Forget Slogans: How to Build a Workplace Culture That Actually Sticks

For years, companies have treated workplace culture like an ad campaign - slick, polished, and full of aspirational language. They roll out mission statements, give rousing speeches, and plaster their walls with words like “integrity,” “innovation,” and “collaboration.” But here’s the brutal truth: no one cares what your company says it values. They care about what actually happens when they show up to work every day.

The real test of culture isn’t found in an all-hands meeting. It’s in the eye contact (or lack of it) when someone challenges the status quo. It’s in whether a manager trusts their team to make decisions or micromanages every detail. It's the difference between a workplace where feedback flows freely - and one where people nod in meetings, then vent in private Slack channels.

The Culture Myth: Words Shape Workplaces

There’s a comfortable illusion that culture can be built top-down, through statements and strategies. CEOs stand on stages and talk about inclusion while women are still talked over in meetings. A company announces its commitment to flexibility but quietly rewards those who grind 12-hour days.

The gap between what companies say and what they do is where trust erodes. Employees don’t need another LinkedIn post from leadership about how “people are our greatest asset.” They need proof - daily, tangible proof - that the culture they’re being sold actually exists.

The Culture Reality: Habits Make or Break It

Culture isn’t crafted in boardrooms - it’s built in the mundane, everyday choices that shape how work gets done. It’s in the small moments that seem insignificant but create the fabric of how a company truly operates.

Take Netflix, a company famous for its “Freedom & Responsibility” culture. That’s not just a slogan - it’s a reality embedded in how employees work. There’s no approval process for expenses or vacation requests. Employees are trusted to make decisions, without layers of bureaucracy slowing them down. They don’t just talk about radical candour; they practice it, giving direct feedback, even to senior leaders, without fear of retaliation.

This isn’t just a nice philosophy - it’s a deliberate choice, reinforced every single day through real actions. And the result? Netflix moves faster, innovates more freely, and attracts top talent that thrives in an ownership-driven environment.

Forget Slogans. Focus on Behaviours.

So how do you actually build a culture that sticks? Not with another leadership summit or a refreshed set of corporate values.

Start by looking at behaviours.

• How are decisions made - are they open or opaque?

• How is feedback given - honestly and regularly, or avoided?

• How does leadership respond to mistakes - with learning or blame?

• Who gets promoted - the best collaborator or the best self-promoter?

If you want to change culture, don’t start with words. Start with actions. Because culture isn’t what you put on a PowerPoint slide. It’s what you do when no one’s watching.