Managing culture change in the workplace for your organisation

After all, businesses are powered by people, and the way they think and behave determines how successful the whole organisation is. With a structured approach, you can create an organisational culture where employees thrive and your business flourishes. Here’s how.

How a strong culture benefits your business

A strong company culture doesn’t just make the workplace more pleasant; it underpins almost every part of your organisation. Culture shapes how colleagues collaborate to solve problems, the way decisions are made, and… well, pretty much everything else as well.

Get it right, and you’ll see higher engagement, lower staff turnover, and employees who actually enjoy coming to work. A culture that attracts and holds on to top talent stops you wasting time and money on constant recruitment.

But this is just the beginning. A positive workplace culture also means more innovation, stronger leadership, and people who are motivated to do their best work. When employees feel valued and part of something bigger than their job title, they’re more likely to contribute great ideas, lift as they climb, and drive your business forward.

What is culture change in the workplace?

Workplace culture isn’t set in stone, and it evolves whether or not you actively shape it. Culture begins to change when your organisation shifts its values and behaviours, sometimes intentionally, and sometimes because external pressures demand it.

While culture change might not have been your original goal, by acting early you can take control of the process to create a working environment that supports employee engagement and business growth.

You might be disappointed if you’re expecting a sudden transformation, though. Just like steering a colossal ship, changing the course of a whole organisation takes time, effort, and skill. Successful change requires buy-in from leadership, clear communication, and a long-term mindset from those championing it.

Why might your organisation need cultural change?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already spotted some red flags. Maybe your team isn’t as engaged as they used to be. Perhaps office politics are causing more problems than they should. Or maybe you’re struggling to attract and retain top talent. Whatever the reason, culture change isn’t something you can afford to ignore. Here are some of the most common triggers.

Growing pains

Scaling up is exciting, but it can also be a headache. What worked when you had a team of 20 won’t necessarily work when you have 200, meaning you need to make more changes than you bargained for.

Small companies often thrive on an informal, close-knit culture, but as they grow they need more structure and clearer processes, along with leadership willing to adapt to new ways of working.

That said, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. While you should be flexible as your culture evolves, take care not to abandon the values that made your company great in the first place.

Problematic behaviour

Culture isn’t just about what’s written in your company handbook; it’s about what actually happens in the workplace. If you’re dealing with toxic behaviours, disengagement, or employees who consistently push boundaries, it’s a sign your culture isn’t working.

A strong culture reinforces the behaviours you want and discourages those you don’t. If that’s not happening, it’s time to reassess. Remember that behaviours and team dynamics can be harder to spot when colleagues communicate virtually rather than in a busy office, so you may have to dig a little further to unearth potential issues.

Generational differences

With multiple generations in the workforce (Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z), it’s no surprise that cultural clashes happen. Different generations have their own expectations about work-life balance, communication, and career progression. If you want a cohesive team, your culture must evolve to respect these differences while keeping everyone aligned with the company’s vision.

Losing employees

If you’re losing employees faster than you can replace them, culture could be the culprit. High turnover often signals dissatisfaction, whether it’s due to lack of recognition, poor leadership, or a workplace that simply doesn’t feel welcoming.

Fixing your company culture can help retain talent, saving you from the constant drain of hiring and training new employees.

Blending two company cultures

Mergers and acquisitions are never just about finances and logistics; they’re also about culture. If you don’t manage the integration well, you could end up with a divided workforce and a serious drop in morale.

To make a success of culture change in this scenario, identify common values, create room for open communication, and make everyone feel part of the same team.

What are the signs of bad culture?

If your workplace culture isn’t working, you’ll start to notice some common issues: 

• High turnover: As we’ve just seen, employees don’t stick around when they’re unhappy with their workplace. 
• Low morale: If people seem disengaged or unmotivated, it could be down to a culture that makes work a misery. This is likely to lead to lower performance and losing some of your best team members. 
• Poor communication: A lack of transparency or unclear expectations can trickle down from the top, breeding frustration at every level. 
• Resistance to change: A toxic culture often creates a fear of new ideas and different ways of working, stifling innovation. 
• Office politics and cliques: When personal agendas overshadow teamwork, everyone suffers. Colleagues may be too busy standing in each other’s way to collaborate on mutually beneficial projects. 
• Lack of accountability: If problems are consistently brushed under the carpet, or no one takes responsibility for mistakes, your culture is likely at fault.

Tips for managing organisational culture change

By following these steps, you can create a workplace culture that supports both your people and your business goals.

