dental of Minnesota and previously Chaired the Governance Committee for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Radio Group.
Works Cited
Workplace Culture Problems Drove the Great Resignation
Women and BIPOC Most Affected by Workplace Culture and Manager Empathy
