Case study: How the Highberg Culture Scan supported a government organization in successfully merging three distinct cultures
In the Netherlands, several government security organizations share the same mission but serve different target groups. This overlap often causes confusion among the organizations' audiences. To address this, a decision was made to merge three organizations—each with distinct cultures, sizes, and ministerial oversight—into one integrated entity.
This merger presented unique challenges. A large, bureaucratic organization with subcultures and high employee turnover had to integrate with smaller organizations that prioritized autonomy and maintained a flat structure. The absence of a shared culture posed a significant risk to effective collaboration.
How do you create a unified organizational culture that harnesses the strengths of all three entities? Highberg was brought in to tackle this challenge by mapping the cultural landscape with the Culture Scan and guiding the subsequent culture change.
Why does the client want to do a culture analysis?
During the merger process, cultural differences became clear. The large organization was seen as formal and bureaucratic, with slow decision-making. The smaller organizations were informal and flexible but had grown quickly and started facing structural problems. Without shared values, the new collaboration was at risk. To support the integration, the client wanted to understand both the current and desired culture.
Internally, the client couldn’t carry out a complete culture analysis. They lacked the experience to map the organizational culture effectively and worried that employees wouldn’t speak openly about their experiences or concerns. They needed an external partner with the expertise to measure and drive cultural change in a confidential way.
Highberg was the perfect fit, offering:
- Expertise: Highberg is one partner for both measuring and changing organizational culture
- Anonymity and Data Security: Highberg’s clear data processing methods and guidelines built the trust needed for employees to share their thoughts openly
- Combined Quantitative and Qualitative Approach: By combining surveys with in-depth interviews, Highberg was able to gather more nuanced insights than previous internal efforts
This approach allowed for a thorough, safe culture analysis that encouraged employees to speak freely.
How did Highberg help the client?
Highberg’s approach began with the proven Culture Scan, consisting of two parts:
- Survey for all employees, managers, and executives: This questionnaire assessed cultural traits such as freedom versus control, formal versus informal structures, and leadership styles. It also explored visible elements like office layouts and rituals. Change readiness was also mapped, providing insights into attitudes toward the transition
- 32 in-depth interviews: Highberg interviewed representatives from all three organizations and a group of managers to provide more context for the survey results
Survey data was linked to HR data to uncover differences between organizations, departments, and teams. This approach revealed unique dynamics within subgroups, such as differences between management and operational staff or the impact of team size on cultural perception. This allowed for the development of targeted interventions. Privacy was ensured through advanced systems and anonymous data processing.
Increasing response rates was crucial. Highberg developed a communication strategy with actions such as real-time response percentages on screens, reminders in team meetings, and regular updates for management. This motivated employees to actively participate.
The results of the Culture Scan?
The Culture Scan provided a widely supported, representative picture that the client could directly translate into strategic decisions and concrete actions:
Why Highberg always conducts interviews: additional context on potential barriers
The survey revealed that employees had some concerns about the change, particularly around the perceived lack of resources to support the transition. However, it remained unclear where exactly these concerns came from. The interviews provided deeper insight: employees indicated that they didn’t believe the organization had enough time to properly manage the transition. The interviews also revealed that within the large organization, uncertainty and frustration had arisen due to a lack of transparency surrounding the transition—something the survey only partially uncovered. Furthermore, deep-rooted assumptions and stereotypes between different groups emerged as disruptive factors in the collaborative climate. Thanks to these qualitative insights, the transition team could plan targeted interventions to break down misunderstandings and improve mutual understanding.
The results were surprising
For the transition team, frustrations over silo’s in the cultures and slow decision-making were unexpected insights. The management also assumed that inclusivity was an issue, but both the survey and interviews showed that employees generally felt safe and engaged—with a few exceptions around difficult managers.
Translating insights into actions
Through targeted workshops, based on insights from the Culture Scan, Highberg worked with employees and the transition team to translate the insights into action points and prioritize them. This resulted in a practical roadmap with clear action points and timelines, laying the foundation for a successful transition.
Conclusion
Highberg’s Culture Scan provided important insights on how to integrate the culture of the three security organizations. By combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the culture was mapped, and change potential was identified. The subgroup analysis led to targeted interventions and tailored solutions. In-depth interviews revealed hidden bottlenecks and supplemented survey data. The results strengthened collaboration, decision-making, and leadership. Insights into change readiness supported creating buy-in for the transition. Highberg facilitated workshops where employees developed solutions for the new culture. The Culture Scan proved crucial for successful integration and cultural change.
Are you also facing a significant change in your organization, or do you notice areas for improvement in the culture? Contact Niek Klaver to discuss, without obligation, what might work for your organization.