Know where you are and where you want to go

First define the kind of culture you want to achieve, making sure it fits well with your organisational strategy and structure. If your ideal culture would warrant a complete restructure, consider whether you’re willing to go down that road, or your culture change goals may end up as wishful thinking.

When you have an objective, measure what your culture looks like right now, using tools like surveys, focus groups, and performance metrics. You can then work out what needs to happen to close the gap and plan accordingly.

Get leaders on board

Organisational culture change starts at the top, and if leaders don’t buy in, no one else will. So make sure they understand the vision and model the behaviours you want to see.

To model cultural change effectively, leaders need to be highly visible, whether it’s doing the rounds at departmental meetings, featuring in weekly newsletters, or holding virtual Q&As.

Communicate openly and often

People won’t embrace change if they don’t understand why it’s happening. So be transparent about what’s changing, why it matters, and how it affects everyone.

Don’t underestimate how many times you’ll need to reinforce your message before everyone gets their head around it. Combining frequent internal communications, team meetings, and open-door policies can help with this.

Involve employees

Culture isn’t dictated – it’s built. No one knows your organisation’s real-life challenges more than the people facing them every day, so get input from employees at all levels to make your plans for change practical and meaningful. Create working groups, run surveys, and generally listen to what employees have to say.

But don’t just involve your people in the research stage; invite them to be part of the implementation too. The more you can get employees to take ownership of culture change, the more likely it is to be a success.

Reinforce new behaviours 

If you want a culture shift to stick, you need to reward the right behaviours. Make a habit of recognising employees who exemplify the new culture, such as through formal awards, shout-outs in meetings, or bonuses.

There are longer-lasting, more impactful ways to reinforce your new culture, too. Choose future leaders based on the behaviours you want to see, and put your support behind projects that represent your organisation’s values.

How long does it take to change workplace culture?

There’s no quick fix when it comes to organisational culture change. Depending on the size of your organisation and the extent of the shift required, it can take anywhere from several months to a few years.

Research suggests that meaningful, lasting change typically takes between one and three years. Why? Because culture isn’t just about policies and processes; it’s about changing behaviours, attitudes, and ingrained ways of working. And that takes time.

The speed of change depends on several factors: 

• Leadership commitment: If senior leaders are fully on board and actively driving the change, things will move more quickly.
• Company size: A smaller business can change its culture more quickly than a multinational organisation with thousands of employees. 
• The scale of change: Are you making minor tweaks or completely overhauling the way your company operates? 
• Employee engagement: If your team is resistant, change will take longer. But if they’re actively involved, progress will be faster.

Culture change doesn’t happen overnight, and patience is key. So stay focused on long-term goals, set realistic short-term ones, and track your progress as you work towards them. Rather than making grand gestures, take small, consistent actions that will add up over time.

Reviewing and adjusting your long-term strategy

Culture change doesn’t stop once your programme ends. You’ll need to continually review your culture to make sure new ways of working stick, and that these are still serving the business well.

Tracking progress

Monitoring progress helps you understand whether your culture change programme is working and when adjustments are needed. Some useful ways to measure success include: 

• Employee engagement surveys: Regular pulse surveys can demonstrate improvements or highlight concerns. 
• Turnover and retention rates: Holding on to more of your employees suggests a healthier culture that people want to be a part of. 
• Absenteeism: Frequent absences can indicate poor morale or job dissatisfaction.  
• Performance reviews: Are employees demonstrating the behaviours you’re trying to encourage? 
• Informal feedback: Regular conversations with employees can provide valuable qualitative insights.

Making necessary adjustments

Even with a solid plan in place, things won’t always go as expected. On top of this, your culture will continue to evolve as people come and go, and what worked with one cohort of employees might not be as effective with another.

When something’s not working, don’t be afraid to add new methods to your arsenal, such as: 

• Trying new communication strategies 
• Training leaders to bring their teams in line with your culture 
• Addressing any lingering resistance among employees 
• Tweaking incentives and recognition programmes to reinforce behaviours

Aligning your plans with changing business objectives

Your company culture should support, not hinder, your strategic objectives. So keep going back to your culture change initiatives to check they’re heading in the same direction as the wider business.

For example, if innovation is a priority, does your culture encourage risk-taking and new ideas, or are people penalised for this kind of behaviour? If customer service is at the heart of your business, what are you doing to reinforce a customer-first mindset?

When culture and business strategy complement each other, employees are more engaged and productive. By keeping culture change on the agenda with senior leaders and reviewing your plans often, you can ensure your initiatives remain relevant and bolster business success.

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