Building Corporate Culture
Enhancing Employee Engagement Through Corporate Culture Initiatives
Automotive Corporation
In my leadership role within a major organization, I spearheaded two significant corporate culture initiatives that sought to enhance employee engagement and redefine traditional workplace dynamics. The first initiative, #zündholz, was a transformative project within a division of 700 employees that ignited creativity and teamwork. The lessons learned from this initiative were instrumental in the development and implementation of a larger, division-wide project known as #feeldo, encompassing 6,000 employees.
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Initiative One: #zündholz
Context and Challenge
The #zündholz initiative aimed to revitalize our corporate culture by breaking away from rigid traditions that had prevailed for 90 years. It was supported by the SVP of Global Sales & Marketing, which was essential for gaining the necessary buy-in at all levels.
Approach and Implementation
I led a diverse team of 5 from across departments, fostering a collaborative environment essential for this cultural shift. We initiated the project by holding creative sessions, where we collectively reimagined our business and corporate culture dynamics.
The physical manifestation of our new approach was the transformation of an unused industrial space into a vibrant creative hub. The inauguration involved a large canvas (3mx4m!) where employees painted their visions for the future, symbolizing a collective step towards a more engaged and creative workplace. Our boss notably contributed his shirt to the artwork, reinforcing the leadership's commitment to change.
Innovative Engagement Strategies
We introduced several ongoing activities to keep the momentum alive (here just a selection):
Topical Brown-Bag Sessions: These sessions allowed employees to share personal interests (like being a helicopter pilot or harley riders) and passions, strengthening team bonds.
Lunch Roulettes: Starting with 30 participants, this initiative grew tenfold to over 300, creating new interpersonal connections and challenging traditional departmental boundaries.
Lessons Learned
The success and challenges of #zündholz taught me the importance of servant leadership, where empowering the team and fostering a culture of inclusivity and creativity were paramount. These experiences were crucial in preparing me for leading a larger-scale transformation. Especially ensuring the continued existence of the movement irrespective of managerial rotations was a challenge that proved to me the viability of the approach - rooting it in the employee-base and ensuring the base again and again had the power to convince. The initiative is alive and well until today and regularly hosts podcasts and appreciative employee awards.
Initiative Two: #feeldo
Expansion and Scale
Building on the insights gained from #zündholz, I was entrusted with architecting #feeldo, a new initiative aimed at a division of 6,000 employees. This project was designed to culminate the cultural learnings from the smaller initiative and apply them on a larger scale.
Strategic Implementation
With a dedicated team of six, we developed a concept: The feel-do cycle, whereas actions are felt and the felt reality in turn shall lead to new actions. As part of the cross-divisional team of senior managers and cultural evangelists we created the “Culture & Values Workbook” as a top management tool, facilitating deep appreciative inquiries that influenced leadership styles across the division. For the wider organisation, we also organized a large-scale open space event for more than 100 employees, which led to the bottom-up initiation of several impactful projects across the group’s three brands.
Sustained Impact and Network Formation
The #feeldo initiative not only transformed the division’s culture but also created a network of strong bonds among employees, that remained even after major restructuring. These connections have transcended the confines of the company, maintaining their strength internationally and irrespective of individual career paths. This network of relationships is a testament to the lasting impact of our cultural initiatives.
Conclusion
My journey from #zündholz to #feeldo illustrates the power of cultural transformation within a corporate setting. The lessons learned about servant leadership and team empowerment in the initial project laid the groundwork for a larger, more impactful initiative. The enduring international network of relationships born from these projects underscores the profound and lasting impact of our efforts on the corporate culture and beyond.
