Purpose: This is the ultimate north star. The purpose represents the fundamental reason why the organization exists beyond making a profit. It answers the question of "why" the organization does what it does and serves as a guiding principle for decision-making and employee motivation.

Values: Values are the core principles and beliefs that guide the behaviour and actions of individuals within the organization. They serve as a moral compass, influencing decision-making, shaping relationships, and defining the organization's identity.

Rituals: Rituals are the recurring activities and ceremonies that establish a sense of belonging and shared experience within the organization. They can be formal or informal, ranging from small gatherings like team meetings to company-wide town halls to recognition events and social gatherings.

Stories: Stories are the narratives that convey the organization's purpose, history, successes, and failures. They shape the perception, memory and identity, providing a sense of purpose, belonging, and shared values.

Symbols: Symbols are the visual representations or artifacts that embody the organization's values and culture. They can include logos, mission statements, office design, and dress code, acting as powerful visual reinforcement of the desired culture.

Behaviours: Behaviours refer to consistent display of conduct and actions of individuals within the organization. They embody the organization's values and cultural expectations, influencing the overall work environment and employee interactions.

Practices: Practices encompass the way of doing things at an organization. They represent established ways of working for carrying out tasks and processes within the organization. They reflect the way of people work together and contribute to the overall culture and employee experience.

Policies: Policies are the formal rules, guidelines, and procedures that aim to drive behaviour and decision-making within the organization. They provide a framework for consistent and fair practices and ensure compliance with regulatory and ethics standards.

Physical Environment: The physical environment refers to the workspace, office layout, facilities and design elements that shape the employee experience. It can influence collaboration, communication, and overall well-being in a corporate set up.

By assessing and understanding each element of the Culture Canvas, organizations can gain insights into differences between their current state and the desired one, identify areas for improvement, and align their culture with their strategic goals. It offers a holistic perspective on how each element interacts and contributes to the overall organizational culture, providing a roadmap for leaders to shape a positive and impactful culture.

Delving into existing culture and catching up to who we want to be is critical in recent times when organizations are faced with accelerated and dynamic new realities. It also offers a unique opportunity to redesign and renew our organization culture. The seismic shifts in remote work, changing employee expectations, building resilient organizations, adoption of new age technologies, and the need for agility have accelerated the need for a culture that can thrive in a post-pandemic era.

The culture canvas can be a valuable tool to navigate this evolving landscape. It can be a compass for corporate leaders and managers seeking to build a resilient, innovative, and purpose-driven culture that stands the test of time. Here are my thoughts on some ways the culture canvas can be used in corporate organizations to renew and refresh the cultural fabric.

Revisit Purpose and Values: The pandemic has forced organizations to re-evaluate their purpose and values especially for the human resources. Companies need to assess if these still align with the new realities and expectations in the post-COVID world. Talent attraction, retention and engagement have undergone a sea change in recent years. This may involve revisiting the purpose and making adjustments to reflect the changing needs of stakeholders.

Redefine Rituals and Behaviours: Remote work and virtual interactions have become the norm since the pandemic and it is here to stay. Organizations should redefine their rituals and behaviours to accommodate the new working models and maintain a sense of connection and collaboration among employees. This may include virtual team-building activities, more focused efforts at inclusion, and fostering a supportive online culture.

Adapt Stories and Symbols: Organizations need to adapt their stories and symbols to resonate with the changing business and people reality. This may involve sharing stories of resilience and adaptability during the pandemic and highlighting symbols that represent agility, innovation and wellbeing in the face of adversity.

Reinforce common language: Creating and reinforcing a common language for everyone in the organization will facilitate conversations, and people will understand and adopt it effectively and quickly. Besides being an effective tool of communication and clear messaging, it will also enhance the actions and strategies implemented and help to have more productive interactions and make better decisions.

Design team culture: People’s sense of belonging to their teams is much stronger than that of the organization as a whole. The smaller the group, the stronger the affiliation. Designing the culture of the team is based on allowing the customization of some aspects of the company’s culture. This culture must always complement that of the organization. 

Emphasize Health and Well-being: The pandemic has placed a significant focus on health and well-being. Organizations should prioritize employee well-being in their culture canvas, incorporating initiatives such as flexible work arrangements, mental health support, and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

Foster Remote Collaboration: Varying degree of remote work is likely to continue for the foreseeable future across industries. Companies should emphasize collaboration tools, communication channels, and virtual collaboration practices in their culture canvas to foster effective remote teamwork and maintain a sense of belonging.

Redesign Physical Environment: While remote work has become prevalent, organizations with physical office spaces should consider redesigning them to adapt to the new needs. This may involve creating hybrid workspaces that cater to both in-person and remote collaboration, incorporating safety measures, and providing spaces for social interaction and well-being.

Update Policies and Practices: Organizations should review and update their policies and practices to align with the post-COVID environment. This may include flexible work policies, digital security and privacy protocols, business continuty plans, and updated guidelines for health and safety.

Overall, the culture canvas can be a valuable tool in helping organizations assess and reshape their culture in the post-COVID era. By adapting key elements and aligning them with the changing needs and expectations of employees and stakeholders, companies can create a culture that supports resilience, agility, well-being, and effective collaboration in the evolving business landscape.