Organizational DNA Assessment Questions Aligned with PwC Insights

Role: Manager - EX and Engagement

Industry: Mid sized banking institute in ethiopia

Situation:

I looked for PwC's official Organizational DNA assessment questions, but the actual PwC/Strategy& Org DNA Profiler survey and question set isn't publicly published on the web -- the online profiler page itself is currently unavailable and behind PwC's portal, and the full questionnaire isn't openly accessible in downloadable form on their site right now. However, PwC's research does describe how the Org DNA Profiler works: ✔ It includes ~19 questions focused on the four building blocks of Organizational DNA -- Decision Rights, Information, Motivators, and Structure. ✔ These are binary or scaled questions designed to diagnose which of the seven organizational profiles (e.g., Resilient, Overmanaged) best fits your organization. Because the exact original questions are proprietary, I can instead provide you with a PwC-aligned question set that mirrors the structure and intent of their profiler -- which is practically equivalent for assessment and internal use.

Question to Marcus:

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I just need Organizational DNA questioned aligned with PWC

Organizational Design

The Org DNA lens demands you simplify structures so decision rights and information flow are clear. For a mid-sized Ethiopian bank, reduce unnecessary hierarchical layers between branch staff and credit/operations back-office to speed routine lending and customer service decisions.

Define explicit role-accountabilities (use RACI) for credit underwriting, KYC/AML checks, channel management and digital initiatives so decisions aren’t re-routed through senior managers. Consider a hybrid model: centralized policy and risk controls with decentralized execution authority (pre-authorized credit bands, branch-level customer pricing discretion) to balance control and speed. Map handoffs for customer journeys to eliminate duplication and create single owners for end-to-end processes (e.g., SME onboarding). When you redesign, test via pilot in a subset of branches and embed metrics to measure turnaround time, exceptions and customer satisfaction. Practical constraints in Ethiopia—skills gaps, regulatory scrutiny from the National Bank of Ethiopia, and limited digital penetration—mean design choices must be pragmatic: preserve tight compliance gates but delegate routine decisions to trained front-line staff with automated guardrails. This alignment will reduce bottlenecks, improve employee experience and improve responsiveness to customers while keeping regulatory risk contained.

Decision Making

Clear decision rights are core to Org DNA. For your context, map decisions by type (strategic, tactical, operational) and set decision rules tied to measurable thresholds (loan size, collateral, exception rates).

Delegate routine operational approvals to branches within defined credit bands, with automated workflows and exception reporting that route only outliers to credit committees. Build explicit escalation paths and decision timelines (e.g., branch credit decision within 48 hours; exceptions reviewed in weekly credit committee) so staff know when to act and when to escalate. Strengthen decision quality by improving data availability: standardized credit packs, dashboards showing portfolio metrics and branch-level KPIs. Train middle managers on structured decision techniques (criteria weighting, pre-mortem, risk-adjusted returns) to reduce bias and speed. For governance, formalize who can change policies and how—use small change boards for operational tweaks and full committees for policy changes. In Ethiopia’s volatile macro environment, add scenario-based decision rules (FX, inflation thresholds) that trigger temporary tightened authority or product changes. The outcome: faster, more consistent, auditable decisions that reduce employee frustration and customer delays without weakening control.

Employee Engagement

Employee experience drives customer experience in banking. Start with pulse surveys tailored to front-line and back-office roles that capture workload, clarity of role, manager support and tools availability.

Use results to prioritize quick wins: reduce administrative burden (simplify forms, digitize routine paperwork), clarify career paths for tellers and credit officers, and introduce regular recognition tied to customer outcomes and compliance (monthly “service + compliance” awards). Invest modestly in manager capability—line managers are the single biggest influence on engagement—through coaching on feedback and performance conversations. Link engagement initiatives to business metrics: show how reduced NPLs or faster turnaround tie to employee actions. For Ethiopia, address socio-economic factors—transport stipends, flexible shifts during market volatility, and low-cost wellbeing programs—so staff feel supported. Build employee voice mechanisms (idea boxes, town halls, change champions) and act visibly on suggestions to build trust. Finally, ensure transparency on career development and compensation rules to counter perceptions of favoritism; that clarity reduces attrition and improves discretionary effort, crucial for service quality in a mid-sized bank.

Organizational Culture

Shift culture intentionally toward a customer-centric, risk-aware and ethical mindset—critical in banking where trust and compliance are central. Start by defining a small set of cultural behaviors that support strategy (e.g., “we put the customer first,” “we speak up on risk,” “we fix problems fast”) and cascade them through recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews and frontline scripts.

Use storytelling: celebrate examples where employees balanced service with compliance or escalated a potential fraud prevention. Embed anti-corruption and AML norms through mandatory, scenario-based training and leader-led discussions rather than tick-box e-learning. Given local norms and regulatory focus in Ethiopia, emphasize accountability and transparency—publish aggregated metrics on complaint resolution, compliance incidents and corrective actions to normalize learning. Use rituals (regular customer debriefs, Gemba-style branch visits by leaders) that keep behaviors visible. Measure culture proxy metrics (whistleblower usage, internal audit findings, customer NPS trends) and link leadership incentives to cultural outcomes. Cultural change is incremental—prioritize demonstrating aligned behaviors at middle-management level where they cascade to daily operations.

