Company culture is not some fluffy, feel-good concept. It's a critical component for a strong bottom line, high performance, employee engagement and customer satisfaction. But before you go palming it off as HR’s problem… culture is everyone's responsibility.

With the increased focus on improving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), talent attraction in a tight market, and the pandemic completely flipping on its head the way we ‘do work’ – the way we grow and evolve company culture has changed, too. 

Everyone is responsible for shaping culture 

Every person in an organisation has the power to influence and shape company culture. Whether you’re a new hire, leader, or a seasoned employee, you bring unique experiences and perspectives that can positively or negatively contribute to the culture. Even small actions can significantly impact culture. 

What’s more, when an employee doesn’t feel like they have ownership of the company culture, they may disengage entirely. 

So, how do you get all employees to tune in, step up and play a role in creating a killer culture that sets you apart from the competition? 

How to involve all employees in culture change 

You’ll need to involve all your people in the culture-building process, given that it’s their behaviours and attitude that most influence culture’s shape. Fearless Culture outlines five key steps to establish and maintain a positive company culture:

1. Design 

Explore the values, beliefs and behaviours that a company wants to promote. Map the current culture and identify gaps holding you back from where you want to be. Include leaders and employees in your exploration to emphasise collaboration.

2. Define 

Once a company has identified the desired culture, the next step is to formally declare it. Create a clear plan of action that outlines the necessary steps and communication activities. Your CEO and senior leaders are responsible for this step, as they have the authority and influence to make it happen.

3. Demonstrate 

The next step is to demonstrate the desired culture through the reinforcing behaviours and actions of the company's inclusive leaders. It’s critical that leaders and managers set the standard for employees to follow, because talk alone is cheap.

4. Demand 

Now it’s time for all employees and managers to bring the company culture to life. This means setting clear expectations and guidelines for behaviour and actions that show staff how to live the company's values and mission (and what happens when they don’t). Leaders should also provide feedback to employees to help them understand where they can improve, and provide guidance on how to achieve the desired behaviour.

5. Display 

The responsibility of maintaining and promoting culture falls on the shoulders of all employees. Not just in their modelling of the desired behaviours, but also by holding each other accountable when they see and hear undesirable behaviours. In this way, your entire organisation can work together to establish a positive and ​productive company culture.

Collaborative company cultures win 

A strong, collaborative company culture improves your chances of success during a change process. When everyone is involved from the beginning, they are more likely to feel accountable and willing to see it through.