So-called "culture decks" — slick digital presentations that explain company values and goals — have emerged in recent years as powerful tools in recruiting and employee engagement. Consider the buzz that Netflix and Hubspot alone generated with recent culture decks that went viral (the Netflix Slideshare has been shared over 7,000 times on Facebook and 3,000 times on Twitter). But do these slide shows truly resonate with employees and prospects? At Human Capitalist, learning and development expert Bill Cushard suggests there's a more compelling alternative to actually "teach" company values and culture -- massive online open courses, or MOOCs.
Here are a few core advantages, Cushard explains, that MOOCs have over those fun slide shows:
Direct Participation From Executives
"The asynchronous nature of a MOOC allows for executive-level participation because it removes the necessity for busy executives to be available in person at a certain time. Senior leaders can participate off hours, between meetings, on airplanes, or whenever they have a few free minutes."
Turning a Presentation Into a Discussion
"Because a MOOC is massive and open, companies can open culture discussions to employees all over the world and even to prospects in the recruitment pipeline. What better way to educate prospective employees about your culture than to invite them to participate in a quick online course?"
Opportunities to Stress-Test Company Values
"During each weekly unit of a MOOC, participants might be assigned to take action on culture and values, and report back to the group on results. For instance: 'Last week, I tried to put the customer first, but my manager reprimanded me for giving away the store.' Think about how valuable it would be to share that result in a facilitated discussion with peers, managers and an executive-level facilitator. "
