Designing Cultural And Organisational Change
In this guest post, Bronwyn Van Der Merwe (pictured below), managing director of Fjord Australia and New Zealand (part of Accenture Interactive), details the four traits of a ‘living business’ – something she believes organisations have to become in order to transform successfully.
The digital age has created a plethora of challenges for modern organisations, from adopting new technologies, to navigating increasing amounts of data and competing against new digital entrants.
In this new age, customer experience has become the battleground. For example, we are seeing retailers such as luxury e-commerce platform Net-a-Porter provide ultra-premium service through personal shoppers and customised packaging. Similarly, Apple’s Genius Bar provides expert hands-on customer support and hardware repairs, demonstrating its commitment to a great customer experience. As innovative organisations race to deliver new products and services to the market to remain relevant to their customers, this is in turn creating rising customer expectations across all industries and all areas of our lives.
These expectations are now spreading into the workplace, as the demand for rewarding brand experiences extends from the consumer to the employee. However, evidence shows a growing disengagement from employees. For example, according to a 2018 Aon report on trends in employee engagement, globally only 27 per cent of employees are highly engaged. This is no coincidence – as rising expectations pervade all aspects of our lives, they also leave us expecting more of our working environment – an expectation that is too often left unmet.
In order to stay relevant and prosper in a fast-changing world fuelled by the digitisation of everything, and rising customer and employee expectations, we see organisations embark on digital transformations. They race to implement a new set of emerging technologies or launch new products and services to the market, however, they don’t tend to take into account the paradox that whilst technology changes fast, people don’t.
These factors result in transformations that fail in the long run, costing businesses billions, with some reports quoting that up to 70 per cent of digital transformations undertaken by 2020 will fail.
At Accenture, we believe that in order to be successful at transformation organisations have to become a ‘living business’; one that is responsive, emotive, ambitious, and able to constantly adapt to the needs of the market, but equally importantly, the needs of their evolving workforce.
We think there are four essential human characteristics of a living business, called the vital signs.
- Personality
This is the set of behaviours, beliefs and values that shape the experience of interacting with a company – whether as a customer or colleague. Personality reaches deep inside a business – it’s what you stand for and why you exist. It should be colourful and opinionated. All organisations have personality, but the main question is: how much do people reflect it and feel empowered by it?
- Instinct
Instinct addresses how an organisation takes decisions and adapts to change. It’s the nervous system that rallies people across structures and hierarchies to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. For instance, are employees trusted to make decisions without needing to seek approval from management each time?
- Craft
This is the essence of what the company does. It’s a combination of its people’s skills and talents, that makes its offering unique and inimitable. How set up is your organisation for nurturing talent and skill?
- Relationships
The four vital traits are underpinned by this final trait: relationships. Relationships that span across a business’s ecosystem, including customers, employees, suppliers and the wider society. Great businesses have always been founded on great relationships, and this is more important than ever today.
The vital signs provide a useful framework for the diagnosis of symptoms of organisational dysfunction. Using a design process to identify and act upon these symptoms allows organisations to optimise these traits to become a living business.
Some organisations are already competing for the best talent in the market by recognising that their employee experience is critical to retaining competitive advantage. Australian online retailer The Iconic employs a head of employee experience rather than a traditional head of HR, taking a ‘people first’ mindset. Airbnb orchestrates the physical, emotional, intellectual, virtual, and aspirational aspects of their employees’ work life to create an outstanding experience. Its head of employee experience transcends marketing, communications, real estate, corporate social responsibility, and the traditional HR function.
Whether it’s the design of new services, digital transformation or re-evaluation of the purpose of the business as a whole, brands that create a successful living business, with humans at the heart, re-wire their organisation for perpetual change. Not a one-off, but an enduring capability to keep up with and even outpace the world around them.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Bronwyn Van Der Merwe Fjord living business organisational change TransformationLatest News
Enjoy A Hahn Solo… And May The Fourth Be With You
This May the fourth Hahn will celebrate alongside Star Wars fans rewarding their passion via a giant Hahn travelling solo through the sky. It’s the one day of the year when all sci-fi fans rejoice and giggle to themselves and Hahn in partnership with Thinkerbell, UM and Affinity is celebrating with an out of this […]
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.
Perry ‘Pez’ Lazaris Named New National Hit Network Announcer
Why is it mandatory for the media to only publish the nicknames of people in radio & underworld crime figures?
Before Adland: Garry Dawson’s Journey From Teacher To Marketer
Here, the Hopeful Monsters marketer talks his shift from the classroom to the room wherever marketers congregate.
Scott Cam Urges Tradies To Prioritise Sun Protection
The Block host promoting sun protection to tradies. Also, don't try getting into the RSL after 6pm wearing high viz.
PubMatic Study: Advertising On Retail Media Is 50% More Effective Than Social Media
New study finds retail media 50% more effective than social. B&T says two-for-one Tim Tams trumps the lot.
From MOWING to life GROWING: Jim Penman launches ‘Life Coaching’ services
Can't decide on getting the hedges trimmed or finding a deeper meaning to life? You're in luck with this new venture.
Budweiser Brazil Turns Songs That Name Drop The Iconic Brand Into Spotify Ads
It's strange that Budweiser never found a market among beer-swilling Aussies. Then again, neither did the fluffy duck.
Effie Worldwide Strengthens Board With 6 New Members
B&T hopes everyone's wearing their Maseur sandals at the Effies, as it's standing room only at the next board meeting.
Special Enlist A Penguin Named Nigel In Latest Energy Campaign For Contact
Special unveils Nigel the penguin in work for energy provider Contact. Apparently Percy the peacock was booked.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & George Miller Ignite Sydney For Epic Mad Max Launch
The Mad Max film franchise is Australia's cinematic gift to the world. That & Chris Hemsworth's near perfect cheekbones.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Always thought you could do with better 3D immersive measurement? Happy days are ahead here.
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.