How To Know If You Company Culture Is Broken
Culture has always been an essential part of business, more recently it has rightly had more attention brought to it. Recent events have either highlighted toxic culture or identified bad traits of corporate cultures and are far more visible in a remote or hybrid world.
Whether you are a member of the HR or People Team, a member of your culture committee, an internal influencer or part of the leadership team, you will likely recognise a few traits within your organisation however because of your unique environment it can be difficult to spot until someone raises it, take time off on annual leave or leave the organisation.
Here are the most common traits of a broken company culture:
Unfortunately raising concerns and flagging a broken culture can be difficult, you can be wary of flagging these traits to management, you do not believe your manager is in a good position to take these issues on or you fear the leadership team might not be able to accept their company is experiencing these. If you would like for Focus to reach out directly to your organisation for you or flag the issue anonymously we will happily do this.
You can email culture@focus.business with what you are experiencing and who Focus should liaise with.
Unfortunately raising concerns and flagging a broken culture can be difficult, you can be wary of flagging these traits to management, you do not believe your manager is in a good position to take these issues on or you fear the leadership team might not be able to accept their company is experiencing these.
If you would like for Focus to reach out directly to your organisation for you or flag the issue anonymously we will happily do this.
Get In Touch Anonymously
Email Focus:
You can email culture@focus.business with what you are experiencing and who Focus should liaise with.
Text Focus:
We have set up a dedicated text number +447480064060 for you to contact Focus and ensure you stay anonymous to provide us information of your broken culture and who you would like us to contact.
You have the Focus promise to keep your identity anonymous.
Tips To Improve Your Culture:
Here are a few quick tips to raise and address issues with your manager, HR or leadership team:
1. Keep record and speak to your HR team. It is important you highlight the repeat behaviour.
2. If you feel comfortable, speak to your boss in a dedicated session, you should highlight the behaviours mentioned and the impact it is having on you, your team and your business.
3. If you are part of the leadership team or HR team and struggling to gain cut through with these issues, complete the score card (template above) and add the revenue impact you believe this is having. Identify the teams that are suffering and why top talent and projects are not being delivered.
4. It is important if you do not feel comfortable you look for and engage external help, this can feel like a big step however there are many businesses large and small going through the same and have asked for external help.
Happily email culture@focus.business for support.
Want to send the list to your colleagues on Slack or Email?
Alternatively if you would like to copy and paste the issues you are facing you can below:
Busy
- Unproductive meetings
- Book another meeting to make a decision
- Busy as a default answer
Lack of
- Lack of praise
- Lack of communication
- Lack of shared ownership
- Lack of learning and co-learning Lack of flexibility
Broken Promises
- No trust in HR or People team
- We promise to change x (but they never change)
- Cliques all across the business If it easy we won’t do it
Dismissing ideas
- Decision Making Communities to make decisions
- Hierarchy for decision making
- Constant brushing things under the carpet
- Leavers not being able to tell the team they are leaving the business
Management
- Unhealthy competition between managers
- I am a manager – at my level I don’t do that
- Managers feeling helpless they cannot help
- Management team out of the loop of what is really happening
- 1-2-1’s feel rushed or pointless
- Dismissing challenges
- Demanding an “always on” attitude
- Career progress only happens for a few
Forced
- Forced fun
- Created events for forced fun
Confusion and Chaos
- Confusion of what you are doing and why you are doing it
- Tolerating bad behaviours
- Handoffs and dumping on each other
- Unexplained staff turn over
- That’s not my job
- When an obstacle feels like a roadblock or a showstopper
We have a number of other tips and nudges to help improve culture through sharing and teaching, read Culture of Learning