Building culture in times of change creates a sense of belonging, even when working remotely.
Culture is the invisible glue that keeps employees connected to the company. With hybrid workforces becoming the norm, CHROs had to relook their approaches in 2021.
Bottom up
Nando’s SA chief people officer, Lucia McMullan, reveals a few ingredients that make up the Nando’s secret culture sauce. She provides an example of a Nandoca, an employee who is passionate, energetic, and committed to growth and development – both their own and that of the business.
This is why there are many examples of people in senior positions in the business who started working in a restaurant and have moved through the ranks.
Read more: Nando’s SA chief people officer Lucia McMullan says their culture is their secret sauce - CHRO South Africa
Revitalisation and inclusion
McDonald’s SA has garnered a reputation for human capital excellence in recent years, with one of the key drivers of success being their focus on the culture of the organisation.
The HR team developed the framework for a culture that would be based on three pillars set by McDonald's Global – 'Customer Obsessed', ‘Better Together', and 'Committed to Lead'.
Chief people officer Brigitte Da Gama provides insight into how the international fast-food chain revitalised its workforce and focused on including all people from various cultures.
Read more: McDonald’s SA's Brigitte Da Gama says their culture is what gets them through tough times - CHRO South Africa
Supporting the new hybrid workforce
SAP HR director Genevieve Koolen has a thought leadership piece on how to shape culture for the new world of work.
She unpacks the three key areas organisations will need to incorporate into their cultures to effectively support the new hybrid workforce that has been brought about by the pandemic.
Read more: Genevieve Koolen explains how to shape culture for the new world of work - CHRO South Africa
It’s in the DNA
BCX CHRO Hope Lukoto describes the journey of renewing the group’s culture. It is of particular interest when a company is made up of many different subsidiaries that have been acquired through various mergers and acquisitions, each of which has its own set of individual values and cultures.
She explains the rebranding and how the executive leadership team endeavoured to create what is now known as the BCX DNA.
Read more: BCX CHRO Hope Lukoto describes the journey of renewing the group’s culture - CHRO South Africa
Cultural fit
At this year’s HR Indaba Conversation, Niven Postma, managing director of Niven Postma Inc, recommended being more discerning about “cultural fit” and learning to be a culture contributor, rather than a culture critic.
There was frank discussion about how culture fit enforces the need for everyone to conform, which inevitably creates a situation where people are replaceable commodities, whereas diversity of thought can actually be healthy.
Read more: HR Indaba Conversation looks at the intersection of office politics vs. culture - CHRO South Africa.
