Business Culture under the microscope

How would you rate our culture?

• All the questions were sent to the Area managers in the business. The responses were collaborated as a collective and no one highlighted individually.

• So the response for the first Question “How would you rate our Culture?” the average was 4.37. 1= Fantastic 10= Terrible. • We had 1 rate the culture a 6, 3 rated it a 5, 2 rated it

a 4 and 1 rated it a 3.

How would you describe our culture?

• Responses are as follows;• The culture has not expanded with the business. Its not embedded into the

employees. • Our culture can be confused at times. • Our environment can be stressful, yet we forget to celebrate the wins across all

areas of the business. • Our culture would be great if we worked together as a family unit. • Our culture appears to be a retail VS head office nature. • The vibe is “Every man for himself”, so it can be hard to get help or have open

communication when your met with a feeling of wasting other peoples precious time.

• Lacking- Structure, professionalism, worth to team, lots of take & not as much give. • Culture is team based with participation on all levels starting from the top to the

shop floor.

What are the 3 best things about our existing culture ?(This answer varied)

• Responses are as follows;• Phone calls from Key stack holders when the stores

have performed well. Makes the team smile & happy. • Free to speak our mind. • I believe that we are trusted in our positions most of the

time to make the best decisions• The relationship between AM’s. • The relationship between NRM and all the other AM's

We are a TEAM. AM'S being left to get on with the job of making sales and managing their team. • Freedom to be yourself.

What are the 3 worst things about our existing culture? (This answer varied)

• The disconnect between HO and the shop floor and vice versa. Area managers are overworked because stores are almost too scared to contact HO so they contact AM.

• We don't really have a common goal, values to recruit by or a mission statement to live and breath by.

• Lack of communication all around.• I think the word NO flies around too much - We have tried it before and it didn't work- we

should ask (why didn't it work?) rather than just write everything off straight away. Yes it didn't work in one store - doesn't mean that we just give up.

• Lack of reward for performance, lack of respect for an AM’s job role & also what we do that isn’t our role, like IT on call.

• Not enough roster hours in store for a high expectations.• No annual salary review. Need to come ask for a pay rise.• No Bonus structure for AM’s. Stores perform because it’s the guidance and direction from

the area managers. We problem solve, create sense of urgency within the store, performance manage etc.

• A feeling that our roles are not valued. Area managers never shut off.

What ways can you suggest to improve our culture?• HO and shop floor need to have a common goal and work together to achieve it.• We try every day to keep up the "Surprise and delight" Mantra with our teams

that was created a few years ago, but I don't feel this is the same for other areas of our business.

• being polite to one another and understanding each persons position and respecting their position

• being truthful to one another even if it means having those difficult discussions• Improved Management training to improve our leaders in the business at store

level. • A once a month meeting for all Managers out of store to set up the month ahead

and sign off rosters. All inventory, stock issues etc planned at this point. Builds communication and cements the team.

• Recruitment based not only on skill set but on values of people that we what to work with or strive to be.

• Rewards and Recognition at all levels not just shop floor.

Continued.

• Monthly reviews with staff for training and open communication that we value their ideas • Same value system should be used for staff and

customers.• Investment in our teams.• More open communication between all departments.• Mutual respect between all departments (sometimes

the wording of emails do not show respect)• Responses in a timely manner to emails and phone

calls

What do you want our company culture to be?• Open and clear communication• The feeling of the person on the other end of the phone/email interested

in what you have to say.• Surprise and delight embraced for all departments, not just retail side. I

thought this was a great idea when first rolled out but I'm not sure its been put into full effect company wide.

• Rapport building between all departments. What is done to help encourage this?

• Professional, proactive and working towards the same customer based goal.

• I would like it to be a company that values staff and rewards them accordingly. I feel that we used to be more of a family and now it has become fragmented and staff are just numbers. We have lost our care-factor.

Continued.

• I want our company culture to be open and honest.• Our teams to be proud to work for our brand.• Talk about it like they were working for apple.• Hardworking and dedicated.• Rewarding and fair.• All positions in the business respected.• Focused and well researched.• More thought into how we can train, mentor and help the front

line. We have forgotten that we strip away from the frontline, we have nothing. • Be leaders and not followers.

How can we improve interaction between team members at store level and between stores and Head Office?

• Sometimes it wouldn't hurt from the phone to be picked up - rather than a straight to the point email - and taking the small amount of time to have a conversation. This is part of rapport building but also puts a human element to the person behind the desk in HO. I also feel this would help team feel more urgency to get things right e.g. payroll or speak up if something's not right such as signage etc.• I think less emailing would help open up communications between

stores and HO• Most stores feel like they get reprimanded if they email the wrong

person so don't even bother to do that now.• Perhaps we could have one store support email rather than so

many that seem to change every few months.

Continued.

• I think that HO staff don't really understand how difficult it is to be on the shop floor day in, day out. I think it would be beneficial for HO staff to work on the shop floor for a week or something so they understand the limitations of what can be achieved in a day due to staffing, serving customers ect.

• In a word....RESPECT. We should be valued for the job we (AM's and teams) do and the money we bring into the company. We should not have to not have to fix IT issues and payroll problems.

• Maybe some form of conference call to get to know the team• -It seems as though head office changes so much it is too hard to keep up

with who is who, this also does not help at store level as it makes team uneasy and disloyal

• Maybe a photo next to the name sent out so the team know who they are talking to

What are our values?

