What’s Your People Philosophy, Part II
Last week we posted about the importance of a broadly-applied People Philosophy.
An organizational People Philosophy is a concise statement that helps streamline your values, vision, strategy and other guiding principles regarding how your organization commits to treating people. It simplifies understanding across groups and helps your organization retain talent and improve collaborative efforts toward its goals.
This week we're focusing on how to build and successfully implement your People Philosophy.
A Step-by-Step Approach to Creating and Communicating Your People Philosophy
Assemble a team from different roles and levels within your organization. This could be in person, over video conference (especially good for inclusion across a broad geographic), or via survey. For optimal buy-in, include representatives from all levels.
Ask a few questions (using a skilled facilitator if in real time), such as:
How do we want an employee to answer “What’s it like to work there?”
Think of an experience when you felt very in sync with (the organization). What made you feel that way?
What makes you want to stay connected to (the organization)?
What kind of behaviors make you feel most comfortable to be yourself?
3. Ask a smaller (multi-role/level) team to examine the collected data and identify key words and phrases. Again, work with a skilled facilitator if doing in real time. Compare list to your existing values (what’s missing…on either side?)
4. Work with a trained writer in your organization to draft two-to-three versions of a concise statement (see last week’s article for an example)
5. Proof your top two versions with a focus group from all levels to check for clarity and authenticity. This could be a good job for your DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) group!
6. Finalize the top version with your Executive Director/CEO (and your Board if applicable)
7. Write a communication plan involving written and spoken delivery, including the “why” and a summary of the multiple levels of team members that you included in the process. Include an initial delivery channel from the very top of your organization and plan to trickle down communications to managers, employees, board members, volunteers, and possibly customers (whoever that may be for your organization).
8. Align your communications plan with your executive team before rolling it out -- including how everyone will be empowered and held accountable for its consistent application
9. Provide a conversation guide for all executives, people managers, and your board president where applicable to have group conversations with their teams
10. Evaluate the success of your implementation on a regular basis via survey items and other feedback channels, team/organizational meetings, etc. How well is the organization upholding the philosophy -- and where does it still need work? Build in targeted feedback as part of executive and people manager performance discussions.
Why so many steps?
While this may feel like a lot to go through, the more buy-in an organization gets along the way, the more authentic the final product will come across and the more likely it will be accepted by your organization.
So Now What?
As with any organizational communication, it’s so important for the tone to be consistent across policies, other communications, and your culture at large. Be approachable (i.e. willing and ready to discuss) and consistent over time.
Our people really are our most important asset. A safe environment (the culture and behaviors of the organization’s members) that supports and promotes the individual’s best self will set your organization up for strong talent retention and impactful collaboration toward your goals.