Cultural change as an essential building block for sustainable corporate success
Companies that want to meet the challenges of the future often report the urgent need to consciously shape and further develop their corporate culture. In practice, it often becomes clear that this is not just about technical innovations or new tools, but also about the question of how people in organisations work, communicate and act with each other. Support during this process is crucial in order to create a culture that supports openness, collaboration and continuous learning.
In the experience of many clients, cultural change is a process that requires impetus to overcome silo thinking and promote cross-divisional communication. Various industries independently report similar challenges and positive developments through targeted support in the introduction of new ways of thinking and acting.
New ways of working together: practical examples from different sectors
KIROI BEST PRACTICE at company XYZ (name changed due to NDA contract) In the context of a medium-sized manufacturing company, cultural development was actively supported by inviting employees at all levels to workshops in order to openly discuss fears and opportunities in dealing with digital transformation. This made it possible to break down barriers and establish new forms of internal collaboration that respond much more flexibly and openly to customer requests.
KIROI BEST PRACTICE at ABC (name changed due to NDA contract) In a service company in the healthcare sector, the accompanied cultural transformation led to a rethink at management level. Managers learnt how to not only manage processes, but how to actively act as multipliers of a corporate culture that promotes innovation. This created an atmosphere in which employees felt safe to try out new things, which led to a stable improvement in overall performance.
KIROI BEST PRACTICE at DEF (name changed due to NDA contract) In the retail sector, cross-divisional coaching showed that an open error culture and regular dialogue about experiences with new technologies made a significant contribution to successful change. Employees were encouraged to give feedback and actively participate in the design of work processes, which increased the acceptance of newly implemented systems.
Challenges and opportunities in cultural change
Many companies face the challenge that changes in corporate culture are met with fear or uncertainty among employees. Clients often report that, especially in times of technological change, there is uncertainty about how roles or working methods will change. These concerns need to be taken seriously and cultural change needs to be organised as a collaborative process in which everyone involved is supported and accompanied.
Impulses on how to establish small experiments in working groups or regular reflection rounds promote a learning culture that strengthens innovation and agility in the long term. A vision that is communicated and practised by management is particularly important in order to create orientation and motivation for employees.
An example from the automotive industry shows that the integration of new technologies alone is not enough, but that a fundamental attitude of flexibility and mutual respect is necessary to overcome the stacking effects of traditional departmental boundaries. In this way, communication barriers can be broken down and a common vision can be developed.
Targeted support for your cultural change
Support in artificial intelligence projects not only relates to technological aspects, but also to the cultural change that is essential for a successful introduction. The process can be supplemented by external impulses that stimulate reflection and support the long-term anchoring of necessary changes.
Many managers report that they gain new perspectives on their role through this type of support and learn how they can best support teams on the path to transformation. This creates a dynamic environment that encourages innovation and collaboration without formulating unrealistic promises of effectiveness.
My analysis
Successful cultural change is not a sure-fire success, but a multi-layered process that requires systematic support and individual impetus. Experience shows that artificial intelligence projects can often only realise their full potential if they are based on a culture of trust, openness to new ideas and cross-divisional collaboration. The more stakeholders are actively involved and thus take responsibility for a shared future, the more successful the change will be.
Further links from the text above:
[1] Introduction to artificial intelligence according to the requirements of the EU AI Act
[2] AI as a threat or an opportunity in times of skills shortages?
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