Organisational Development (OD) leaders often find themselves as individual agents of change within vast employee populations, working specifically to better connect organisational strategy to systems, structures and behaviours.
The biggest companies have employee populations that dwarf those of a suburb or regional city. And posses an equal or greater diversity of people, amplified in scenarios where operations are spread internationally. Yet traditional ‘internal comms’ rarely addresses the need for multi audience, multichannel campaigning.
Senti applies intelligence and creativity to support that work-shifting behaviour with employer branding, campaigns and communications.
Each employee is a person, for whom work is just one facet of their life and identity. To be effective this must be reflected by evocative, emotionally compelling communication.
Culture – work as shared identity
Workplaces are cultures shaped by shared values, beliefs, and behaviours. A strong, positive culture fosters inclusion, empathy, trust, and collaboration. A beacon to talent, it enhances well-being, fosters innovation, and drives business success. Conversely, a toxic culture can lead to high fail-rates and turnover, decreased morale, reputational and compliance risk.
A well-articulated and activated employer brand helps an organisation attract and keep the best workers. It succinctly demonstrates what the company stands for and how it treats people. It can form the strategic exemplar from which a workplace culture is lived-out.
Clear and honest communication is critical to effective OD interventions. It helps people better understand each other’s strengths, share ideas, and solve problems together. Good communication aligns effort, reduces misunderstandings, and ensures people feel valued by the community and the culture.
A moment to act – consumer values, compliance focus
Increasingly, consumers care about what companies stand for, not just what they sell. They expect businesses to help the planet and society. Organisations need to be proactive and accountable to their values to win market share.
Globally, companies are facing increased pressure to disclose climate and social impacts and opportunities: emissions data and strategies to reduce emissions, climate risk to business continuity, and planned adaptation to climate change. Investors, regulators, and the public are demanding greater transparency.
OD leaders can help organisations thrive in the climate transition. Guiding organisations through the adoption and activation of new strategies, structures, and systems. Building climate-conscious cultures, developing new skills, and fostering innovation.
They can also help manage change processes, ensuring employees are supported and engaged in the transition to a low-carbon future. Impactful and strategic communication plays a vital role in affecting change.
People and behaviour – the bridge from strategy to execution
Without a shift in how people work, think, and interact, the most well-crafted strategies will fall flat. A new customer-centric strategy will only be effective if employees meaningfully adopt customer-focused behaviours. A digital transformation initiative will only succeed if employees embrace new technologies and experiences in their daily work.
Employees want to work for a company that champions beliefs and purposes that sit comfortably with their own – often driven by a desire to prioritise meaning and impact in their work. Organisations whose values are well-aligned with their employees' are more likely to attract and retain top talent, foster a positive work culture, and build strong employer brands.
In both cases memorable and motivating communication is essential. Genuine dialogue, active listening, and clear communication foster a sense of belonging and trust. By equipping employees to seek new knowledge and skills, challenge the status quo and innovate, organisations maximise their adaptability and resilience.
Specialist skills informed by executive experience
Melinda and David work directly with leaders in business and government to translate organisational strategy into memorable and engaging brands, campaigns and experiences. Finding the right behavioural insight to catalyse change, delivering with compelling creative panache, measuring and refining to maximise ROI.
Are your employees fully engaged and aligned with your strategy? We'd love to share our approach to supporting OD leaders navigate a changing world. Contact us ...
