Culture and morale are intrinsically linked. Like culture, staff morale isn’t always an easy thing to pin down - it’s a mix of engagement, attitude and mood - but you’ll almost certainly know when it’s low. Creating a positive culture that focuses on wellbeing and Diversity & Inclusion can help build morale by making each member of staff feel heard and valued.

But it’s not just about bolstering individual employees. Positive workplace culture is a vital ingredient in building team morale by enabling teams to feel confident and empowered in the work they do while encouraging individuals to be themselves and voice their valuable opinions.

Are you ready to take a deeper look at the culture that exists within your organization? Be warned – you might not like what you find.

To make change happen and improve your culture, you first need to see and be honest about what’s happening now. Many organizations have gone through a tough time during the pandemic, and for some, just surviving is a challenge. But with adversity comes a chance for a cultural reset.

More than ever, leaders realize that culture isn’t just about physical stuff like a ping-pong table and snack machine. It’s about connecting people to a common purpose. It’s about connecting them with each other when working remotely or together in the physical workspace.

There are several ways to take the temperature of your current culture climate:

You can get a good idea about workplace culture by looking at how people interact and treat each other. Are people respectful and welcoming? Does everybody feel empowered to speak up? How are dissenting ideas tolerated? If you're a manager, what kind of behavior do you role model in the way you talk to people? What norms or expectations do you set?

And although the physical workspace is a factor in facilitating a sense of shared space or collaboration, it’s not the most important. It’s how these elements - the tools people use, the space they work in - combine to build culture. The way people are with each other. What they feel is acceptable (or what they feel they can get away with). Or the behaviors your organization rewards or discourages.

Online surveys can give you useful information about organizational culture and employee engagement. By analyzing employee feedback, you can bridge gaps between the existing culture and the culture you hope to achieve. You can custom design a survey to make sure it’s relevant to your audience, and ask questions like:

• On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend this organization to friends?
• Do you feel respected by your team and the organization?
• What’s the one thing you’d most like to change about the organization?
• Is the organization dedicated to diversity and inclusiveness?
• Is there a culture of teamwork and cooperation in the organization?
• How long do you plan to stay in the organization?

Team-based tools are a great way to get instant feedback on a range of topics, from the serious to the more light-hearted aspects of work. Run regular polls to gauge the general mood of your organization in real-time.

You could ask for opinions on current rewards programs or working practices to see how popular they are. A simple click on the equivalent to a thumbs up or thumbs down icon can be all it takes to get a fast response.

Building a great workplace culture doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something that evolves and changes with every interaction with working life. But, to get you started, try focusing on these key things.

It’s crucial to have a set of clear core values that truly reflect the philosophies and beliefs of your organization. Employees need to know about and buy into these, so make sure you are communicating them effectively.

And make your values real. Don't just sit down with a sheet of paper and ask yourself what should be on there. Start by looking at the things your organization actually does. How do you treat employees and customers? How active are you in the community? How diverse is your leadership team? These answers will be indicative of your real values.

If you think there's something missing, add it as an aspiration and plan to change behaviors to work toward it. Likewise, if you find that your company's values aren't what you'd like them to be, decide how you're going to change course.

However you go about it, your values should be reflected in your actions today, or be part of a clear transformation strategy to change your behavior. Otherwise, they're just words on paper and your employees will quickly see through them.

Your identity makes your organization what it is and ensures it stands out from the crowd. It’s important because your identity is how people inside and outside the business perceive you. Maintaining a positive identity is vital if you want to demonstrate your organization’s professionalism and social responsibility.

The way leaders and managers communicate - and how they encourage teamwork and openness - is crucial to creating a positive feeling in the workplace. But it’s often an area that gets overlooked. With 6 in 10 people in one study saying their manager is why they left their organizations, it’s clear that lack of trust is hampering relationships. That’s why leaders should find ways to focus on coaching or developing and empowering their people to do great work rather than micro-managing.

Your people are your greatest asset, and a diverse pool of talent can bring different personalities, beliefs, values, skills and experiences into the mix. That’s something to be celebrated. A company culture where everyone feels comfortable and included will help unleash employees’ full potential at work.

Look beyond race, gender and sexual orientation to nurture each person as an individual. With only 32% of employees feeling like they can be their authentic selves at work and just 44% of employees saying their company’s diversity and inclusion approach feels sincere[SC4], there’s a massive opportunity for organizations to improve.

Workplace norms are rules and traditions that guide how people do things. They’re not usually written down. And they’re often so embedded that people can become unaware of behaviors and actions – even if they’re inappropriate. Because they’ve become ingrained in everyday routines, they help create a feeling of normality. But just because a business has always done something a certain way doesn’t mean it’s acceptable today. As workplace norms evolve, everyone needs to understand the way they should behave at work.

Company rules, decisions and policies can all shape organizational culture. Recruitment, onboarding, dress codes, recognition programs, training, performance management, wellbeing and work-life balance can all make a difference to the success of your business. In particular, having clear, transparent policies for bullying or harassment shows you take inappropriate behavior seriously.

With the rapid growth of remote working and dispersed workplaces, open communication is critical for productive workplace cultures. People need to be informed. They want to stay in the loop and know what’s going on in their organization, even if it doesn’t affect them directly. They want to access information quickly, collaborate, share ideas and solve problems wherever they are, at any time, from any device.

All teams have interpersonal conflicts from time to time, but a functional work culture will help you resolve issues quickly and professionally.

A working environment should be a place where everyone feels safe, engaged, inspired and productive. Your workplace's physical setting is important because it affects how people do their jobs day in, day out. Lighting, noise levels, temperature and desk layout can all affect mood, whether you’re working in an office, warehouse or home. No one wants to feel uncomfortable while they’re working.

If you’re working for the same organization, you’re all on the same side, right? Not necessarily. A ‘them and us’ situation can often develop between different departments or teams if they don’t communicate effectively.

Many employers see workplace culture as something that forms organically. Something that organizations don’t need to define or to shape. But that’s a significant risk as you’ll have no control over how culture develops.

It’s important to understand your current situation and look at the areas where you need to pay closer attention. That way, you can move towards a more positive workplace culture that will benefit everyone.

Culture should be a priority for every manager, regardless of how big your workforce is. Make it your responsibility to help direct, shape and promote a positive work culture and act as a role model for your team.

You and your leaders can take a more active role in improving workplace culture.

• Get involved in the onboarding process, including training and mentoring. New recruits will get a good first impression if they see a collaborative, supportive culture from the top down
• Have a transparent policy for progression and promotion so staff know what they have to do to reach the next level. Use performance reviews and career paths to measure development
• Recognize team members who achieve success and show the positive work habits you want others to emulate. You could introduce a platform for employee recognition, where you and other team members can congratulate people on achievements and positive behavior
• Promote your company values during team meetings and events, so you regularly keep them at the forefront of people’s minds
• Get hiring right. As business magnate Jack Ma says, “You need the right people with you, not the best people”
• Focus on cultural diversity and inclusion by welcoming people from all backgrounds and celebrating their differences. A positive workplace is one where all employees are valued, supported and nurtured

Culture is always a work in progress. It’s crucial to plan for change and have the agility to adapt to unexpected events. It’s also essential to consider how different people respond to change and how to keep your workforce engaged. Building a great employee experience and a rich, vibrant company culture is vital as we all continue navigating through uncertain times.