Written by Andrea Bruneau
The Maximize Positive Impact Conference brought together a diverse group of small business owners, cultural change leaders, and non-profit visionaries to share their stories. The discussion centered on how these leaders strengthen relationships with customers and employees, foster inclusivity, and overcome challenges to maximize their positive impact on the communities they serve.
Our Cultural Transformation Panelists were Julie Findley, CFAO and Deputy to SVP for Dartmouth College Campus Services, and Mary Lougee, Director of People and Culture for the Co-op Food Store. These leaders dove into the challenges and triumphs of organizational change initiatives that improve the employee experience. The discussion highlighted how visibility, active listening, and systemic improvements create a ripple effect of inclusion, productivity, and employee satisfaction. From rewriting policies to addressing leadership gaps, the panel offered actionable insights into building a workplace culture where employees feel valued and supported. Their stories underline a key truth: investing in people creates a ripple effect of positivity, productivity, and profitability.
Visibility and Presence Matter
To foster inclusion, our panelists emphasized the importance of meeting employees where they are. Visiting all work locations and shifts ensures that no team or individual feels overlooked. The employees who are often left out will truly appreciate being seen and heard. Leaders should prioritize being present with staff regularly—whether at appreciation events or during day-to-day interactions. Take time to say hello, ask how they’re doing, and truly listen to their responses. These details do not go unnoticed by employees, and will lead to greater belief and buy-in to cultural initiatives.
Listening to Employees
Listening sessions, surveys, and job shadows allow employees to highlight recurring themes that need urgent attention. Cultural issues our panelists uncovered included:
Employees felt overworked and underpaid, leading to burnout.
Communication breakdowns created frustration and misalignment.
A lack of appreciation made people feel unseen and undervalued.
Employees’ voices must also shape the strategy implemented to address these concerns.
Tackling Systemic Challenges
Some barriers to inclusion and employee satisfaction can be systemic, requiring bold action by these lead:
Rewriting Policies: Prohibitive language in policies that made people feel excluded were revised.
Addressing Customer Behavior: Teams were trained to handle negative customer interactions, empowering employees to feel supported.
Removing Unethical Leadership: Problematic leaders were replaced with those who embody the values of respect and fairness.
Creating Connection Opportunities: Community-building events, such as department-wide lunches, helped foster relationships between employees and leadership.
Building Capacity for Sustainable Change
To ensure long-term impact, these organizations invested in critical resources:
New Roles: Hiring recruiters, culture and belonging directors, and learning and development managers to address staffing and development needs.
Leadership Engagement: Leaders prioritized being present and actively connecting with employees, especially during busy seasons.
Challenges That Remain
While progress is evident, challenges persist:
Balancing resources and time against demands.
Engaging staff and leaders consistently, especially through high-stress periods.
Extending the scope of influence to areas outside the department where strained dynamics still exist.
Focusing on Continuous Improvement
The panelists shared ongoing strategies to improve employee experiences:
Regularly asking for feedback to identify opportunities for improvement.
Tracking metrics such as the utilization of benefits and applicants who were referred by current employees—clear signs of a positive workplace culture.
Budgeting for Culture
Investing in people isn’t just about costs—it’s about returns. When you invest in this work, you save money by preventing the issues that drain resources. A high quality employee experience eliminates expenses tied to turnover, training, and problem mitigation. Creating new positions to sustain the work, as well as leveraging resources such as community partners are some other budget-related strategies.
Embedding and Sustaining Cultural Transformation
Measure Progress: Use pre- and post-initiative metrics to track change.
Tie Goals to Rewards: Incentivize participation in cultural initiatives by linking annual goals to salary increases.
Employee Representation: Staff need to see themselves in the work. Ensure the employee voice is heard and reflected in your strategy.
Empower Influencers: Identify employees with social influence who are passionate about change, positioning them as champions of your initiatives.
The Bottom Line
Cultural transformation isn’t a one-time project—it’s an ongoing commitment to prioritizing people and their experiences through visibility, listening, and sustainable action. This involves meeting employees where they are, addressing systemic barriers, fostering inclusivity, and creating opportunities for connection and feedback. Coupled with leadership engagement and measurable progress, these efforts ensure that employees feel valued, supported, and aligned with organizational goals—laying the foundation for lasting change.
The panel’s insights made one thing clear: when organizations invest in their workforce, the returns are profound—not just for employees, but for the entire organization’s success.
The DMC Workforce Success Team has more than 20 years combined experience and provides sustainable solutions to the complex social issues that affect large, medium or small businesses. Building authentic relationships is at the heart of DMC’s work, developing trust and honesty with employees to get to the root of issues and include them in the design of solutions.