Every organisation has a culture but it isn’t always easy to define ‘the way things are done around here’. Here at Kerr we’re confident of our strong culture, but we were also conscious that as experts in workspace design, we wanted to role model the best practice advice we give the clients we work with. As big believers in the power of culture and the value of being intentional in the way you define and embed that, we’re recommending that all organisations take a fresh look at their culture post-pandemic, knowing that ways of work and colleague expectations have changed beyond recognition. And we knew it was time to do the same ourselves.
Taking a fresh look at our culture
We’re a family-run business and that sense of treating each other with the respect, compassion and consideration of a family member has always been close to heart in the way we do business. But it was difficult to pinpoint or describe that Kerr spirit clearly and concisely. Our values were beginning to feel slightly outdated, more like hygiene factors than values, and with a big focus on growth we knew we needed to build our reputation as an employer in the local market.
We needed modern, ownable values that reflected the Kerr business that we had become, along with a strong employee value proposition (EVP) that would help us attract and retain the talent we need to build the Kerr of tomorrow. It was time to get in touch with the experts and take a fresh look at our culture, we got in touch with Purplefish and created a plan to refresh the Kerr company culture.
A people-first approach
The most important thing for us was to include as many of our people as possible. They are the experts in our culture and the ones that make us the company we are. So we knew we needed to talk to as many of them as possible. We started at the top, talking to each of our leadership team to unpick their perceptions around the positives of life at Kerr, along with any behaviours that might need to be changed or addressed. We then reached out to key influencers in the business and are about to bring a cross section of the team together for an interactive workshop where we’ll work through a culture reset exercise thinking about:
- What used to be (pre-pandemic)
- What should be
- What could be
Looking to the future
Taking a fresh look at our culture will help us formulate a roadmap of how we embed the Kerr values across our colleague experience and how we attract and retain brilliant new people as we grow. It will also help guide our approach to hybrid work, how our teams make the most of our office space, and how it needs to evolve to accommodate their needs.
If you’re interested in exploring a culture/office audit to inform how you help your people and your business thrive, get in touch for a free consultation.