Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association

Peter Drucker was famous for this alleged quote: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” The intention of this quote was to stress the importance of workplace culture and that without a good workplace culture, the success of the organization will be impacted. When we consider the municipal work environment and the current talent attraction concerns, culture could be the way to create an organization candidates want to work for and become a critical factor in recruitment and retention.

Workplace culture is unique for each organization and is shaped by shared values, traditions, beliefs, interactions, behaviors, and attitudes that define the environment and guide how employees interact. It is an organization’s mission and vision to the day-to-day interactions among employees. A strong workplace culture can lead to increase employee satisfaction, engagement and productivity and lower turnover rates.

Aspects of workplace culture include:

1. Communication style – how information is shared within the organization; this can be formal or informal, open or hierarchical
2. Values and beliefs the core principles that guide the company’s decisions and actions, such as teamwork, innovation or customer focus
3. Work environment – the physical and emotional atmosphere of the workplace including how comfortable and safe employees feel
4. Leadership style – the approach leaders take in managing and motivating their teams, which can significantly influence the culture
5. Diversity and inclusion – the extent to which the workplace embraces diversity in its workforce and fosters an inclusive environment
6. Recognition and rewards – how achievements are acknowledged and rewarded, impacting employee morale and motivation
7. Work-life balance – the degree to which the organization supports employees in balancing their professional and personal lives

We all have challenges in our workplaces some of which may be related to culture. Instead of seeing them as culture problems, we change the narrative and see it as a culture opportunity.

In the book “The Science Behind Success”, Jayson Krause discusses the three layers of workplace culture. The first is your own and the environment you expose yourself to and how you care for yourself. This is aligned with looking after ourselves first and how we develop ourselves as leaders regularly. The second is the team culture which is the common goals or objectives, trust, mutual respect and communication within your team. The third layer is the organizational culture which starts at the top leaders in the organization.

In creating an organization’s unique culture there are common steps to improve culture in any industry:

1. Cultivate employee relationships – Strong workplace relationships lead to effective communication and collaboration and make it easier to attain organizational goals. Plan team building activities and lead by example in getting to know each other better.
2. Have transparent policies – Setting clear expectations for everyone, establishes fairness and builds trust since everyone and all situations follow the same set of criteria.
3. Create a comfortable workplace – Employees spend a lot of hours at work and if they feel comfortable they feel motivated to work and feel valued. This can include a proper working chair or office plants to make the space more welcoming.
4. Reward employees – When employees are rewarded, they feel valued and motivated to perform well. Be sure to learn various reward methods and understand each employee to help to give effective rewards.
5. Hire the right employees – When recruiting employees, it is important to consider work culture. Factoring in their behaviours, values and traditions is important to ensure alignment and ease in achieving shared goals.
6. Promote equity – Organizations that treat their employees equally tend to have a higher level of success. Setting policies and regulations that guide you and other leaders on specific practices, such as promotions and rewards, can ensure that everyone gets the same treatment. Employees will feel nurtured and supported.
7. Develop accountability – As a leader, it is essential that you lead by example. Learn to take responsibility for your mistakes and that of your team. That way, your juniors can learn to be accountable for their work. This creates a responsible team focussed on achieving the set objective.

Human Resources teams have opportunities to influence culture by setting an example for other teams, in policy and as leaders in any organization.

Written by: Kathy Weidhaas, Member of OMHRA’s Board of Directors and Director of HR for the City of Waterloo