Developing positive company culture during change

Comms teams need a strategic plan for change that accounts for company culture and varying job roles, including those with hybrid and remote positions.

When a business experiences massive change or growth, it’s normal to navigate through some uncomfortable territory, said Elizabeth Whittington, senior director of executive communications at St. Jude’s Research Hospital.

Whittington dealt with this directly when St. Jude’s workforce grew by 40% in a single year and the comms team needed to create more avenues to support employees.

Throughout periods of major change, “you have to take into account the company culture,” Whittington said. “What is it and how do we strengthen it?”

To alleviate growing pains, Whittington developed an internal system to effectively assess how employees feel supported during periods of change.

To reinforce or establish a positive culture, communicators should:

It’s then crucial to get employee feedback and establish culture ambassadors to provide updates, Whittington said.