Change Management

For any Org DNA assessment and redesign, treat change management as core, not optional. Use stakeholder mapping to identify groups most impacted (branch managers, credit officers, compliance, IT) and tailor messages to “what’s in it for them.” Run small, fast pilots for new decision rights or information flows to generate evidence and refine before scale.

Appoint visible change sponsors at executive and regional levels plus local change champions in branches to support adoption and surface resistance early. Invest in practical enablement: job aids, quick-reference decision matrices, and short classroom or on-the-job coaching rather than long theory sessions. Track adoption metrics (workflow completion rates, exception volumes, time-to-decision) and use weekly stand-ups to troubleshoot. In Ethiopia, where access to continuous training can be constrained, use blended delivery—compact in-person sessions supported by mobile micro-learning and peer coaching. Manage regulatory stakeholders proactively—share pilot results and controls with the National Bank and internal audit to reduce pushback. Effective change management will protect employee engagement during transitions and ensure new Org DNA attributes stick.

Performance Management

Align performance metrics to behaviors you want to reinforce across Decision Rights, Information, Motivators and Structure. Move beyond purely financial KPIs to include turnaround time, compliance adherence (KYC/AML completeness), customer satisfaction and collaborative behaviors (cross-sell coordination).

For a mid-sized Ethiopian bank, create role-specific scorecards for tellers, credit officers and branch managers with clear weighting and a modest frequency of review (monthly operational KPIs; quarterly development goals). Replace annual-only appraisal rituals with regular one-on-one coaching conversations and short-term objectives to keep employees focused and improve engagement. Implement calibration sessions across branches to ensure fairness and reduce perceived bias—critical in smaller markets where rumors spread quickly. Tie variable pay to a mix of team and individual outcomes to prevent gaming and reinforce cooperation across silos. Finally, ensure measurement systems are reliable: invest in straightforward dashboards and basic data governance so staff trust the numbers used for evaluation and rewards.

Talent Management

Assess critical roles and capability gaps (digital channels, SME credit appraisals, compliance specialists) and build a prioritized talent plan. For a mid-sized Ethiopian bank, talent supply can be tight—use targeted development programs (credit academies, compliance bootcamps) and structured on-the-job rotations to upskill existing staff rather than relying solely on external hires.

Establish clear succession plans for branch managers and key specialists; small institutions feel the impact of single departures more acutely. Partner with local universities and professional bodies for internships and tailored executive education to create a pipeline. Use competency frameworks tied to your Org DNA attributes (e.g., decision quality, collaboration, risk awareness) to guide hiring and promotion. Introduce retention levers that matter locally: career progression clarity, market-competitive variable pay, and meaningful development opportunities. For specialist roles hard to fill, consider remote sourcing, short-term consultants, or regional hiring with local mentorship to transfer knowledge quickly.

HR Strategy

Design an HR strategy that supports the intended Org DNA profile: policies, processes and rewards aligned to decentralized decision-making, transparent information flows and motivators that emphasize both performance and compliance. Conduct a workforce segmentation analysis to decide where to centralize HR services (payroll, policy) and where to build embedded HR business partners at branch/region levels to support managers.

Create a lean HR operating model with standardized job profiles, learning pathways and a simple competency-based promotion framework to reduce ambiguity. For Ethiopia, ensure HR policies comply with local labor law, social contributions and cultural norms—factor in inflation-linked pay review cycles and practical benefits (transport, medical) that affect retention. Implement core HR tech (basic HRIS, LMS) even if modest, to automate admin tasks and free HR to focus on strategic talent interventions. Finally, align HR metrics to business outcomes: time-to-fill critical roles, retention of high performers, and internal mobility rates.

Governance

Maintain a governance model that balances control and speed—essential in banking where regulatory compliance and risk management are non-negotiable. Clarify board and executive committee roles, establish committee charters (audit, risk, remuneration) and publish a delegation of authority matrix so decision rights are transparent and auditable.

Strengthen risk governance by operationalizing the risk appetite statement into limits, stress triggers and reporting requirements for credit concentration, liquidity and FX exposures—critical in Ethiopia’s macro environment. Ensure governance processes are proportionate: frequent executive reviews for strategic risks, lighter-touch monitoring for routine operational metrics to avoid decision paralysis. Tighten second-line controls (risk, compliance) with clear escalation protocols and periodic independent testing by internal audit. Invest time in regulatory relationship management—regular, transparent reporting to the National Bank of Ethiopia reduces surprises. Good governance protects the bank’s reputation, supports employee confidence in management decisions and enables delegated decision-making to function without escalating regulatory risk.