How to Build a Business Case for Culture
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A question I get asked a LOT when it comes to culture:
“How do I get leadership to care about prioritizing culture?”
My first, cheeky response is usually to brush up on your resume and find a company that does, because some leaders just don’t get it. And it’s my belief that for the most part (but not in every instance) if a leader doesn’t care about culture, feedback, employee experience, etc. then they probably never will.
Also, that’s not very practical advice, so here are some tips on how I think it actually should be approached with leadership in order to have a chance of being effective — which is in short to build a business case for it with leaders who are hesitant, skeptical, or just don’t get it.
Here’s how to build a business case:
#1: Leverage data.
“... they’re not going to be compelled by the argument that “It’s the right thing to do.””
Use real, concrete data. If someone (leadership) is apprehensive to the idea of pouring time/energy/resources into improving culture, they’re not going to be compelled by the argument that "It’s the right thing to do.”
Speak with numbers and concrete data. Paint an objective picture of what’s going on at your organization. Some data that can be helpful to bring up:
Retention & turnover numbers
Exit interview data
Engagement survey results
Customer satisfaction information/outcomes
Find data that supports your case, and use it to frame up your case in favor of why whatever you’re discussing definitely needs attention.
#2: Address the pain points.
Data means something — decipher it. Pain points are where the data that you’re talking about is costing the company money or wasted time and productivity, or causing problems and frustration for leaders, employees, customers, etc. Address the pain points that your organization is experiencing. Some examples of this are:
Wasted time, money, and/or efficiency
Poor employee experience and morale, causing turnover
Poor customer experience and outcomes, customer retention
Interpersonal or accountability issues that cause drama and lower efficiency
Lack of speed or knowledge from newer employees
Low response time or service quality
Combine data and pain points to display how not addressing the issue at hand is costing time, money, energy, resources, etc. as a result.
#3: Connect to company goals.
What does the organization care about? What are leadership’s goals for the company?
This is where some business acumen and understanding what is strategically important to the company is clutch. Is growth a priority? Or profits? Is the company looking to expand, or change it’s business model in the future?
“If whatever work your proposing has no direct impact on what the company is trying to accomplish, then it will be hard for them to see value in it.”
The more you understand about what the goals of the company are the more teeth you give to your business case for whatever you’re pitching. Ask questions, learn, understand. If whatever work your proposing has no direct impact on what the company is trying to accomplish, then it will be hard for them to see value in it.
#4: Define what exceptional would look like.
Take all of the above; data, pain points, company goals, and translate that into what “Pleasure Island” could look like. What are all of the benefits the company would receive from making a change or prioritizing the proposed solution (culture, asking for feedback from employees, etc.)? Paint the picture for leadership of what could be.
If the conversation is around culture then tell the story of the impact — increased morale, retention, better performance, less interpersonal issues, higher profits, etc.
Final thoughts:
It’s extremely important to build a business case when addressing leadership in your organization who might need some convincing. You’ve got to speak their language with data, numbers, and pain points to relate it back to what matters to them. Conviction is important but it won’t make your case.
Remember also to be fully prepared that even the most compelling, obvious business case can have absolutely no impact at all. Leaders who “get it” don’t need to be convinced that employee experience and culture are vitally important to the success of companies and teams. On the other hand, leaders who don’t see the value in those things are tough to bring around to the idea. Regardless, it’s still definitely worth the effort to convince them.
Lay out all out and then tie it all together, and you’ll have yourself a pretty damn good argument for boosting culture, or any other topic or initiatives inside your organization.
Related Articles:
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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