Strategic HR Forum: Growing pains: the impact of scaling up/growth on workforce and organisational culture

8th October 2024

Blake Morgan’s Strategic HR Forum continues with a look at the impact that organisational growth can have on its employees and workplace culture. The forums are free events aimed at HR Directors and senior HR professionals.

The next events will be at Blake Morgan’s Reading office on 14 November, and at the Hays offices in Oxford on 21 November. Blake Morgan Employment Partner Rajiv Joshi will chair the events.

Potential discussion points:

Key changes in workforce issues linked to growth

Impact on employee wellbeing
Job satisfaction and employee retention challenges
Potential misalignment of goals and priorities linked to growth
Impact of mergers and the difference when compared to organic/steady growth

Workplace culture/values and the impact of growth

What does ‘workplace culture’ mean and how is it established?
How can this be maintained during/after growth?
Should values and culture evolve because of growth, and if so, how?
Remuneration strategies and the impact of scaling up
Will there be a decline in innovation and creativity?
The potential of an increase in politics/bureaucracy?
Leadership – how can this change with rapid growth, and is there a lessening of transparency and communication linked to expansion?

HR changes in focus and structure due to growth

How to cope if there is no prior experience of start-ups in the HR team
Structure of the HR team and how it may need to change
Implementing strategies to maintain retention of key employees
Employee engagement
Recruitment practices – getting this right in the case of rapid expansion and the impact of changes to ‘day-one’ rights on recruitment.

Outcome from session

During our discussions we will explore the at the impact that organisational growth can have on its employees and workplace culture and values.

Session Format

The format of the session will be a round-table discussion and we will focus on the topics that are of most interest to attendees.

The topics set out above are amongst those that we will debate at our forum. However, please note that we may not touch on all the areas listed.

After the session we will circulate to attendees a summary report of the topics discussed and the ideas put forward to address the issues.