Step 1: Describe your current and desired workplace culture

It is important to set aside time to understand the challenges – and the different perspectives they conceal – so that you are well placed to work on changing your workplace culture and launching specific initiatives/activities later on.

Discuss and answer the following questions:

• How would we describe our workplace culture today? Is this how we’d like our workplace culture to be?
• What are we struggling with in particular at the moment?
• How and when does this show up in our workplace culture?
• Why is this problematic or challenging?
• What are the possible explanations for these challenges?
• What is helping to maintain these challenges in our workplace culture?

Where should we begin?

In most cases, a dialogue about challenges in workplace culture does not start from scratch. You may have already launched an initiative in a particular area or decided on a topic that is worth focusing on. Perhaps this is based on your most recent workplace assessment, specific incidents (such as issues with workplace communication or offensive conduct), the need for better collaboration, or organisational changes.

If so, we recommend that you use this as a thematic starting point for your local dialogues when discussing the questions above.

Not sure what your focus areas are?
If you haven’t already decided on specific initiatives or topics, start by asking yourself the questions above and doing a Culture Check. The purpose of a Culture Check is to paint a picture of your current workplace culture and to start a dialogue about your desired workplace culture.