At Wholegrain Digital, regular employee discussions and surveys are deployed to help identify gaps in business critical skills and capabilities. Areas covered so far include ‘Deep Work’, self-management, challenging conversations and handling complexity.
As part of the deep learning process, Hardy works as a part-time coach to help individuals fulfil their potential and upskill in a complex working environment. This support runs in tandem with whole team training sessions, plus small facilitated group work that encourages peer-to-peer support.
Monthly ‘system seeing’ conversations are held to help employees take a step back and see the system within which they operate. These sessions, alongside a ‘Growth Culture’ Slack channel, help foster open, curious and developmentally oriented conversations.
The whole company was also invited to contribute to creating Wholegrain Digital’s ‘Cultural Manifesto’, which acts as a ‘North Star’ both for individual behaviours and strategic decisions within the business.
As a result of these culture change efforts across the past year, two team members have been promoted into two new roles. The agency has also seen profits increase by more than 20% per year alongside rising levels of customer loyalty. Significant improvements in operational proficiency and greater cross-discipline collaboration have also been achieved.
Judge's feedback
“This is an exemplary story that illustrates the nature of learning culture pioneers. I loved the wide variety of interventions coordinated via a coach – looking to drive local ownership, systems thinking and bringing people on board with both the vision AND how to get there.”
Laura Overton – Culture Pioneers judge and award-winning industry analyst.