Sample Results

The survey of organisation culture is the first step of a four stage process used to manage the necessary changes in practices and policies which deliver the desired future state set out in an organisation’s Mission and Values. The four stages, known as the 4 'A's, are shown in the box alongside.

A typical survey report will contain:

Executive Summary of Conclusions

Descriptive Section

• Survey population and response rates
• Explanation of analysis methodology
• Distribution of returns from different areas of the business
• Validation of entries (including for example spoilt papers)
• Notes on the interpretation of data and results

Detail Results Section

• Results at sub-group level (e.g. by location, function, age, service etc.)
• Significant differences between different groups
• Significant high and low scores
• Comparisons to earlier results (if available)
• Comparisons to standards and published research (e.g. IIP, HSE Stress Standards, the 4 ‘A’s database)
• Causal hypotheses
• Other observations
• Comments from free-text section

Recommendations for Change and Communication

Typical charts and appendices

• Survey questions list
• Table of average scores by sub-groups
• Clusters of extreme responses
• Overall averages on each question in descending order
• As appropriate – charts showing any special or unusual observations, relationships or distributions
• Comparison with other organisations on parallel questions
• Male/female comparison & gender gap
• Indices of scores by subject area (e.g. communication, systems, involvement, etc.)

In addition, free Excel charting and interrogation tools are provided along with the report in electronic as well as paper format.

The 4 A’s in practice

The four stages of cultural change management, are known as
the 4 "A"s. Shown below are the ways in which these 4 stages are applied and what you will see as a result.

1. Assess the culture

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As an example of how the survey is used to drive the change process, the following extract was taken from a survey for a major retailer who has made demonstrable improvements in both culture and business performance in recent years as a consequence of using these methods.

An initial survey established that although there was a positive approach toward training in the stores, this was not so in Head Office.

2. Analyse the Causes

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The Board and Executive Team then conducted a health check covering over 100 elements of its structure, systems and style of operation.  The box below is a selection of a scoring process undertaken in different parts of the business against this health check.  Similar results were later obtained using the EFQM Quality Award criteria.  The key low and negative scores here related to training needs assessment and the ability of managers to coach and counsel employees, particularly in the head office environment.

3. Act on Solutions

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The results of the Company’s Executive team and the HR department’s health check was to establish two initiatives in Head Office (shown right).

Later results from a repeat survey showed significant improvement from Head Office along all the cultural indicators which might have been expected to have changed as a result of the two actions.

4. Audit the Results

Ownership of change

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Survey results can be used not just to inform top management but also to aid local managers in addressing key issues at local level as in the following graphs supplied to Area Management.  This one extracts survey parameters associated with management style and forms part of the 360 degree self-appraisal process.

Managers can use this data to improve their own performance and that of other subordinate managers.

Business Metrics

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The data can be used to support a business balanced scorecard as in this chart.

Here the data is sorted along lines of influence for the Company’s core values and shows performance against targets for cultural change.

This data will be a key ingredient to the "People" element of the scorecard.

Tracking change

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It is important not just to track actual changes in scores from one survey to the next but to recognise that the survey and the action on the results changes both the organisation and individual expectations. Change in expectations affects perception of what is or is not possible and it is too simplistic to just assume that the numbers tell us everything. It is also important to assess the perceived change in culture as well as the actual change in scores. This chart shows such perceptions.