Strategies in Action

The Challenge

In the aftermath of the Accelerate Program, Airservices Australia, having successfully elevated its capability to respond and adjust to change, now needed to transform over the longer-term for its people. Internal surveys and independent reports indicated troubling patterns of adverse behaviours, including potential bullying and harassment and a disconnect between leadership and frontline employees. Left unaddressed, these emerging issues posed risks to both employee well-being and operational integrity.

With deeper scrutiny it was clear that the root causes extended beyond individual behaviours. A legacy of assertive and directive operational norms, while essential for safety and precision, was often causing a lack of empathy and strained relationships. Compounding these challenges was some entrench workplace norms that had not adapted to reflect changing societal expectations or modern workplace values.

Now three-years into my initial five-year term as Chief Executive Officer, I was about to take the organisation on a cultural reform journey. 

The Approach

A deep understanding of Airservices history and social makeup was especially crucial. The right strategy needed to appreciate the profound safety culture in which people operated, while being able to address the necessary changes for a healthy workplace. While my team and I brought this to the planning table, an essential success factor would be the impartial insights and recommendations from workplace culture experts. 

As a result, in 2019 before the world learned of COVID-19 and resulting pandemic, I engaged an independent consultancy to conduct a comprehensive review of my organisation’s culture. In the months that followed, employees across all departments were invited to participate in surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews, to make sure diverse perspectives were heard. The findings provided a candid view of our workplace challenges. While it made for uncomfortable reading in parts, being a believer in honesty, transparency and leadership accountability, I released the report publicly and committed to adopting all recommendations. 

Cultural Reform Sucess Factors

1. Holistic Cultural Transformation: Armed with the findings, along with a recognition that cultural reform is complex and iterative, we embarked on a multi-phased strategy that tackled culture from three critical angles: Systems, Symbols, and Behaviours. Success depended on addressing all three areas and embedding ongoing monitoring and adjustments into the process.

• Area 1: Systems. Leadership accountability was formalised through revised standards and performance evaluations tied to cultural outcomes. Policies and procedures were overhauled to support inclusivity and psychological safety.
• Area 2: Symbols.  Actions were taken to visibly demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to change, such as establishing dedicated networks for women, Indigenous employees, and LGBTQ+ staff, as well as celebrating diversity in all communications.
• Area 3: Behaviours. Leadership training and a reimagined onboarding process was implemented to instil cultural values from the outset. Employees were encouraged to model empathy, inclusivity, and collaboration in their daily interactions.

2. Adapting to Changing Contexts: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for flexibility in cultural reform. Remote work, shifting societal values, and heightened focus on mental health required adjustments to the actions delivering on the report's recommendations, which had been developed using pre-covid methodologies and workplace norms. This iterative approach was essential to ensure the reform remained relevant and effective in a rapidly changing environment.

3. Ongoing Monitoring and Course Corrections: Cultural reform was never expected to be linear or easy. Missteps occurred, and progress was uneven in some areas. Regular follow-up reviews by independent consultants and internal monitoring systems provided critical insights, enabling the organisation to make course corrections and continue building on its successes. 

A Reflection on Outcomes

Despite the challenges, we achieved meaningful progress:

• An improvement in Workplace Environment: Decreasing turnover with increased levels of reporting reflected a healthier culture. Any reports of adverse behaviours were addressed more effectively.
• Embedded Cultural Values: Culture became a central focus in decision-making and daily operations. Leaders are now evaluated on their ability to drive positive cultural outcomes, ensuring alignment at all levels.
• Resilient and Inclusive Systems: New policies and procedures created a foundation for sustainable cultural growth, supported by networks that empower diverse voices.
• Adaptability and Continuous Improvement: Regular assessments and adjustments ensure that cultural reform evolves alongside societal changes, enabling long-term relevance and effectiveness.

Universal Insights

Cultural transformation is not a linear project with a defined end date, it is an ongoing, strategic necessity that must be embedded into an organisation’s DNA. The experience at Airservices underscored that sustainable cultural change requires a structured yet adaptable approach, tackling systems, symbols, and behaviours in unison. Insights from this journey are:

Leadership Commitment is Non-Negotiable: Cultural reform must be championed from the top, aligning leadership behaviours with organisational values critical in setting the tone for change.

Honesty and Transparency Builds Trust: Publicly releasing the findings of the cultural review, despite its difficult revelations, as well as over communicating with staff to keep them informed and involved, reinforced a culture of honesty and accountability. 

Adaptability is Essential: External factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforced the importance of agility in cultural reform. Strategies that may have been effective in a pre-pandemic world required recalibration to remain relevant in evolving workplace contexts.

Ongoing Monitoring is the Key to Progress: Cultural change is not a ‘set-and-forget’ initiative. Success lies in continuous assessment, refinement, and course correction to ensure long-term impact. Embedding mechanisms for feedback and independent reviews enables sustained improvement.

Final Thoughts

Culture is not a static state. it must be nurtured, assessed, and evolved in response to internal and external realities. When approached with intent and strategic discipline, cultural transformation can become a powerful driver of organisational resilience, inclusivity, and long-term success.

• Airservices Australia website