Case Study: Bridging Values and Culture

Challenge:

In a large corporation, the organizational culture had deviated from its stated values, prompting a business unit director to address the misalignment and prioritize employee well-being for his unit’s 80 people (7 people managers, 73 staff).

Initiatives:

Targeted Mental Health First Aid Training:

Implemented with a select group (n=8) for immediate response capability.

Unit-Wide Mental Health Primer II:

Rolled out to the entire business unit to reduce stigma and promote a supportive culture.

Psychological Health & Safety Audits:

Conducted a baseline assessment and again at six months. Planned annually to monitor and enhance workplace well-being.

Performance Management Alignment:

Reviewed and adjusted performance management practices to ensure harmony with the Mental Health strategy.

Human-Centred Leadership Development:

All people leaders engaged in learning and coaching sessions to improve capability for balancing performance management and employee well-being.

Results:

Improved Mental Health Literacy
- Mental Health First Aid training provided a select group with the skills for immediate response capability during daily work.
- Mental Health Primer II contributed to a cultural shift in reducing stigma and fostering supportive behaviour across the business unit, improving psychological safety, engagement and productive, creative work.
Improved psychological safety
- Regular psychological health audits facilitated meaningful metrics, leading indicators, and ongoing improvements.
Aligned Practices:
- Performance management adjustments enhanced alignment with the Mental Health strategy.
- Human-Centred Leadership Development improved leaders’ ability to better support their teams’ well-being and more effectively manage performance.

Conclusion:

The director’s proactive approach, combining targeted training, unit-wide awareness, tailored programs, and strategic evaluations, successfully bridged the gap between organizational values and culture. This comprehensive initiative not only promoted mental health but also aligned performance management with the overarching well-being strategy. His business unit had less turnover, less conflict, more cross-functional effectiveness, and more engaged team members. Employees expressed a greater sense of mental health literacy, agency, and belonging.

More Case Studies