• What is the role of communication in shaping and reinforcing culture?
• Where do we start if we want to change culture? 
• How do we embed new values and behaviours? 
• What kind of leadership communication is needed to drive culture change?
• How do we show communication is integral to culture change programmes?
• What does hybrid working mean for culture management?

This two-part workshop addresses these questions and more.

Practitioners will learn how culture works to shape organisational reality and why it is so difficult to ‘see’ it and change it.  During the course we will challenge accepted wisdom about what kind of communication practice works for culture management, including how and when to communicate values and what these should look like for maximum effect. 

We will also explore how communicators can generate powerful insights about culture and how to use these to support leaders in shaping culture through communication.

This highly interactive workshop will ensure that delegates learn both from a culture expert and from each other and leave equipped with better understanding, robust arguments and a set of tools to help put them in the heart of culture change in their organisations. 

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, delegates will: 

• Understand how culture works and how communication shapes culture
• Know how to systematically assess their own culture and identify barriers and drivers to change
• Be able to support leaders in initiating and sustaining culture change
• Know how to use communication interventions to embed values and reinforce behaviours
• Understand the impact of hybrid working on current culture and how to deal with this effectively

Who should attend?

This course is aligned to the ‘Understanding People and Cultures’ area of the IoIC Professional Map and is most suitable at those working at level 2 and above, although communicators of all levels should expect to be challenged.  

The course aims to introduce professionals to the latest thinking about culture, dispel some prevalent myths about the role of communication in driving culture change and equip communicators with new insights, knowledge and practical tools, increasing their confidence and credibility and enabling them to make a real difference in their workplace.

The course will cover the following over two sessions:

Part One: 22nd May, 14:00 - 17:30 (BST)

• A new model of culture /new way of looking at culture
• The difference between visible and hidden culture and how they reinforce each other
• Different types of culture (national, organisational, professional etc) and how they shape the workplace
• Observing, analysing and understanding our own culture
• Making the link to communication practice
• Impact of hybrid working – culture challenges and opportunities

Part Two: 29th May, 14:00 - 17:30 (BST)

• Why change culture and how culture change works (and how it doesn’t)
• The three stages of culture change and the different comms strategies to deploy for each stage
• The role of values communication (and the does and don’ts around this)
• Understanding and addressing resistance to behaviour change
• The leaders’ role and how to support them
• Measuring improvements and showing impact

Additional benefits

Additional benefits include:  

• Culture clinic: opportunity to discuss particular culture challenges in your organisation as part if the course and get expert advice
• Templates and guidance for mapping culture, analysing existing communication practice and planning targeted communication interventions to change a specific behaviour
• Advice for further and more specific reading
• Examples of good practice from a range of organisations and a network of like-minded professionals to connect with and learn from
• Opportunity to discuss/test own practice and challenge
• Pre and post course access to Canvas, the IoIC's online learning environment, where attendees will find all course materials and be able to engage with their fellow participants through forum discussions
• Eight CPD points for IoIC Members.

Please note that we use Zoom for our online courses. Please ensure that you are able to access this system where you are based before booking your place. All times are in BST. 

Trainer

Domna Lazidou

Find out more