Why it is not necessarily what you do, but what you don’t, that matters when it comes to Company Culture

When I think about the workplaces I (and others) have loved going to, there is one very important thing that stands out.

When you think about company culture, it is easy to ask what you need to do to create a healthy culture. However, the magic often lies in what is not done in places with a healthy working environment. When I started in one of my roles, I quickly noticed that the environment around me lacked negativity, colleague judgement and criticism, and people were supporting and helping each other instead. When you left work, you felt energized, not drained, and it was easy to enjoy going to work and spend the day with people who were pleasant to work with and made an effort to make your day easier. Eventually, things revealed something less rosy and especially as people changed, the environment did too. Still, it was a good example of how good things could have been if someone had nurtured what was there in the beginning and made sure it would stay that way.

I have had a similar experience since then too. After finishing work, I didn’t need a drink or feel like going to find a punching bag. I have just enjoyed the rest of the day and my days off without the need to spend them trying to regain my personality and life. That also means you don’t crave a holiday all the time, you can spend your money more wisely when it is not needed to help you unwind, and both your mental and physical health are closer to where they would be if you didn’t work at all. You win in the long run in so many ways, and when you win, people around you win, including even the NHS, and therefore taxpayers.

A healthy work environment lacks judgement, negative talk, disrespect and especially yelling. Verbal abuse has zero place at work, and anyone in any role using language that is not respectful should find some other, more suitable place for them. It is not always possible to like everyone you work with, but it is important to be able to respect people around you, and any possible conflicts waiting to happen should be addressed as soon as possible before things get worse. Dealing with them makes a huge difference for everyone and often shows how unnecessary the issue was to begin with.

Most people do what people around them do. If people are talking about others behind their back, then that will increase. If that is not tolerated, people will find healthier topics to talk about. When the leadership cares what kind of talk is tolerated, the environment will stay healthier and the people very likely too. Our bodies will react to what is in our minds, so it is not only our mental health that benefits from a positive work environment.

It is the toxic workplaces where people might need to “do” more to the culture. If you want to know whether you benefit more from the undoing than the doing, or how, do get in touch.