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.

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.

Regular feedback sessions have been game-changing for us at PlayAbly.AI, where we've seen amazing ideas emerge from our junior developers during our weekly 'coffee chats'. I believe creating safe spaces for open dialogue, like our no-judgment brainstorming sessions, helps everyone feel valued and heard, which naturally builds a stronger culture than any forced team-building activity.

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.

One piece of advice I'd give to any company looking to improve its culture is to listen to your team and make them feel valued genuinely. The most important thing to focus on is open, honest communication. When people feel heard and see their ideas or concerns being worked on, it builds trust and loyalty. At Garage Door Experts Co., we perform routine feedback sessions where employees can share what's working and what's not. The key is not just to gather feedback but to take visible action on it, even if it's just small changes. When our techs suggested improvements to streamline scheduling, we adjusted our system based on their insights, which boosted morale and increased efficiency. A strong culture starts when employees feel like they're part of something meaningful, and that begins with consideration and open dialogue.

If I had to pick one piece of advice related to culture and all that needs doing here, for a company seeking to improve itself here, build trust (to the point of reckless vulnerability) / open communication at scale. In my experience, real culture change happens when everyone feels safe (including executives and interns) to share ideas, give feedback, and take creative risks. As I have witnessed firsthand at DIGITECH, an encouraging safe and open environment can make for a more seamless collaborative atmosphere where creative ideas flourish. The path to achieving that is through "open floor" sessions where employees can share their opinions ask questions and make suggestions; I encourage leaders to have these more often. Prioritizing transparency especially around the company goals and struggles is another effective step. If everyone understands how their job takes a part in the big picture, they will feel more inclined to participate. A crucial aspect is to reward creative input at any level. This makes people feel valued when their efforts are appreciated, leads to greater commitment and sense of dedication. At the end of the day, all that matters is creating a space where employees can feel seen, heard and inspired to do their best work. Just imagine what your team can accomplish when culture is authentic and empowering.

I believe the key is creating regular opportunities for open, honest feedback - like our weekly 'renovation roundtables' where everyone from site workers to office staff can share their challenges and ideas for improvement. We started doing casual monthly one-on-ones over coffee instead of formal reviews, and it's amazing how much more comfortable people are sharing their true thoughts when you take them out of that typical office setting.

Being in the cleaning service industry, I've found that listening to front-line employees is absolutely crucial for building a positive culture. We implemented monthly team lunches where our cleaners could openly share their challenges and ideas, which led to several practical improvements in our operations. The most important thing isn't fancy perks - it's making sure every team member feels heard and valued in their daily work.

I recently discovered that having weekly 'open mic' sessions where team members can share their wins and challenges has dramatically improved our remote team's connection and trust. After implementing this at ShipTheDeal, I've seen people become more collaborative and supportive, making our culture feel less like a formal workplace and more like a community working towards shared goals.