Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association

What organizations often get wrong – and what to do instead

As someone who spends every day helping organizations build stronger culture and employer brands, one thing I can say with absolute confidence is this: most companies are underestimating what it takes to shape culture in a fast-moving world.

We’re in a time where organizations are changing rapidly; implementing AI, embracing hybrid work, automating processes, and trying to stay competitive in the middle of it all. But what often gets left behind is the clarity, consistency, and alignment that people need in order to feel connected to their work and the workplace.

Culture isn’t keeping up. And it shows.

Even the Best Are Struggling

We tend to assume it’s only traditional organizations or resource-strapped teams that face challenges with culture, but that’s not accurate. Even the most high-performing, high-tech companies are still figuring it out.

A recent blog post by Calvin French-Owen, a former OpenAI engineer who left the company at the end of June 2025, shared his experience working at one of the most innovative organizations in the world. Despite incredible resources and talent, he described OpenAI’s internal culture as fast-paced and brilliant, but also fragmented, misaligned, and constantly shifting.

His reflection mirrored what I see every day in my work: culture is not a given, even in great companies. It takes structure, clarity, and intention to get right.

What Culture Really Needs in 2025 and Beyond

In my experience, here’s what organizations should be paying attention to when it comes to culture, whether you’re in government, healthcare, technology, or manufacturing.

1. Clarity is more valuable than charisma

Great leadership isn’t about delivering inspirational speeches once a quarter. It’s about helping employees understand where the organization is going, why it matters, and how their work connects to the bigger picture.

When this clarity is missing, people start to fill in the blanks. That’s when misalignment creeps in, engagement drops, and trust erodes.

2. Communication must be structured, not reactive

Whether you’re a small team or a city-wide department, internal communication needs structure. Not just more emails or updates but thoughtful, consistent channels that reinforce values, priorities, and progress.

In today’s environment, assumptions can be dangerous. People need more context than ever.

3. Your external brand can’t outrun your internal reality

You can’t recruit your way out of a culture problem. If your external messaging doesn’t match the real experience employees are having, it creates a trust gap which becomes very visible, and very fast.

This is where employer branding and culture intersect. A strong internal culture supports the external message. If you’re saying you value purpose, innovation or inclusivity, your employees need to feel that day to day.

4. Culture doesn’t just happen – it must be designed and maintained

Culture is not what’s written on the walls. It’s how people behave when things are uncertain. It’s how managers lead, how decisions are made, and how safe people feel speaking up.

It’s also something that shifts over time which means it needs regular attention. The same way you plan for budgets or operations, you should have a plan for culture.

Culture + Change = Strategy Required

As organizations adopt new tools and embrace more agile ways of working, culture has to evolve too. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about being proactive in how you support your people through change.

Whether you’re building a future-ready workforce, still navigating post-pandemic realities, or integrating new technologies like AI, culture is the glue that holds it all together.

My final thoughts

The companies that thrive long term aren’t the ones with the flashiest perks or trendiest slogans. They’re the ones that build cultures of clarity, connection, and trust – and keep doing it as things change. Why? Because it’s your people who carry your culture. Not your mission statement.

Remember, culture isn’t what happens when someone’s watching. It’s how people act when no one is. It shows up in how decisions are made, how people communicate under pressure, and how values hold up in the real world.

You can’t automate culture. You can’t just hope it clicks. You have to build it. Then keep building it. Not because something’s broken, but because your people need something steady in the middle of constant change.

If we’re serious about shaping the future of work, we need to stop thinking about culture as a side project.

It’s the core of everything.

Written by Colette O’Neill, Advance Human Capital Solutions