How Can We Successfully Introduce Cultural Change in a Hospital Resistant to Transformation?

Dear All, I hope every one of you is safe and healthy. Could any one of you please advise and guide me on how we can bring cultural change in a hospital? Has anyone been successful in this transformation? I work for a hospital whose nurses and staff have been working for more than 12 years. They do not support any new transformations, so any ideas on how to start would be a great help for me.

Dear Ms. Meera Nair,

Though you have raised the query on changing the culture of your organization, you have not mentioned in what capacity you work in the hospital, what the present culture is, what assessment of the culture you have done, and what kind of culture you wish to have. Above all, what is your authority? What is the level of your empowerment?

For the change of the culture of the organization, please note the following:

a) An organization is a lengthened shadow of the top leadership. A specific shape to culture can only be given by the top leadership. Others only contribute but cannot bring any kind of change.

b) Note that if the top leadership does not take efforts to give a specific shape to a culture, it does not get formed. Organizations do not work in a vacuum. The culture of the organization gets formed automatically as the organization ages.

c) The different types of the organization's culture are innovative culture, customer-oriented culture, efficiency and cost-reduction culture, quality culture, image-conscious culture, bureaucratic culture, etc. What is your present culture and what kind of culture do you wish to bring in? Nevertheless, the change of culture can happen only if the initiative is taken by the MD of your hospital.

d) HR professionals occasionally fancy bringing the organization's culture. They think that they can introduce a few policies, organize a few training programs, and the culture will get formed. However, it may be noted that this is just HR's fantasy. No HR professional has succeeded in changing the organization's culture.

e) You have mentioned that the staff of your hospital works for 12 hours a day. Why do they put up such long hours? If you wish to bring a change, then your first priority should be to give respite to your staff. Culture change is a far cry; first, restore their legitimate working hours.

f) While writing point (e) above, I am completely aware that presently the state of Kerala is completely in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. The caseload is increasing, and this has put the hospital staff under tremendous pressure. Many hospital staff are required to put up excess hours. Getting additional staff is also difficult.

g) Since we are passing through the COVID-19 pandemic, this is not the right time to think of changing the organization's culture. Please remember the famous saying by Abraham Lincoln, "It is not best to swap horses while crossing the river."

My above comments are straightforward. Nevertheless, public forums give the liberty to do so. Please do not take it personally.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

I appreciate the other member (Mr. Dinesh)'s detailed advice on the query raised. Behavioral interventions should be part of regular management strategies for effective team management and performance. Even in the current COVID situation, you may consider inviting a spiritual guru or management thinker who has dealt with similar situations, or utilize your internal leadership to discuss morals, ethics, duties, and contributions. Additionally, you should express the need for change for both individual betterment and organizational growth. Assess the outcomes of these small initiatives and plan for more significant changes.

Open, authentic dialogues and discussions on key points can lead to productivity. Informal groups can also provide assistance in resolving stagnant situations.

Thank you.

I totally agree with Mr. Dinesh. To reach excellence in culture, a positive environment and belief in each other are the actual strengths needed to change the culture. It is a time-consuming process that requires a strong will to change from everyone, regular discussions with everyone, proper care of everyone's emotions and feelings, and, most importantly, truth from the heart.

For the benefit of the members of this forum, I am forwarding an e-book titled "Gallup's Approach to Building a Culture That Drives Performance." Gallup is an organization that conducts surveys on international, national, and organizational levels. The e-book provides insight into the organization's culture and its impact on the performance of the organization.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar