Insights | Articles
Break the Bias within Organisational Culture
Jayne Ruff | 8.3.22
Reading Time: 3 mins
+ TLDR:
High-performing. Customer-centric. Inclusive. All commonly heard statements of good intention when discussing organisational culture. But as is often the case, what’s written on paper isn’t always what’s experienced in practice.
Our research, and that of others, finds that it’s often organisational culture that will make or break parents’ return to work, longer-term job satisfaction and well-being.
The success of any resources and policies put in place to support working parents and employees more broadly – with an aim to break the bias – will inevitably be influenced by the surrounding environment.
This International Women’s Day, consider: What’s the message shared by the accepted actions, beliefs and behaviours in your organisation? Is it aligned with the story you want to be told?
Look beyond the values prominently displayed on the office wall and we find an organisation’s true culture in the attitudes and behaviours that are explicitly and implicitly encouraged, often through actions demonstrated from the top. These messages share what is truly valued, what is important, what’s accepted and what’s rewarded.
Our research, and that of others, finds that it’s often organisational culture that will make or break parents’ return to work, longer-term job satisfaction and well-being.
The success of any resources and policies put in place to support working parents and employees more broadly – with an aim to break the bias - will inevitably be influenced by the surrounding environment.
““In my industry there is a complete lack of working mothers at the top which makes it intimidating to return.””
Taking steps towards an inclusive culture
Every organisation is made up of a complex mix of spoken and unspoken values, aspirational values, and personal values. Proactively identifying the values and behaviours that are currently given greatest priority is an important step in breaking the bias within organisational culture.
This hierarchy of values influences behaviours, decisions, priorities, and actions at an individual and group level. Consider your meeting disciplines, socialising norms, or job assignment practices. When diaries are jam-packed, what (and who) gets bumped down the priority list? This is a values-based decision. When money and time are short, what (and who) do we invest in? Another values-based decision. Something as simple as being in the habit of asking for status updates from members present in the room before those working flexibly could unintentionally signal a hierarchy of input. As is often the case with the language that’s used, both implicitly and explicitly.
To address the gap between current values at play and those we aspire towards, we need to take steps to proactively identify the behaviours that help and address the attitudes, habits and assumptions that hinder the culture we wish to create. Encouraging open and honest conversation is key, with permission to call out specific unsupportive habits and behaviours at play. Developing emotional intelligence, through skills such as active listening, can help to foster greater understanding across teams. As can promoting genuine curiosity through creating an environment where employees really want to, and have the space to, understand and learn from how others view the world.
This International Women’s Day, consider:
What’s the message shared by the accepted actions, beliefs and behaviours in your organisation? Is it aligned with the story you want to be told?
Jayne Ruff – Chartered Occupational Psychologist & Founder of Parenting Point.
Parenting Point exists to give everyone the self-belief that they can flourish as a parent and a professional by positively aligning both worlds. We help parents find their meaningful and fulfilling work-life balance through practical, psychology-based workshops and coaching. We work with organisations to create positive and inclusive performance cultures that support and encourage the growth of working parents.