To build trust, foster accountability, promote an enhanced spirit of collaboration and commitment, and align teams with the tenets of the IT ImpacT and the university’s Here and Next strategic plans, teams across WashU IT recently adopted Cultural Norms. This will mean our teammates, customers, partners, and stakeholders will experience the same level of engagement from IT staff.
Senior leaders and managers met in late August to review proposed cultural norms and discuss what consistent messaging was important for teams to feel valued, as well as necessary to convey to message of value to our customers, partners, and stakeholders. Another meeting of senior leaders and managers will take place soon to determine the process for rolling out the cultural norms to WashU IT teams.
To promote organizational alignment with the aspirational stakeholder experiences outlined in the IT ImpacT Strategic Plan, these norms will ensure the following:
- Open and transparent communication is valued, with team members sharing information, ideas, and feedback effectively.
- Collaboration is prioritized, encouraged, and supported, emboldening teamwork and cooperation among employees to meet goals and achieve success.
- Accountability is maintained with employees taking responsibility for their actions to foster a welcoming and inclusive culture and climate.
- Work-Life Balance is supported for employees to maintain wellbeing outside of work.
These norms focus on meeting and email etiquette, as well as ways to assure courtesy when scheduling, managing, and participating in meetings. You can learn more about the Cultural Norms by exploring the guide, which is linked from IT Staff Space under the Recordings and Materials section.