What's one piece of advice you'd give to a company looking to improve its company culture? What's the most important thing to focus on?

Give employees the freedom to explore and experiment with ideas that might seem "out there"-it's often these unconventional ideas that drive innovation and spark growth. By trusting our team to push the boundaries, we've seen incredible results that keep the culture dynamic and engaging. When people feel empowered, they take ownership and feel more connected to their work. Ensure everyone understands and connects with the company's mission on a deep level so they're not just working for pay but for a purpose they believe in. A shared mission can drive people through tough times and inspire extraordinary teamwork. At our company, our focus on building tools to improve productivity is something everyone here feels strongly about, and it's a huge factor in our team cohesion.

Make it a priority to truly know and understand your employees-not just as professionals, but as people with unique lives, challenges, and goals outside the office. When you show genuine interest and make space for their personal growth, it fosters an environment where everyone feels valued beyond their role. This empathy-centered approach can completely transform how your team works together and feels about the company. Focus on fostering a deep sense of purpose for each individual-help them see how their work impacts lives, especially if you're in a field like ours where we help people during tough times. Purpose gives meaning to daily efforts, and when everyone feels connected to a bigger mission, morale and motivation naturally rise. This shared sense of purpose becomes the heartbeat of a thriving culture.

One piece of advice I'd give to any company looking to improve its culture is to focus on authentic, inside-out wellness. A company culture thrives when people feel supported in bringing their whole, healthy selves to work each day. Prioritizing wellness in a holistic way-encouraging habits that nourish, sustain, and balance-leads to a more engaged, collaborative, and innovative team. At Rasa, we integrate wellness as a core value, where it's not about adding "one more thing" to an already busy schedule, but about creating an environment where people naturally feel energized and grounded, which has made a transformative difference in our team's dynamics and productivity. When employees know that their well-being is genuinely valued, they're more motivated, and that sense of support carries over into everything they do. Fostering a culture where wellness is embedded in everyday work life creates a sustainable, thriving environment-one I'd recommend to any team looking to build a supportive, resilient culture. I hope this helps. If you decide to use my comments, I would appreciate a shout-out and link to Rasa (https://wearerasa.com/). Lenny Chase CEO Rasa (https://wearerasa.com/) Link to Headshot (https://storage.tally.so/private/Headshot_Lenny.png?id=Z2joLB&accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpZCI6Iloyam9MQiIsImZvcm1JZCI6IndhWWVPWCIsImlhdCI6MTcyNTU1MTg0OX0.ht0jpn_cMprkx4Bh6f3MdrbkS4dnqmBOCl1u3UcZrjk&signature=399fcbdfb00da7baa243dc9f319025e834a209ef47f7aefc3b0a0c455c378406) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennychase/)

One piece of advice I'd give to a company looking to improve its culture is to focus on creating a sense of purpose. When employees understand how their work contributes to the broader mission, they feel more connected and motivated.The most important thing to focus on is alignment between values and actions. It's not enough to simply state company values, leaders must ensure those values are reflected in everyday decisions and behaviors. For example, if sustainability is a core value, it should be integrated into all aspects of the business, from product development to internal processes.At our company, aligning sustainability with every department and empowering employees to take ownership of eco-friendly initiatives has strengthened our culture. When employees see their work directly impacting the company's mission, it fosters pride and loyalty, driving a more engaged and cohesive team.

Prioritize consistent and meaningful employee recognition. Recognize achievements, both big and small, regularly and personally. This isn't about annual awards or formal ceremonies-it's about making appreciation a daily habit. When people feel seen and valued for their contributions, they become more engaged and motivated. Recognition builds trust, strengthens team bonds, and creates a positive feedback loop that fuels a strong, supportive culture. Start by encouraging managers to acknowledge individual efforts in real time, whether in team meetings or through a quick, personalized note. Make it specific, genuine, and part of your everyday interactions.

To improve company culture, focus on fostering values rather than forcing change in response to complaints. When employees feel that changes are only a reaction to negative feedback, it can seem insincere and forced and make your culture worse. Instead, start by identifying what's already working well within your culture and build on those strengths. For example, if open communication is valued, set up regular, informal team check-ins to reinforce that. This genuine, gradual approach builds trust and helps employees connect to a shared purpose. A culture that evolves naturally is more likely to engage and retain employees, creating a positive environment people want to be part of.