• Good question. I know my own values but company wide I couldn't tell you. Obviously on retail side would be customer related.• I don't know • Probably the customer dollar. Definitely not our staff. • Exceptional customer service• Surprising and delighting- this seems to get lost at

head office level.• I couldn't tell you what the company values are.

What do you want our values to be?

• Qualities that describe the type of people we want the company to attract/ who the stand out employee already are. Honesty, team worker, initiative, communicator etc.

• Treating anyone that walks through our doors with respect whether it be a customer or team member.

• To have a clear succession plan for every team member.• Professional. Structured & Respectful. Up to date & modern. Ahead of the

competition. I want to be a leader not a follower-followers fall flat.• Professional, Consistent and Competitive.• accountability, nurturing, proactive, teamwork, professional, respectful, fun,

enthusiastic and motivated.• Truly embrace surprise and delight.• -Ensure every customer walks away in awe of our outstanding customer service.• -To all work as one big team, no divisions.

What do you want our mission statement to be?

• When you type in what is a mission statement into google this is what comes up:

The mission statement reflects every facet of your business: the range and nature of the products you offer, pricing, quality, service, marketplace position, growth potential, use of technology, and your relationships with your customers, employees, suppliers, competitors and the community.I think our current Mission statement although accurate is outdated and even though yes a satisfied customer is important it is only one aspect of what I think goes into a successful team.

Continued.

• To all that walk through the door, treat them as if they were a member of your family.• Great teams who have a passion to provide great customer service.

Leaders in our field? I’d like us to be a leader not a follower but we strongly follow & often too late. What ever the statement is we need to live by it not just say it because its fluffy.• I do think that whatever the statement, we should be surprising

and delighting our staff as well as customers. Staff who are happy and praised in their work, will be happy to be there and perform better. I often reward staff from my own pocket and I think that AM's should have a budget from head office to reward staff where they see something outstanding in a team member.• Surprise and delight those around you daily?

What is our vision?• No idea. • Is there a written one?.• I don’t know.• To open as many stores as possible & make as much

money as possible with as little staffing as possible.• I am unaware what our vision is but I know my vision,

“To be the most successful state in the business through developing my team every shift”.

What do you want our vision to be?

• Whatever it is it needs to be consistent across the board. As an employee I would live and breath by whatever management chooses but it needs to come from them .I just think we are a bit lost.

• I believe it is to open 100 stores. Be a successful and thriving business.• To be a smaller company providing excellence in our field with well trained staff,

the tools we need & the right product that our customers want to buy.• I would like our vision to be about creating and participating in hard working

motivated environments where each individual give there best each and every shift. No favour asked is too big, no question asked is too silly. It would be nice to come to work surrounded by others that enjoy their work equally as much as you do.

• To work as one and support each other to achieve 100 stores in Australia.To be known as one of the best places to work in Australia

• To be leaders in our field, also cultivate leaders in our business. This is done by allowing them to be innovative and express their thoughts in an open forum where thoughts are considered and not shot down.

What is the difference between Vision and Mission?

• A Vision Statement:• Defines the optimal desired future state - the mental picture - of what an

organization wants to achieve over time;• Provides guidance and inspiration as to what an organization is focused on

achieving in five, ten, or more years;• Functions as the "north star" - it is what all employees understand their work

every day ultimately contributes towards accomplishing over the long term; and,

• Is written succinctly in an inspirational manner that makes it easy for all employees to repeat it at any given time.

• Leaders may change, but a clearly established Vision encourages people to focus on what's important and better understand organization-wide change and alignment of resources.

Continued.

• Examples of effective Vision statements include: • Avon: "To be the company that best understands and

satisfies the product, service and self-fulfilment needs of women - globally.“• Microsoft: "Empower people through great software

anytime, anyplace, and on any device.“

What is a Mission Statement?

• A Mission statement:• Defines the present state or purpose of an organization;• Answers three questions about why an organization exists -• WHAT it does;• WHO it does it for; and• HOW it does what it does.• Is written succinctly in the form of a sentence or two, but for a

shorter timeframe (one to three years) than a Vision statement; and,• Is something that all employees should be able to articulate

upon request.

Continued.

• Some businesses may refine their Mission statement based on changing economic realities or unexpected responses from consumers. For example, some companies are launched to provide specific products or services; yet, they may realize that changing WHAT they do, or WHO they do it for, or HOW they do what they do, will enable them to grow the business faster and more successfully. Understanding the Mission gives employees a better perspective on how their job contributes to achieving it, which can increase engagement, retention, and productivity.

Continued.

• Examples of effective Mission statements include:• Nissan: "Nissan provides unique and innovative automotive products and services that

deliver superior, measurable values to all stakeholders in alliance with Renault.“• If there is no downside to having a clear Vision and Mission, why do some organizations not

have them, or have poorly written ones on their websites, lobby walls, brochures, etc.? Some of the reasons I've heard are:

• "It takes too much time to develop them."• "We will never reach consensus."• "Our CEO wrote our Vision, which we know is more like a Mission statement with our values

mixed in, but no one is going to question it."• "Everyone that works here already knows what we do, so what is the benefit of writing a

statement about it?• "We have our goals - who needs a Vision or Mission?• "It's expensive to take people away from their real job to focus on it."• "Actually defining our Vision and Mission will mean changes in the organization - who has

time to deal with more resistance to change?"