Adopting a Positive Workplace Culture

The workplace is more than just a physical space where people go to work. It is a complex combination of people, processes, and values that shape the way work gets done. At the heart of this combination of people is workplace culture, the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours that define the organisation's identity and shape the way employees think and act.

Your people’s experience of their organisation will largely consist of three, main, external factors:

• Environment - The environment the organisation provides.

• People - The people the organisation employs.

• Results - The results the organisation generates.

A positive workplace culture can have numerous benefits for both employees and the organisation as a whole. Here are some of the key reasons why workplace culture matters:

1. Employee engagement and retention: A positive workplace culture can help to engage and retain employees, as it creates a sense of belonging and purpose. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to stay with the organisation long-term.

2. Increased productivity: When employees feel connected to the organisation and their colleagues, they are more likely to be motivated and productive. A positive workplace culture can create a sense of teamwork and collaboration that can boost productivity.

3. Improved customer satisfaction: A positive workplace culture can also have a positive impact on customer satisfaction. When employees are happy and engaged, they are more likely to provide excellent customer service, leading to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.

4. Attracting top talent: A positive workplace culture can also help to attract top talent to the organisation. Candidates are increasingly looking for organisations that share their values and offer a positive work environment.

Fostering a positive workplace culture requires a concerted effort from both leadership and employees. Here are some strategies that organisations can use to create a positive workplace culture:

1. Define and communicate core values: Organisations should define their core values and communicate them to employees regularly. This helps to create a shared sense of purpose and direction.

2. Lead by example: Leaders should model the behaviour they want to see in their employees. If leaders demonstrate positive behaviours and attitudes, it can help to create a culture of positivity throughout the organisation.

3. Encourage open communication: Organisations should create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. This can help to foster collaboration and creativity.

4. Provide opportunities for growth and development: Employees want to feel that they are learning and growing in their roles. Organisations should provide opportunities for employees to develop new skills and take on new challenges.

5. Recognise and reward achievements: Finally, organisations should recognise and reward employees for their achievements. This can help to create a sense of pride and accomplishment among employees

Tackling negative culture

Dealing with a negative workplace culture can be challenging, but it is essential to take action to address any issues. This can be done by firstly looking at what is causing the negative culture, and then finding ways to tackle the causes.

Here are 4 of the most common factors that can cause a negative organisational culture.

1.Misalignment

Misalignment between what the employee thinks the organisational culture is and what the organisational culture actually is can be a common cause of negative culture. Charles O’Reilly, a professor at Stanford University, and his team have done a lot of research into organisational culture and have found that there are 6 key dimensions of culture: adaptability, collaboration, customer-orientation, results-orientation, detail-orientation, and focus on principles. Organisations tend to prioritise one or two dimensions over the others, depending on what kind of organisation they are. However, problems start to occur when there is a misalignment between what dimensions employees prioritise, and the dimensions that the organisation prioritises.

2. Tribal behaviour

Within the social psychology field, tribal behaviour is something that has been researched to a great extent. Psychologists have found that the behaviours of an individual when they’re on their own, versus the behaviours of an individual when they are within a group, are very different. Research shows that when human beings are grouped together, their thinking, interests and goals become collective and individual thinking becomes compromised, which can lead to a number of problems.

3. Lack of psychological safety

When there is a lack of psychological safety within an organisation, the culture can suffer tremendously. If employees feel like levels of trust and freedom are low, the organisational culture is negatively affected. 

4. Lack of recognition

Employee recognition is something that helps employees know that their contributions in the workplace are being recognised and appreciated. We as humans have a desire to be recognised in a positive way, however, some organisations fall short when it comes to recognising the efforts of their workforce, which can have a negative affect on culture.

In Summary: workplace culture is a critical component of any organisation. A positive workplace culture can have numerous benefits, including increased engagement, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Organisations can foster a positive workplace culture by defining and communicating core values, leading by example, encouraging open communication, providing opportunities for growth and development, and recognising and rewarding achievements. By prioritising workplace culture and focusing on the factors that can cause negative culture organisations can create a work environment that attracts top talent, retains employees, and drives success.