Identify and Harness Employee Strengths Focusing on employees' strengths can dramatically transform your company culture. Many organizations concentrate on fixing weaknesses, but this can often overshadow what employees do best. Instead, spotlighting and leveraging individual strengths leads to higher engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. A Gallup study shows that people who use their strengths daily are six times more likely to be engaged at work. To do this right, start with a strengths assessment, like the CliftonStrengths, to identify each team member's unique capabilities. Encourage employees to take ownership of tasks aligning with their strengths, creating an environment where natural talents are nurtured and celebrated. Incorporating strengths-based feedback is another practical strategy. While traditional performance reviews focus on areas for improvement, including a segment that emphasizes and develops employee strengths shifts the focus toward positivity and growth. Regular team meetings focused on strengths-based discussions can further encourage a culture where employees feel valued for their unique contributions. This approach not only enhances individual performance but also fosters a more cohesive and motivated team, resulting in a positive company culture.

Shifting company culture can feel daunting, but focusing on fostering a growth mindset can lead to substantial improvements. This mindset encourages employees to view challenges as opportunities to learn rather than as threats. It cultivates resilience, innovation, and a culture where people are motivated to develop new skills without the fear of making mistakes. To nurture this, encourage open dialogue where feedback is given constructively and mistakes are viewed as valuable lessons. This approach not only boosts morale but also leads to a culture that continuously evolves and adapts. Implementing "psychological safety" as a framework can significantly boost this transformation. When teams feel safe to speak up without fear of ridicule, they're more likely to engage actively and propose innovative ideas. Managers play a crucial role in modeling this behavior by admitting their own mistakes and showing vulnerability. Conducting regular check-ins where employees are invited to share their thoughts openly reinforces the norm of respectful communication. This makes the workplace not only more inclusive but also invites diverse perspectives, crucial for long-term cultural growth.

I can provide feedback for technology companies. I have had 200+ interviews and hired 70-80 people so far, mostly engineers, product designers. We realized it is way easier to select people that improve our culture fit, than to educate current members. What we've seen work best to improve the company culture is to have a "culture fit" section during your interview. What we do is we have 2-3 questions that test our values. We also involve other team members during this section of the interview. I think a pre-requisite would be to have your values defined. Some people think about it in a very complicated way. It can be really basic stuff, like type of people you like working with: - I like working with people that are always connected or I like to work with people that are mindful of work / family boundaries. These are perfectly fine answers. - I like to work with people that are experimentalists / I like people that take their time to make a decision. Again, depending on the company and context, both are great answers. Then, you will be surprised how many interview questions can be generated with GPT or Google to test a value. That's how we did it. We even took it a step further and each person in the team chose questions that are suitable for them.

Companies seeking to improve their workplace cultures need to start with a vision of what they hope to achieve. Embarking on a culture overhaul without any specific goals often results in the company in question settling for any routines that signal positive change without considering if they address the core problems they had. Once the vision is set, get input from all employees on what type of workplace they would like to work in and use this feedback to create a workplace culture policy. From here on, focus on implementation with the leadership team being models for what the ideal company culture should be.

Culture is essential for success. A great culture starts with genuine engagement. To achieve this, people need to feel truly connected to the mission and work of the organization. Engagement goes beyond pizza parties and surveys. It's about fostering a sense of ownership and autonomy in each person's role, without excessive micromanagement. This approach builds a feeling of belonging and purpose, driving engagement, retention, and longitudinal job satisfaction.

When evolving or transforming an organizational culture, I like to start by listening to employees and asking what about the current environment is something they love and that needs to stay intact no matter what else we change, and then conversely what would they like to leave behind if they could. Once I've gathered this feedback, I can begin to synthesize it across the groups I've talked with into a set of themes that can lead to cultural markers, which we can then define with specific behaviors that bring them to life. By co-creating a culture with the employees, you ensure that you have an environment based on shared values, shared experiences, and a shared identity. Taking time to define what this is for your company in the form of themes, and then intentionally finding ways to activate those themes takes time and work, but in the end results in deeper connections, increased wellbeing and belonging, and boosted engagement - all of which drive improved business results.

Well, I believe the first thing you need to focus on when trying to improve the culture is communication. It all comes down to open, honest communication. It's human nature to have some thoughts or concerns on a particular idea or project they or the company is working on. The employees should be able to openly communicate whatever they feel about the project or otherwise, with you or their colleagues. This open dialogue leads to increased innovation, problem-solving, and employee engagement. Anyone in leadership, no matter the hierarchy, needs to lead their team by example. Be transparent and approachable. And, try to listen to your employees' perspectives, and demonstrate empathy and understanding. Acknowledgement for the contributions, both big and small, go a long way into showing how much you believe in your employees. This can be done through one-on-one conversations or during the meeting. At the end, make your employees heard, without any judgment or ridicule. That's what you need to do to create a positive culture in your company.

