By Adam Turteltaub

Getting a good sense of the corporate culture is often a challenging task.  Surveys, focus groups and just walking the hall can be instructive, but finding out what’s really going on may take a combination of all three.

According to Brian Lee of Gartner (formerly CEB), you need first to have a sense of which makes the most sense for your organization.  Then, whatever option you choose, you need to ensure that you have created an environment where employees feel they can speak up honestly, you have a large enough sample to be valid, and the questions you ask deliver data that you can act on.

From his experience, there are several factors that have an enormous effect on an employee’s view of the organization.  First is organization justice.  Second is comfort to speak up:  are they able to raise issues without fear of retaliation.

Also of great importance is the climate around them:  not just tone at the top, but what is going on with the people in the areas they work, and if those mirror what the CEO has advocated.  Put another way, it’s a reminder that tone at the top is only important if it is mirrored by middle management and in day-to-day operations.

Listen in to his podcast to learn more about these issues and what Gartner’s research has found when it comes to assessing and improving culture.  And, to hear more, be sure to attend his session “Advancing a Culture of Integrity by Building Strong Climates” at the 2018 Compliance and Ethics Institute.