The culture of an organization is the representation of the values and belief system that binds the people of the organization together. No doubt that developing and implementing it should be among the topmost priorities for business leaders. While leaders are tasked with establishing and embodying the beliefs, values, and vision of the organization, nurturing the company culture is no longer a one-person job. But what is wrong with the CEO and the HR putting together an effective company culture? For one, it is no longer relevant in the post-pandemic world of work.

This approach may have worked in the past but in today’s world, a top-down approach to leadership and culture does not fit. Workplace dynamics have changed. Covid has redefined individual priorities and brought into focus the importance of flexibility, inclusivity, communication, and holistic well-being. Each of these factors is shaping organizational culture across the globe. Besides, culture-building is an ongoing process, a journey that must evolve with the times.

A strategic goal

Today, company culture is a strategic priority. Organizations can no longer allow it to be an arbitrary concept that everyone touches upon but no one really takes ownership of. Just a few years back, the president of a tech company providing transportation services announced their departure after working for just six months with the fast-growing global startup. The reason? Misalignment of values and beliefs. Unfortunately, this is not a standalone example and points to a bigger underlying problem across companies – both startups and long-running businesses: a lack of clarity and accountability accompanied by a widening gap between actions and words. The new way to build and nurture organizational culture involves everyone. It promotes shared responsibility across different functions and titles.

Getting everyone involved

From the board of directors to the C-suite/ senior management, from the HR team to the compliance & ethics department – and not to forget, every employee must partake in building and fostering the culture of an organization.

Think about it this way, when a new hire comes on board, their first impression of your company’s culture is shaped by the first few people they meet. The same goes for the customers of a business. Their experience with a customer service employee influences how they view and understand a company’s culture. This is exactly why it should be a responsibility owned by every member of the organization - regardless of position, function, or experience.

When it comes to developing a company’s culture, the board must play an active role in ensuring that it aligns with all business as well as stakeholder goals and demands. While this begins with defining the organization’s desired culture together with the CEO & senior management but it doesn’t end there. Considering how deeply culture impacts the health of a business, it is the duty of board members to examine it regularly in board meetings, conduct culture audits to measure its effectiveness, and have frequent discussions with all leaders about challenges, opportunities, and priorities.

While leaders need to take on the responsibility of communicating a company’s mission, vision, and values, their actions must also speak the same language. This needs to be supported by employee experiences—from learning and development to rewards and recognition—that reinforce every aspect of the desired culture. Both HR and business leaders must also be committed to ensuring the right culture fit when hiring new talent.

The employees of an organization play a critical role in bringing the culture alive, but their most important duty is to provide their leaders and HR teams with constructive feedback. While employees uphold the values of a company, conducting regular pulse checks or surveys will help everyone know what is working and what needs improvement.

Some final thoughts

A healthy culture is always an open one. Therefore, transparency must be built into everything. This enables everyone to have a clear and consistent view of the organization’s ‘culture’ goals and the role they play in it. With culture becoming a shared responsibility, business reputation and performance are bound to improve as it ensures that everyone, at every level, is invested in shaping and enhancing organizational culture.