How to change your company culture – for the better
“It’s not straightforward, but nothing’s straightforward that involves people,” says Charlene Brown, a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur who supports companies in their mission to create an inclusive culture through her consultancy, Howlett Brown.
Brown gained a degree in law from the University of Westminster before working as a paralegal in a global investment company. “I think I was meant to be an entrepreneur, but I had to be a lawyer first,” she says. Her decade of legal experience specialising in diversity, equality and inclusion led her to discover a gap between the service provided by lawyers, human-resources teams, and diversity and inclusion consultants. “None of those groups have interconnecting skills,” she says, “and there’s a big void in the middle that’s culture.” Fuelled by this paradox, she decided to launch what she calls a ‘people-intelligence consultancy’.
Howlett Brown combines its legal practice with tailored investigations and people-centred advice. “Having these different connecting skills makes for a far more thoughtful and considerate approach in terms of strategy and resolution,” she explains.
Here, Brown shares her advice on how to build a more empathetic workplace that is resilient in the face of challenges…
1/ Acknowledge and appreciate your team
“Businesses are there to do a commercial job, and people are hired to do technical roles to further that commercial interest. Yet, for a long time, people were treated as peripheral to business functions. Fortunately, that dynamic has shifted as employers have realised that a company’s reputation is driven by its people and culture, and the ability to retain staff is driven by the experiences they have.”
2/ Listen to your staff
“The idea of a culture review can sound daunting to employers, but essentially it’s about holding interviews with staff, whether individually or in the form of ‘listening circles’. It’s important to make sure those groups are curated in a safe way that encourages people to speak up about their concerns. Not all staff are going to be objective, but even if someone has extreme views there’s likely to be a thread that connects what they’re saying with the more subtle comments.”
3/ Accept criticism
“How you respond to criticism is essential to the way you evolve as a business and move forward from it. It’s a natural reaction to defend yourself, but once you are aware of an issue, you can address it effectively to avoid escalation.”
4/ Be firm but fair
“Hold yourself and the individuals who represent your organisation accountable for behaviour, irrespective of their background, but make sure you’re being consistent and fair. We've seen cases in the press where employers are softer on some individuals, but then come down as hard as nails on others. That has to stop – you have to hold people accountable, and in a very forthright way, but it should be consistent.”
5/ Talk openly about your weaknesses
“Vulnerability and honesty are strengths for an organisation. Only by being honest about your skill-set and capability can you understand where the gaps are and what they mean in practice.”
6/ Improvement is a continuous process
“You need to be honest and reflect on the gaps you have within your company. It’s like building muscle memory – the more aware you are of your surroundings, the better you can adapt to changing circumstances. Employers tend not to question themselves outside of the traditional development process, but it is necessary to continue reviewing to create positive change.”
7/ Give yourself space to address issues
“Often, there is this impetus to just quickly fix something, when actually there are so many things you have to take into consideration – how you operate, how decisions are made and how people feel. Take the time to really understand the issue on all those levels and tailor a solution that can drive change in a meaningful way.”
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