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The University of South Carolina – Division of Information Technology –

EducauseSoutheast Regional Conference

Jacksonville, FLJune 2, 2008

The Challenges and Opportunities of Transforming

Organizational Culture

The Challenges and Opportunities of Transforming

Organizational Culture

OutlineOutline

• Understanding the History of IT at the University of South Carolina

• Understanding the primary drivers that influenced our need for change

• Key strategies we have used in an effort to improve organizational culture

• Benefits of culture change – assessment of our progress to date

• Lessons learned

Understanding the History of IT at USCUnderstanding the History of IT at USC

• Traditional IT organization

• Decentralized computing structure

• Characteristics of our culture

• Hiring the University’s first CIO in 2000

• Context - Major Goals of the University

• Transformational initiatives affecting IT at USC

Understanding the Drivers of ChangeUnderstanding the Drivers of Change

• 30 year old legacy systems

• Maturing staff approaching retirement

• Lack of timely IT responses

• Competition for the “best and brightest” students– Lack of services to give a competitive

advantage

• Customer demands for new technology

Key Strategies to Improving Organizational Culture

Key Strategies to Improving Organizational Culture

• Concurrent Re-engineering– Internal Focus– External Focus

• Key Changes Required– Change driven by the organization’s leadership– Re-establish central IT’s identity and purpose– Repair customer relationships– Improve our internal work environment

Changes Driven By Our LeadershipChanges Driven By Our Leadership

• Key Staffing Decisions– University’s CIO– Associate VP for IT and Deputy CIO– Director of Budgets and HR– Filling other key vacancies with leaders who

share our values

• Intentional focus on the culture of the organization

Re-establish Central IT’s Identity and Purpose

Re-establish Central IT’s Identity and Purpose

• Clarifying our vision as a customer service focused organization

• Identifying our values– We serve our customers– We value our people– We operate with integrity– We contribute to our community

• Strategic realignment of our organizational structure

Repair Customer RelationshipsRepair Customer Relationships

• Outreach efforts with key customers

• Introducing a quarterly “Technology Showcase”

• Collaborative approach to hiring key staff

• Project management

Focus on Improving Our Work Environment

Focus on Improving Our Work Environment

Listening to employees and seeking to improve the day-to-day work experience– Employee Survey

• Identifying issues and concerns• Building on positive aspects of work life• Making commitments to address areas of concern

Employee Survey – Key FindingsEmployee Survey – Key Findings

Strengths:

• I like the other members of our 89% Agree

work group

• I enjoy the type work I do 85% Agree

• I am satisfied with my supervisor 70% Agree

• This organization is a good place

to work 64% Agree

Employee Survey – Key FindingsEmployee Survey – Key Findings

Areas to Target for Improvement:• The organization’s goals and 61% Neutral/Disagree

expectations are adequately communicated

• Management acts as if employees are its 68% Neutral/Disagree

most valuable asset

• There is a clear connection between my job 77% Neutral/Disagree

performance and my compensation

UTS CommitmentsUTS Commitments

• Communication

• Direction/Leadership

• Compensation/Rewards

UTS CommitmentsUTS Commitments

Communication

– We will clearly communicate with you regarding our values and expectations for the workplace

– We will build an environment that promotes honest, clear discussions between employees and their managers

– We will welcome (and provide a means for) your feedback regarding the organization's performance and suggestions for improvement

UTS CommitmentsUTS Commitments

Direction/Leadership

– We will make our organizational priorities clear to you

  – We will regularly communicate with you regarding

our priorities and our perceptions regarding the progress we're making

– We will create structures that will help you envision a long-term career with UTS

UTS CommitmentsUTS Commitments Compensation/Rewards

– We will develop and distribute a clear statement of our philosophy for managing pay for employees

– Our pay philosophy will closely align with our values• Our philosophy will address our approach to both

base pay increases and bonuses

– You can expect, at least once a year, an honest discussion with your Manager/Director regarding your compensation

– We will develop a more comprehensive approach to rewards and recognition

Focus on Improving Our Work Environment

Focus on Improving Our Work Environment

Listening to employees and seeking to improve the day-to-day work experience– The Goal – Making UTS a great place to

work!– Plug ‘N Play committee

• Chili cook-off• St. Patrick’s Day Celebration• Are you a Rock Star??

First Annual UTS Chili Cook-offFirst Annual UTS Chili Cook-off

Green Day – St Patrick’s Day at UTSGreen Day – St Patrick’s Day at UTS

Are you a Rock Star??Are you a Rock Star??

Our Fearless Leader!

- And his helpers!! -

Our Fearless Leader!

- And his helpers!! -

The Benefits of Culture ChangeAn Assessment of Our ProgressThe Benefits of Culture ChangeAn Assessment of Our Progress

• We are making progress, but we’re not there yet

• Evidence of our progress:– Internal Focus

• Work environment• Staffing• Impact of new technology• Training• Tools

The Benefits of Culture ChangeAn Assessment of Our ProgressThe Benefits of Culture ChangeAn Assessment of Our Progress

Evidence of our progress:– External Focus

• ERP Readiness• Building new research partnerships• SC Light Rail – a new high speed research

network• “Issue” Summits• Technology showcases – “High Demand

and High Attendance”

The Benefits of Culture ChangeAn Assessment of Our ProgressThe Benefits of Culture ChangeAn Assessment of Our Progress

Major challenges still before us:– ERP implementation– Research partnerships– Expanding direct academic support– Financial resources to support IT– Development of strategic performance

measures

Key Lessons LearnedKey Lessons Learned

Key principles of culture change– Culture change won’t happen without

intentional effort from the top– Culture change doesn’t happen overnight– The focus on service to customers is a

product of organizational culture– Change in the culture starts with leadership

living/practicing the stated values

Key Lessons LearnedKey Lessons Learned

Understanding the importance of

“We value our employees”– The importance of leadership – The necessity of positive, intentional

management– The way employees are managed is a major

determinant of the long-term health of an organization

Key Lessons LearnedKey Lessons Learned

The desire for change must be coupled with specific, focused actions– Commitments must be observable, both to

staff and customers– Movement/progress should be measurable

• Employee satisfaction survey• Customer satisfaction survey

Questions??Questions??