I experienced this when selling my recruitment company, to a larger organisation.
In your opinion, why do some employees view a change in company culture as a negative?
People are naturally nervous about change. Any change, especially if they haven’t been consulted will be viewed negatively.
How do you communicate those changes to keep employees on the same page?
It’s important to communicate the benefits to them, not just to the company. Employees want to know what’s in it for them and how this might impact them in a positive way. Make the change as quickly as possible, don’t give them time to worry or debate the changes. By doing it quickly, they can see the benefits sooner.
How do you help employees remain positive as the company culture evolves?
Keep communicating the benefits and highlighting positive examples of the change. Take time to speak to them one-on-one, particularly with any key members of staff and listen to their concerns. If they are justified or something that can be tweaked, make that change. They will feel better about the overall changes if they feel they have been able to exert some control and have been listened to.