Developing a culture of change in turbulent times: New IES research

IES News

30 Sep 2017

IES has today published a new case study report outlining the key factors to the success of a change initiative at Immigration Enforcement. The report, commissioned by the Home Office, considers the Culture Call initiative as a social movement, and evaluates its success in terms of delivering long-lasting cultural change.

This third report in the series Facing into Change, authored by IES principal associate, Valerie Garrow, sits in a civil service context of increasing service demands, efficiency and a wider political environment, which includes intense media scrutiny. In this environment, Culture Call at IE has already achieved some tangible results and the case study therefore offers valuable lessons for many organisations and their approach to change.

The report shows the importance of middle manager take-up in bringing about successful organisational change. Striking the balance between top-down endorsement and bottom-up enthusiasm has been crucial to the success of Culture Call at Immigration Enforcement. The report encourages the view that organisations must navigate the pathway between the need for supportive structure and the danger of stifling the energy social movements require in order for a culture of change to prevail.

Elsewhere, the report offers insights on how social movements interact with the wider people strategy, and the benefits of ensuring that such movements are not formalised at the mobilisation stage and are allowed to gain traction.

Download the report