A personal take on company culture: How leaders can build, steer and maintain a positive one
There’s no shortage of information available online about building and maintaining a positive company culture. “Company culture” has become a buzzword in the wake of the pandemic and promoting balanced workplaces, hybrid or not. But I really wanted to provide valuable insight and support for organisations looking to truly bring about positive company culture, and ensure it is maintained for years to come. So, my research and preparation for this article was dominated by three questions:
1) Am I in any way qualified to write this piece?
2) Would I read it?
3) Is the timing right (in the midst of some really tough market conditions)?
On the first of these, I realised with mild horror that I have now been managing teams and/or small businesses for 25 years – building, breaking and rebuilding cultures constantly. I studied a little of the theory of all this too a while ago, and so I really should have figured out some of the dos and don’ts by now.
Would I read it? Well - probably not in all honesty! I would be on Wordle, reading the sports pages or replaying our current sales pipeline in my head again to see if a better outcome can be achieved! So what would make me more likely to read an article like this?
On reflection, it would need to be short, punchy, honest, helpful and maybe even mildly humorous. Let’s see.
The timing is right. Market conditions at the start of 2025 are some of the toughest we have seen, but this makes a positive company culture even more important – we need to be there to support, motivate, console and calm each other to get through this successfully.
What is company culture?
"Company culture is the shared values, behaviours, and practices that define a company's personality. It's how people feel about their work and what the company is working towards." (Google Generative AI)
Google AI gets this broadly right. It is ‘the way things are done around here’, but it is more than that. Company culture is how a company behaves, the values it upholds and the emotions it evokes when it is ‘not in the room’.
How to build a positive culture:
Much like that sales pipeline, a company culture is never finished, never completed. It evolves and needs constant reinforcement, thought and attention. I have listed here some dos that I believe to be important, but of course, this is a non-exhaustive list – there is always more that can be done.
1) Recognise and deliver on individual moments of truth
There will be moments when an individual, an employee, really needs the company to step up for him or her. It may be bereavement, ill health, stress, anxiety, a loss of confidence, a tricky business relationship, a demanding client…the list goes on. In a small firm, my experience is that everyone will be aware of this situation and how the company responds to it.
These are the moments that we remember – and for companies that are willing and able to ‘do the right thing’ for the individual (sometimes regardless of cost or policy), these acts will pass into company folklore. The company has my back, they see me. These acts can become the very foundations of a positive company culture.
2) Act fairly – show fairness, discuss this openly
It is important to be demonstrably fair in decision-making and to talk openly about difficult decisions and the reasons behind them wherever possible. Pay reviews, promotions, performance reviews, and even redundancies will all land far better if there is a shared understanding of how and why such decisions are made and if leaders are trusted to make such decisions fairly and with compassion. If the salaries of all employees were posted up in the kitchen all should be justifiable and fit within a publicised, agreed structure.
3) Define your company’s values together and hold everyone accountable for upholding them
Your values should underpin your company culture. Values can be seen to be woolly or self-indulgent, but, if clearly communicated, they should be the lens through which decisions are made, successes are celebrated and learnings are absorbed. If in doubt, a strong set of company values should show leaders the way forward when action is required.
4) Find your cultural architects – praise, retain and promote them
In his recent contribution to the ‘High Performance’ podcast, Brentford FC Head Coach Thomas Frank refers to the cultural architects in his squad, those who embody the traits and behaviours he expects and who set the cultural standards for the organisation when he is not present.
This group will provide the commitment, emotional intelligence and guidance that others need. Find your cultural architects, recognise them and prize them very highly indeed. (I knew the sports pages would come good!)
5) Trust your team
You have hired them, trained them and probably worked closely with many of them under pressure. The trust you place in your team in terms of the flexibility you offer them (including working hours and location), the career progression, responsibility and decision-making will be repaid many times over by your top performers. A small number may abuse your trust, but most absolutely will not – the net result is a big gain for you and your culture.
6) Deliver progress
This is easier said than delivered, particularly in a flat or declining market. But most of us simply want to feel that we are getting somewhere, and if we do feel this, then we are broadly happy! This could be learning, responsibility/direct reports, earnings, billings and a whole lot more – but we all need a realistic pathway and structure to our careers. Progress such as this begets retention which is another cornerstone of a positive culture.
How to wreck a company culture:
1) Tolerate counter-cultural behaviour.
The classic error. So easy to do, particularly if the individual in question is performing well in other aspects of his/her role (for example, in the case of a professional services firm, they are selling a lot!) But this contagion spreads quickly and the lowest standards that leaders tolerate become the standards – and the company culture suffers immediately. Don’t fall into this trap. Don’t let anyone p*ss in the pool.
2) Say one thing, do another!
Authenticity is important if leaders are to build trust and positivity in the workplace. In my experience, the team will accept (or even appreciate) a leader who doesn’t have all the answers or an entirely clear plan in place, but they will push back (or quiet quit) on a leader who makes false promises and commitments.
3) Rely on cultural gimmicks.
A table tennis table, a late-night pizza and a cheap gym membership are not cheat codes for a positive company culture. They can each help, but what are the fundamental benefits that will reinforce a company’s values and culture? A good healthcare scheme that includes dependents, help with childcare, decent pension contributions or the provision of sound financial advice may all be more robust contributors to the sustainably positive culture we are all seeking to create.
In conclusion
I may well have missed something crucial in relation to a company’s mission, clarity of purpose and the ‘why’ of the organisation – so perhaps think about that too. But importantly - please do share any thoughts, comments and tips here – particularly if you think I am way off in my thinking!
I hope at least some of the dos and don’ts prove helpful to you. A positive company culture is going to be of enormous help to all of us as we take on the challenges of 2025 head-on! Good luck and thanks for reading.
About the Author
Adam Clements is the Managing Director of Freshminds, celebrating his 15th year with the company. Read another of his articles below - or contact Adam here.
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