Use cases / Housing association
Client case
Deepler Culture · Culture
Making culture change in an organisation measurable
A housing association has a new strategy: more tenant-focused and more ownership for teams. That requires different behaviour. With Deepler Culture, the association compares the current culture with the ambition, chooses targeted steps and measures after a year whether the culture is really shifting.
Sector
Housing
Reason
New strategy
Solution
Deepler Culture
Application
Culture change
In brief
The question
What behaviour does the new strategy require, and how far are we from it?
The insight
The biggest gap is on a few contrasts: that is where the focus lies.
The result
A follow-up survey shows whether the culture is really shifting.
The question: how far are we from the desired culture?
A new strategy is quickly put on paper. But if behaviour in the organisation doesn’t change, it remains words. Management wants to know where the current culture stands, how big the distance to the ambition is and whether the change becomes visible over time.
The approach: a baseline next to the ambition
With Deepler Culture employees complete a culture survey on cultural contrasts. On the same contrasts, management indicates which culture the strategy requires. This creates a culture map with the current situation and the ambition side by side.
Baseline
The current culture according to employees
Ambition
What the strategy requires
Route
Targeted steps on the biggest gap
The insight: the gap is in a few areas
The culture map shows that the organisation is already close to the ambition on many points. The biggest gap is in internally focused versus tenant-focused and in how decisions are made. That is where the association focuses its actions, instead of on a broad culture campaign.
Culture map: baseline, after one year and ambition
The biggest movement is in tenant focus: exactly where the actions were aimed.
Illustrative representation
The result: change you can track
A year later, a follow-up survey follows. It shows whether the culture is moving in the desired direction, and where extra attention is needed. Culture change thus becomes a process you steer based on facts.
- A shared picture of the current culture and the ambition
- Actions aimed at the biggest gap
- Progress visible in the follow-up survey
Making culture change succeed: three lessons
You don’t change culture with a campaign, but with targeted behaviour and patience. Three lessons:
Focus on the biggest gap
Choose two or three contrasts to work on.
Let managers set the right example
The behaviour of managers determines whether the change is credible.
Measure the progress
A follow-up survey makes visible what is shifting.
Leadership plays a big role in how employees experience their work. Read the client case of the construction group, or view Deepler Culture.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about culture change
What is culture change in an organisation?
Consciously changing behaviour, habits and shared norms in an organisation, so that they better fit the strategy or the environment.
How do you make culture change measurable?
By doing a baseline measurement, naming the desired culture and measuring again after a period. With cultural contrasts it becomes visible on which points the culture is shifting.
How long does a culture change take?
Usually longer than expected: often one to three years. A follow-up survey after about a year shows whether the direction is right.
What role do managers play in culture change?
A big one. Employees look at the behaviour of their managers. If that doesn’t change, a new culture is not credible.
What is the difference between a culture survey and a satisfaction survey?
A satisfaction survey mainly measures how satisfied and engaged employees are. A culture survey maps how people work and collaborate in the organisation, and how that relates to the desired culture.