“When people act on your message, they begin to change.  They don’t just change their behavior.  They change their identity. They begin to become someone new because of your message.” ― Dr. Michelle Mazur

When culture is not reflective of company values, steps can be taken to guide it differently.  This first starts with an understanding of how you got here in the first place.  Were values defined from the beginning, or were they inherited? 

This becomes more difficult when two companies merge; there is a challenge to incorporate values in the culture.  This goes back to the top-level and how ideas are communicated. Management will want to listen to all levels below them and understand what drives people.  Then they can start to make changes that meet those needs.  This is a challenging process.  When employees are left in the dark regarding organizational changes, a merger or acquisition by another company can take them by surprise and even invoke a sense of betrayal.  Management needs to consider how this affects employees of all levels.

Putting values and goals in writing and revisiting them on an ongoing basis will also help turn the tide. It’s essential to keep the lines of communication open and engage staff participation.  Change is accomplished through discovering motivations and making sure employees believe in the values. Employees can resist change, and thus, the challenge lies in creating a culture that they can support. Approaching changes with a clear vision, management commitment, making substantial changes from the highest level, involving all those affected, and following ethical and legal guidelines will encourage success. This is where a formal Organizational Change Management initiative can help.

When a complete organizational structure change seems too challenging, a company can start with changing subcultures and working its way up.  In this approach, it’s still important to define the ultimate goal and work in smaller steps.