Companies must reignite company culture in the face of COVID-19 says Cirencester agency

A leading employer branding and candidate marketing agencies has launched a white paper for business leaders entitled ‘Reigniting your Company Culture’, exploring the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on organisational culture.

The report, curated by Gloucestershire-based agency WeLove9am, which has worked for brands such as Sky, Danish Crown and Barnardo’s, explores the critical link between company culture and business success, and lays out steps to help organisations restore team cohesion, refresh their vision and values, and reinforce their strategic narrative.

With almost two thirds of the UK’s population working from home, and more than half of workers concerned about returning to an office environment after COVID-19, the white paper highlights the need for cultural change within organisations that have been impacted by the ongoing pandemic.

The white paper also offers a guide to help organisations adopt a four-phase cultural change strategy, to educate senior leaders around the five key behaviours of a cohesive team, challenge business owners about their vision, purpose and values, and implement a robust communication strategy to relay and reinforce key strategic messages to both current employees and future candidates.

Mark Bevans, Founder and Managing Director at WeLove9am, said: “This pandemic has caused unparalleled global disruption, but while the economic impact is obvious, this crisis has also had a huge impact on corporate culture, affecting how organisations operate and communicate.

“We believe that right now, the benchmark for our industry is too low, so we’re setting the bar higher. And that’s what this white paper signifies. There’s more to employer branding than candidate attraction.

“Building or reigniting a positive company culture should be at the top of the list for all business leaders. The focus shouldn’t just be on surviving this health crisis, it should be about thriving, and that comes from nurturing a culture that lives and breathes within your business.”