One piece of advice I'd give to a company looking to improve its culture is this: invest in your people and don't take yourself too seriously. Culture isn't about fancy mission statements-it's about how your team feels day-to-day. When I started my business at 17, it was just me, and now we're a team of 22 nerds with a non-corporate, fun-first culture that we're all proud of. The most important thing to focus on is creating an environment where people actually enjoy showing up (even if "showing up" is remote). We make a point to have regular laughs, celebrate the wins (big and small), and remind everyone that work can-and should-be fun. Taking the team away on trips has also been a game-changer for us. It's not just about working hard; it's about making memories, building trust, and reconnecting outside of the usual day-to-day grind. Bottom line: If your team feels valued, supported, and like they're part of something bigger than just a job, the culture builds itself. And when that happens, the results-for the business and the people-are incredible.

Building Trust Through Transparency for Strengthening Company Culture As the founder, the most valuable piece of advice I'd give to a company looking to improve its culture is to prioritize open and transparent communication. When I first started my company, I realized that creating a culture of trust and honesty was essential for long-term success. In the early days, we faced challenges in aligning different teams, but once we established regular check-ins, encouraged feedback, and made sure everyone felt heard, things started to shift. I remember a time when one of our junior associates raised concerns about project timelines in a team meeting, which led to a productive discussion about resource allocation. That openness fostered a stronger sense of collaboration, and it gave the team ownership of their work. The most important thing to focus on is creating an environment where people feel safe to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment. This will not only improve internal relationships but also drive innovation and performance across the company.

If you want to improve company culture, just start talking to your team. It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many leaders think they know what their people want without ever actually asking them. Culture isn't something you set with a slogan or a policy-it's the sum of a thousand small interactions, every question asked and every piece of feedback acted on. And the best way to understand what your team needs is simply by talking to them, regularly and honestly. When running BotsCrew and AllClinicalTrials, I learned the most important insights from team members who felt comfortable enough to speak up on one on one sessions. They shared the practical problems they were facing and ideas for solving them. We didn't always make huge changes, but by tweaking tools, improving handover processes, or just consolidating platforms, we made work easier and showed we were listening. Those conversations build a culture more than any mission statement ever could-people know they're valued because their voices actually make a difference. Start talking, and let your culture grow from there.

Over time, I've realized that great company culture emerges from small, consistent efforts. My best advice would be to nurture transparent communication at every level. Ensuring that employees feel acknowledged and valued builds a stronger, more collaborative team. One of the most impactful changes we made at Online Games was setting up regular informal check-ins where employees could share ideas or concerns. These sessions helped strengthen our team bonds while inspiring creative ideas that influenced our projects. When people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, collaboration improves, and they become more emotionally invested in the company's success. It's also essential to celebrate small wins. Recognizing individual and team contributions goes a long way in building a positive environment. We make it a point to highlight achievements during meetings, which keeps the energy high and the team motivated. Culture is not built in a day; it's the result of constant effort to ensure people feel they belong. When you focus on meaningful connections and recognition, the rest naturally follows.

The best advice we can give to a company looking to improve its culture is to prioritize open communication and employee feedback. From our experience, fostering a workplace where people feel safe sharing their ideas and concerns makes all the difference. At one point, we started hosting regular "listening sessions" with small groups of employees. These were casual yet structured discussions where everyone could share their thoughts directly with leaders. The key was ensuring that feedback led to real changes whether it was tweaking processes or acknowledging what was working well. This built trust and showed employees that their input mattered. Company culture isn't about big gestures, it's about everyday consistency. When people know they're valued and their voices have weight, you create an environment where they genuinely want to contribute and thrive.

My top advice for improving company culture is to prioritize open communication. At Pheasant Energy, we learned that fostering a culture where feedback flows freely-both up and down the hierarchy-creates trust and empowers everyone to take ownership of their roles. Regular check-ins and open-door policies go a long way in making people feel heard and valued. The most important thing to focus on is creating a safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. This openness not only strengthens relationships but also sparks innovation, as employees feel truly connected to the company's mission and goals.

The best piece of advice I coach and consult with my clients around is to first understand what the current culture feels like for their employees. Without a baseline understanding of what works well, what the workplace rewards, feels like, how employees describe what it feels like to work at the company...the efforts around improving culture can be a big miss. To get a current "pulse" you can use short surveys, do focus groups, or a combination of the two in which you get real data about what shines and is a part of the culture you want to amplify and also what needs to be "improved." The qualitative and quantitative data can provide a clear roadmap ahead in which tangible metrics can be created around core strategies/events/experiences. And, the added benefits is that it can be a great way to coach executives on how they can improve/show up and communicate to strengthen the culture. It's a win/win.