“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It’s a truism. But what is workplace culture? And how can we shift it?

“How we do things around here”

Two useful definitions of workplace culture are, “The shared values, belief systems, attitudes, and the set of assumptions that people in a workplace share” (Forbes) and “a collection of attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that make up the regular atmosphere in a work environment” (Indeed).

Culture is a set of shared beliefs and attitudes. It’s the norms of “how we do things around here.” Those norms are often so ingrained that we don’t even notice them. That is, until they are violated. Then the breach sticks out like a sore thumb.

Culture is Self-Reinforcing

Workplace culture reinforces itself. In a positive, respectful culture, behaviour like bullying, discrimination, gossip and cliques never gets off the ground. It’s immediately obvious that these behaviours go against the prevailing culture – “that’s not how we do things around here” – and employees swiftly act to protect the culture they cherish. Bullying is reported. Discrimination is called out. Gossip is ignored. Those outside a clique are invited in.

But harmful workplace cultures also reinforce themselves. There, standing up to the bully or calling out the discrimination is the proverbial sore thumb. The norms of “how we do things” push people toward silence, whether through intimidation, fear of retaliation, or simple despair that meaningful change is possible.

Toward Culture Change

If cultures are self-reinforcing, how do we change them? Such a complex question can’t be answered in a short blog post, but here are a few starting points.

Demonstrate Buy-in from Leadership

Culture starts from the top. Senior leadership should vocally support the culture change effort. They should set expectations and credibly promise to hold the organization accountable. And they should role model the positive behaviours they want to see.

Find the Influencers

Diffusion of innovation theory suggests that around 15% of people are willing to be “early adopters.” Once they’re on board, a much larger group – the “early majority” – will feel safe trying out the innovation, too. At that point, you’ve got half your workplace on board, and they will naturally influence the other half. The new behaviours will start to replace the older ones as “how we do things around here.”

But for the “early majority” to get on board, they need evidence that the innovation works and will make their lives better. So a culture change effort should identify the workplace influencers – managers and supervisors, union representatives, and popular and respected peers – and engage them as early adopters. Their success can convince the “early majority” that similar behaviour changes will work for them, too.

Isolate the Ringleaders

Often, negative workplace cultures are driven by one or a few ringleaders, who will push back hardest against change efforts that threaten their social power. Isolating ringleaders from their followers through location or shift changes (or, if necessary, termination of employment) can free their peers to embrace the new culture with less fear of reprisal. And on that note …

Prevent Reprisal and Reward Courage

In negative cultures, employees often fear retaliation if they speak up against harassment and discrimination. Employers must be vigilant against not only job-related reprisals (unfair discipline, denial of promotions) but also social reprisals: employees being isolated or ostracized, becoming the subject of gossip, and facing other subtle and overt messages that they no longer belong. Monitor the work environment, and act immediately to disrupt such behaviour and demonstrate that it won’t be tolerated.

Even better, find ways to recognize and reward courageous behaviour, and encourage your “influencers” and “early adopters” to reinforce their approval, so others will feel safer speaking up, too.

Interrupt Gossip

Gossip destroys work environments. It’s also a key tool that ringleaders of toxic cultures use to rally peers behind their narratives. Educate employees on the harms of gossip and how they can make a difference simply by refusing to listen to or spread it. Have managers and supervisors disrupt gossip whenever they catch wind of it. Where appropriate, counter gossip with the truth, so it doesn’t look like management is trying to hide something by suppressing chatter. Finally, reinforce the proper mechanisms for employees to bring concerns forward, including to supervisors, human resources, or through the union, and encourage them to use these processes rather than complaining to peers.

Making Steady Progress

Culture change takes time. Consistency and steady progress are the watchwords. Starting with some of the steps above and holding fast to them, you can gradually advance your workplace culture beyond the tipping point where respectful behaviour becomes “how we do things around here.” Suddenly, the negative behaviours will become the glaring exception.

If you’re looking for more insight on workplace culture change, Bernardi Human Resource Law is co-sponsoring a free, virtual workplace culture change conference on January 28, 2025. Register here for insights from an incredible line-up of facilitators applying different lenses and approaches to workplace culture change. We hope you can make it!