The Role of Stakeholders in Shaping Culture

In the ecosystem of a company, culture is not the responsibility of one person or one department. It is a shared effort, involving every level of the organization. Each group—executives, middle managers, HR professionals, and employees—plays a unique and vital role in building and sustaining the cultural fabric.

Let’s break this down further to understand how each stakeholder contributes to fostering a vibrant and effective workplace culture.

1. HR: The Unsung Hero

Human Resources professionals often serve as the backbone of company culture, though their contributions may sometimes go unnoticed. Acting as mediators between leadership and employees, they possess a comprehensive understanding of the workforce’s needs and the organization’s objectives.

How HR Shapes Culture:

1. Define/Refine Company Culture: HR collaborates with executives to establish the core elements of the culture and adapt it as the organization evolves.
2. Strategic Cultural Guidance: HR advises leaders on aligning cultural initiatives with the organization’s overarching values and strategic objectives.
3. Facilitate Communication/Feedback: HR promotes dialogue between employees and leadership to foster a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.
4. Culturally Aligned Recruiting: HR plays a critical role in attracting and hiring individuals who will strengthen and diversify the existing culture, while identifying and avoiding those who may not be a good fit.
5. Integrate Culture into Onboarding/ Experience: HR ensures that cultural values are prominently featured in the onboarding process and consistently reinforced in the everyday employee experience.
6. Recognize/Reward Cultural Behaviours: HR develops and implements systems for recognizing and rewarding employee actions that exemplify and support the desired cultural values.

For companies to fully leverage HR’s potential, it’s essential to give them a seat at the strategic table. Their insights can significantly influence decisions that strengthen the organization’s cultural foundation.

2. Executives: The Visionaries

Executives set the tone for company culture by defining its overarching values and ensuring resources are allocated to support cultural initiatives. Their leadership is crucial not only in creating but also in embodying the culture they wish to promote.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Establishing Core Values: Executives define the fundamental principles that guide the organization’s actions and decisions, setting the foundation for the company culture.
2. Approving and Resourcing Cultural Initiatives: Executives formally endorse and provide the necessary resources (financial, human, etc.) for programs and activities designed to promote and reinforce the desired culture.
3. Monitoring Cultural Impact and Addressing Issues: Executives actively monitor the influence of the company culture on the organization and take corrective action when necessary to ensure it remains aligned with strategic goals.
4. Leading by Example and Embodiment of Values: Executives have a unique opportunity to demonstrate the organization’s values through their own behaviours and actions, setting a powerful example for all employees. Their conduct significantly influences the overall cultural tone.
5. Communicating Cultural Values: Executives articulate and reinforce the organization’s values through various communication channels, ensuring that employees understand and embrace the desired culture.
6. Championing Cultural Responsibility: Executives acknowledge and embrace their responsibility for fostering a positive and productive company culture, setting the tone for accountability throughout the organization.

Great leadership doesn’t just set the rules; it exemplifies them. When executives are visibly invested in the company’s culture, it encourages employees to embrace it wholeheartedly.

3. Middle Managers: The Bridge

Managers operate at the intersection of strategy and execution. They take high-level cultural goals and translate them into day-to-day actions, serving as both enforcers and advocates of company values.

Their Role in Culture:

1. Implementing Cultural Initiatives: Managers translate executive-level cultural strategies into actionable plans and implement them within their teams.
2. Identifying and Addressing Cultural Issues: Managers are well-positioned to observe and identify any cultural problems or inconsistencies within their teams and take appropriate corrective measures.
3. Gathering Employee Feedback: Managers act as a conduit for employee feedback, collecting valuable insights and concerns that can inform cultural improvements.
4. Reinforcing Organizational Alignment: Managers ensure that employees understand and adhere to the organization’s policies, values, and goals, maintaining consistency and coherence.
5. Fostering Open Communication and Trust: Effective managers cultivate a culture of trust and open communication within their teams, encouraging regular dialogue through various channels, such as team meetings, performance reviews, and informal interactions.
6. Modeling Desired Behaviours and Values: Similar to executives, managers must embody the organization’s cultural values in their own actions and behaviours, setting a positive example for their team members. For instance, if customer service is a core value, managers should actively demonstrate excellent customer service practices rather than simply instructing their teams to do so.
7. Leveraging Problems as Cultural Learning Opportunities: Managers can utilize challenges and issues as opportunities to showcase the company culture in action, demonstrating how the organization’s values can be applied to resolve problems effectively.

The impact of managers cannot be overstated—Gallup attributes 70% of employee engagement variance to managerial influence. Good managers don’t just talk about culture; they embody it.

4. Employees: The Cultural Carriers

Every employee contributes to culture through their attitudes, behaviours, and interactions. They are the living representation of what the company stands for, making their engagement and alignment critical.

Employees’ Responsibilities:

1. Supporting Company Values and Goals: Employees actively uphold and demonstrate the organization’s core values and work towards achieving its strategic objectives.
2. Maintaining a Positive and Constructive Attitude: Employee attitudes significantly impact the overall work environment. A positive and engaged workforce strengthens the company culture. Employees who find their work meaningful and believe in the organization’s future are more likely to project a positive attitude.
3. Providing Honest and Constructive Feedback: Employees offer valuable perspectives on the existing culture and identify potential areas for improvement. This includes sharing both positive and negative feedback, even if it is difficult to hear.
4. Recognizing and Addressing Cultural Misfires: Employees are often the first to notice discrepancies between the espoused culture and the actual lived experience within the organization. They can help identify and address these “cultural misfires.”
5. Contributing to a Positive and Productive Work Environment: By acting in accordance with company values, employees contribute to a collaborative, respectful, and productive workplace.
6. Addressing Dissatisfaction Constructively: While it’s unrealistic to expect universal satisfaction, employees should express concerns constructively. Organizations should also be open to addressing valid points raised by dissatisfied employees, even if expressed negatively.
7. Recognizing the Importance of Cultural Alignment: Employees should understand that cultural fit is important for both individual well-being and organizational success. In cases where there is a significant and persistent misalignment, it may be necessary for an employee to seek opportunities elsewhere.
8. Participating in Cultural Initiatives: Employees should actively participate in cultural initiatives and programs designed to reinforce and improve the work environment.

While most employees embrace the culture enthusiastically, not everyone will. Leaders must navigate the occasional challenges of cultural misalignment thoughtfully, sometimes making difficult decisions for the good of the organization.

Collaboration is Key

The real magic of company culture happens when everyone works together. Collaboration across all levels—executives, HR, managers, and employees—creates a cohesive effort that maximizes impact. Each group brings a unique perspective and set of skills to the table, and when their contributions are harmonized, the result is a thriving workplace culture that attracts talent, drives performance, and sustains long-term success.