Transformation | How to change your culture, one new person at a time

We’re living through times of huge social upheaval. From #MeToo and Black Lives Matter to the environmental protests whose escalation matches the increasing incidence of extreme weather events right across the globe, it seems as if the world is on the march.

Whether it’s transgender rights, or the need for companies to operate in a more sustainable fashion, organisations are starting to be held to account on key social issues. Those that aren’t part of the solution are increasingly being seen as part of the problem, and they risk falling behind in the war for talent, particularly with millennials and generation Z.

HR needs to play a key role in this, not only in helping drive inclusion and diversity, but also in communicating and embedding the huge cultural and behavioural changes that will be needed to drive sustainable operating practices. There’s no better time to inform, engage and enthuse your people about these new, important ways of thinking than when they first join. So how can you shape your onboarding experience to optimise this opportunity?

1. Listen to your new starters