- Embrace cultural shifts like diversity and flexibility to attract top talent and boost employee well-being.
- Show you care by addressing the environment, mental health, and offering flexible work options, leading to a more productive and engaged workforce.
- Adapt to changes like AI and autonomous vehicles to stay competitive and relevant in the future.
What is culture? Let’s start with the basics!
A cultural shift results from events that change history and permanently impact how we see the world.
Cultural shifts can begin from a change in behaviour or trend, which becomes a staple in current thinking. Shifts influence marketing professionals to embrace these changes and appeal to the younger generation by creating messaging and advertising that will ultimately connect deeper.
These changes are essential in society as they reshape how we perceive and recognise various elements in the community and workplace. These elements in the community can correlate with a company’s workplace through their values, workplace environment, and health and well-being. An example of a cultural shift is the change in technology mobility. Information can now be readily available on a smartphone instead of logging onto a computer. Companies must now create and format marketing and advertising material that is suitable for a mobile device.
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These cultural shifts can allow a company/employee to identify a toxic workplace and improve to create and maintain a positive workplace that motivates employees.
A few of the current elements that have influenced workplace culture are environmental, gender, awareness and transparency issues. Recently, these issues suggested companies embrace these into their core values.
Although small businesses may not recognise the importance of cultural shifts, these aspects are vital. These shifts would shape their perception of ideas, what they find value in, and essential in creating the company culture/values foundation. By embracing these elements in society, shifts can positively impact the business and completely change the community.
An example of a cultural change is environmental issues, one of the most significant impacts in today’s society. Pinpoint holds value in this matter and has discovered an organisation, “Trees That Count”, that plants native trees on our behalf through donations.
Check out how many trees we’ve donated so far here!
Small businesses should most definitely take the time to create company values that resonate with each employee to make a positive working environment. This new environment would motivate their employees to grow and stray away from a negative workplace culture. These values can also allow for the employee to thrive as an individual and adopt new values.
How can you identify the shifts?
- Keep up with the digital online world: society relies on digital mediums more than ever to keep up with current trends/news on various social media sites
- Social media is the most critical tool in recognising new cultural shifts & trends among the community.
- Discover what elements you find valuable in your lifestyle and workplace
- Researched information and written content are everywhere regarding multiple topics.
Here are 5 Cultural Shifts: how to leverage them and keep up with the changing times
1. Awareness of Diversity: Sexual and Gender Identities
Small businesses need to be more inclusive and expand their core values to build positive relationships with their employees and customers. Show that they are welcoming of anyone in regards to their identities.
In 2017, the NZ Police had created a recruitment video to address diversity and become more inclusive in their workforce. NZ Police have increased female recruits by 50% and welcoming a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds. From this video, their applications have grown as it displays the core values at the NZ Police, what they want in their workplace culture and has allowed them to expand their workforce.
2. Impacts on the Environment: Climate Change
Society is more focused than ever on creating a greener environment – reduce their carbon footprint, lessen temperature changes by being more environmentally friendly. Small businesses should include this issue as one of their core values to appeal to the community and show that they care about it.
An example of an NZ company that has adapted these environmental views from its establishment in 2012 is Ethique. They have been at the forefront of sustainability, wellbeing and creating a greener environment. Ethique’s products and packaging are plastic-free, carbon-neutral, use fair trade ingredients and plant a tree for every order. Ethique noted the importance of transparency, source of ingredients, price of their components and comparisons of their products.
3. Change in a Workplace Environment
Due to Covid, many businesses are now using various methods such as working from home and having a shorter working week to lessen employee stress and interaction. Small businesses can use this as leverage as an employee benefit which would appeal to those wanting to join the company. Changes in the working environment also enable employees to work better and productively.
An example of a business that has adapted to these changes is ANZ, allowing flexibility among employees. Employees can work from home a couple of days a week and minimise the office floor space. Individuals also can arrive at work later or leave earlier, creating a positive working culture and well-being. Changing the way workplaces operate can relieve the stress and anxiety associated with the current world.
4. Autonomous Vehicles/AI/Development of Technology
In today’s world, there is more money and time spent developing technology where autonomous vehicles and enhanced technology are becoming a norm. Small businesses should use this to embrace and adapt to this change to use new technology where possible. This allows employees to become up to date with technology, work alongside, and use it daily. New technology can also track data in real-time, which would benefit most businesses that want more information about their customers/databases.
A small kiwi business, Ohmio Automation, have created an autonomous vehicle that holds 20 passengers and starts production this year (2021). This project’s development has allowed them to explore options such as a larger passenger shuttle and stated that various semi and fully automated vehicles would be on the road by 2030. The first deployment will be at Christchurch Airport and another project in South Korea for 150 vehicles. The issue of autonomous vehicles is one of the biggest industries valued at $54 billion in 2019. It will continue to grow to $556 billion by 2026, where this culture shift will rapidly enhance and become a social norm in the future.
5. Health & Wellness
Mental wellbeing & health has been one of the affecting factors during the recent pandemic. Most companies have now initiated employee assistance programs, apps and have encouraged changes in employees health. It is becoming a negative impact in society and the workplace, where approximately 20% of employees have left their jobs due to mental health reasons. Supporting employees in various ways would create a positive workplace environment and allow these individuals to feel reassured.
Mentemia, founded by Sir John Kirwan and Adam Clark, is an NZ company established primarily for mental health issues. They both had experienced some type of mental health issue in their life. They have created an app that launched in late 2020 with over 60,000 downloads in the first three months. Mentemia has current business partners such as Chorus, Ministry of Health and SKY. With the help of developing technology, this app can act as an on the go wellbeing guide through your smartphone or tablet. Mentemia can help support individuals when needed 24/7 through courses or a helpline as it is a support guide that many individuals need for mobility. Mentemia also has the option to obtain more information in regards to partnering with businesses.
Although a couple of companies mentioned these five cultural shifts, many more can be seen worldwide. A variety of companies have assessed their current core values and embraced some values that society deem essential. These cultural changes will continue to shape the community we live in today and motivate businesses to embrace these changes.
These cultural shifts can leverage small businesses if they accept these values as their own, creating awareness in the community. Society influence is a significant impact and focal point in getting companies to adapt to various cultural changes and maintain them for the future as they are topics that individuals find essential.
Share your comments or feedback and let the Pinpoint team know if you have queries to do with your digital marketing.
