How The Emotional Culture Deck Helped Sanitarium Navigate Growth and Change
When Chelsea Lang, Head of HR for Sanitarium’s Supply Chain, joined the company two and a half years ago, she faced a unique challenge. Sanitarium, known for its household brands like Weet-Bix and Up & Go, was undergoing unprecedented growth after 25 years of stability. This growth led to rapid changes—new product lines, a new distribution centre, and the recruitment of over 350 new employees, including 50 new leaders.
In the midst of this transformation, Chelsea turned to The Emotional Culture Deck (ECD) to guide Sanitarium’s leaders and teams through the complex changes. Her approach was simple yet powerful: harness the emotional side of leadership to drive success. Chelsea focused on helping leaders move beyond the traditional “tell, tell, tell” approach and encouraged them to ask questions, listen actively, and coach their teams with empathy.
Since then, Chelsea has integrated The ECD into Sanitarium’s leadership and culture strategy, impacting more than 300 employees across seven factories. Her goal is to have 1,000 employees experience the benefits of The ECD by the end of next year, embedding emotional culture into every aspect of the business.
The ECD at the Heart of Cultural Change
Reflecting on her leadership journey, Chelsea revealed how The ECD became an essential part of her approach to driving cultural change at Sanitarium:
“The Emotional Culture Deck has really been at the centre and the heart of driving our leadership and culture strategy.”
Faced with significant growth in the business and a multi-generational workforce, Chelsea needed a tool that could bring people together, facilitate open conversations, and foster deeper emotional connections. The ECD provided the perfect framework for this, enabling leaders and employees alike to explore how they wanted to feel at work and how they could collectively shape their culture.
Shifting Focus from Objectives to Emotions
One of the standout moments Chelsea shared was how The ECD shifted the focus of leadership discussions. Rather than simply setting operational goals, Chelsea and her team began to prioritise the emotional wellbeing of their workforce. She explained:
“The ECD helped us shift the focus from just objectives to really understanding how we want our people to feel during times of change.”
This emotional focus has been particularly important in guiding leaders through periods of rapid growth and change. By encouraging leaders to consider not only what they wanted to achieve but how their people should feel throughout the process, Chelsea fostered an environment of empathy and collaboration.
Breaking Down Barriers and Building Connections
Another key benefit Chelsea noted was The ECD’s ability to break down emotional barriers between leaders and employees:
“It breaks down emotional barriers between leaders and employees, fostering deeper connections and better communication.”
The ECD workshops provided leaders with the tools to create safe spaces where employees felt comfortable sharing their feelings, leading to greater trust and openness within the team. Chelsea’s approach of co-facilitating workshops with leaders also empowered them to take ownership of the emotional culture within their teams.
Expanding the Reach of The ECD
Chelsea is committed to making sure that The ECD continues to impact as many people as possible at Sanitarium. She aims for all 1,000 employees to experience The ECD, whether through workshops or daily integration into their roles:
“By the end of next year, I hope that at least 1,000 people in our workforce have experienced ECD in some way.”
To ensure that The ECD is embedded into the company’s culture, Chelsea’s team has been creative in finding ways to integrate it into everyday practices, such as team meetings, leadership development, and even induction programs for new employees.
The Impact So Far
The results speak for themselves. In one recent workshop, Chelsea’s team used The ECD to review their emotional priorities based on engagement survey results. The session, which was initially planned for an hour, extended to 1.5 hours as the discussion deepened. This led to a renewed focus on “feeling involved,” which has since become a cornerstone of their culture improvement strategy.
“It’s made such a positive impact on our Supply Chain business at Sanitarium by creating meaningful and engaging conversations.”
What’s Next?
As Chelsea looks ahead, she’s focused on finding new ways to keep The ECD alive within the organisation without overusing it. Her goal is to integrate The ECD naturally into the way her teams work, ensuring it adds value at every step.
“When you’re passionate about something, like I am about The ECD, just go for it. Keep experimenting, keep learning, and find those opportunities where it’s going to make the most impact.”
Final Thoughts
Chelsea’s journey with The ECD at Sanitarium is a powerful example of how leaders can use emotional culture to drive not just performance but also connection and wellbeing in the workplace. By putting emotions at the forefront of leadership, Chelsea has helped foster an environment where people feel involved, supported, and empowered to thrive.
We’re thrilled to see how The ECD continues to shape the future of leadership and culture at Sanitarium, and we hope Chelsea’s story inspires others to embark on their own emotional culture journey.
