Culture continues to be a critical topic, particularly for top executives. They understand that an organization can thrive or fail based on its culture. We have all seen organizations disappear because they lost their culture, and we know that many organizations work very hard to preserve or, when needed, intentionally change their culture. At the same time, investment in culture initiatives is increasing, and leaders with a careful eye on spending are asking a fundamental question: What is the value of culture change, and does it really work and is it worth it? The most effective way to answer that question is through a rigorous evaluation.
Most evaluations of the return on investment of culture change are driven by the direct interest and encouragement of senior executives. Yet many culture change leaders struggle to demonstrate the value that these initiatives can deliver. They often focus primarily on behaviors, while executives want to see the tangible impact of those behaviors on organizational outcomes. In this session, we will explore three central themes. First, how to measure the impact and return on investment of culture change in a credible and convincing way, using standards that a chief financial officer will support. Second, how to clearly determine what is working and not working in your culture change initiatives. Third, how to design culture change efforts intentionally so they deliver maximum return on investment.
This session will introduce the ROI Methodology, the most widely used evaluation system in the world. Through examples, case studies, and practical tools, you will see how to address each of the three themes described above. By the end of the session, you will know how to build a robust and conservative business case for culture investments and how to present the results in a clear and compelling way. You will also learn how to evaluate culture change at five levels of outcome and how to ensure that the desired results are built into the design before implementation begins. A key outcome of this work is a shift in how culture change is viewed, from a cost center to a strategic investment and a valuable resource for the organization.
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify five levels of outcome for any culture initiative.
- Determine what is working and not working in their culture change process.
- Design culture change initiatives to deliver impact and return on investment.
- Plan next steps to sustain and expand successful culture efforts.
Jack J. Phillips, Ph.D., is chairman of ROI Institute, Inc. and a world renowned expert on accountability, measurement, and evaluation. A former bank president and HR executive, he consults with Fortune 500 companies and major global organizations and has authored or edited more than 100 books, including Proving the Value of Soft Skills, while conducting workshops and speaking at conferences around the world.
He has been widely recognized for his contributions to the field. He received the Thomas F. Gilbert Distinguished Professional Achievement Award from ISPI, and together with his business partner and wife, Patti Phillips, he received the 2024 Thought Leader Award from the Association of Learning Providers (ISA), the 2022 ATD Thought Leader Award, and the 2019 Center for Talent Reporting Distinguished Contributor Award. In 2019, Jack and Patti were named among the top fifty coaches globally by Thinkers50. SHRM has honored Jack with its highest creativity award for an ROI study and has recognized an ROI Institute book with a best book award.
His work has been featured in major business media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Fortune, and he has been interviewed on several television programs, including CNN.
