Stakeholder Experiences Starts with Organizational Culture

In a recent podcast-style online Q&A event hosted by Anurag Mohit, CEO of FayrEdge, industry veteran Nishesh Gupta, Head of Business Transformation and Program Management Office at Hindalco Industries Limited, offered invaluable insights into the crucial role of organizational culture in shaping exceptional stakeholder experiences. The event, titled 'Stakeholder Experiences starts with Organizational Culture,' delved into how a strong, experience-centric culture permeates every interaction, driving loyalty and shaping perceptions.

The Crucial Role of Organizational Culture 

Nishesh opened the discussion by emphasizing that organizational culture is not just a backdrop but a powerful force that shapes every interaction within an organization. He likened culture to the air we breathe—ubiquitous, yet difficult to define. Drawing from ancient Indian wisdom, he referred to culture as "Avyakta," meaning "not manifest" or "devoid of form." Despite its intangible nature, culture is deeply felt through experiences and emotions, making it a critical element in shaping perceptions and driving loyalty among stakeholders. 

One of the key takeaways from the event was the idea that cultural transformation is often perceived as a daunting task, primarily because of the traditional, rigid mindsets that leaders bring to the table. Gupta argued that while transforming culture is challenging, it is not inherently difficult. The real obstacle lies in our tendency to apply conventional, non-innovative approaches to achieving organizational goals. These approaches, often likened to using a hammer for every problem, limit our ability to drive true cultural change. 

Leadership's Role in Cultural Transformation 

Leaders play a pivotal role in setting and driving organizational culture. However, Nishesh pointed out that culture often becomes merely a leader’s agenda, reducing its impact across the organization. The difficulty in transferring a leader's wisdom and vision down the ranks contributes to the perceived challenge of cultural transformation. Nevertheless, Nishesh was optimistic about the potential for change, noting that people, regardless of their position, can quickly adapt their beliefs when exposed to it via experiences. 

Interestingly, Gupta highlighted the importance of creating experiences for all employees, especially blue-collar workers and the less educated, to foster cultural transformation. He debunked the myth that blue-collar workers are less responsive to business logic, stressing that they, too, can comprehend and contribute to organizational goals when provided business context and communicated visually in a language and medium they understand. Gupta also addressed the artificial divide between white-collar and blue-collar workers, emphasizing that both are essential for an organization’s success. Unfortunately, this divide often leads to a trust deficit, with blue-collar workers feeling marginalized and excluded from transformation initiatives. 

Bridging the Trust Gap 

To bridge this gap, Nishesh advocated for involving blue-collar workers in transformation initiatives, which can reduce resistance and foster a sense of inclusion. On the other hand, white-collar workers, who tend to be more insecure, require a different communication approach—one that is reflective and sometimes harsh. Gupta underscored the need for all employees to feel good about themselves to believe in the organization’s purpose. 

The discussion also touched on the broader implications of stakeholder experiences. According to Nishesh, stakeholders form opinions about an organization through the prism of their experiences. Therefore, transforming stakeholder experiences is integral to driving cultural transformation within the organization.  

Measuring Cultural Transformation 

A unique aspect of the discussion was the idea that cultural transformation must be measurable. Since culture is intrinsically linked to feelings, Gupta proposed that these feelings should be treated as data points for measurement. By measuring the sentiment of employees and stakeholders, organizations can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their cultural transformation efforts. 

Key Takeaways from the Event 

• Cultural Transformation is Not Inherently Difficult: Organizations can achieve cultural change by making stakeholders believe what is possible via experiences that play out in the midst of real everyday scenarios, helping to break free from traditional limitations. 

• Leaders Play a Pivotal Role: Their actions and behaviors significantly influence the culture, making it imperative for them to prioritize and champion cultural transformation. But they can’t rely on transferring their wisdom with traditional tools to do the job, they must role model new experiences. They have to avoid the trap of declaring victory early in the journey 

• Experience Creation is Essential: To foster cultural change, organizations must focus on enabling experiences at scale.  

• Bridging the White-Collar/Blue-Collar Divide: Organizations must strive to bridge this divide by fostering trust, involving blue-collar employees in transformation initiatives by providing them business context, communicating in a relatable medium for them to understand the bigger picture. 

• Measuring Cultural Transformation: By having an ongoing gauge on employee sentiment and using data-driven insights, organizations can assess the effectiveness of their cultural initiatives. 

In conclusion, Nishesh stressed that an organization’s purpose should go beyond mere profit-making and should be rooted in a vision for doing good—positioning itself as a force for positive change.