Employee Experience | What 'workplace culture' really means in 2023 - and how to get it right for increased engagement and retention

Job ads and HR bosses might wax lyrical about their positive, inclusive ‘workplace culture’ – but what does that actually mean for today’s frontline staff? What are the essential ingredients for a truly positive work culture, and how do you create it?

‘Workplace culture’: an umbrella term that can encompass everything from leave policies to reward systems, appraisals and training to after-work socials - and everything in between.

Culture is individual to every company (and often branches of companies) – and while it might be driven by a set of carefully considered organisational values, whether those values translate into the everyday experiences of employees can be dependent on a whole host of factors. These can include management styles and personalities, team dynamics, external pressures, customer demand and much more.

What culture DOESN’T mean is a trendily designed staff canteen, or making a big point of avoiding the use of the word ‘staff’, and then not treating employees fairly. What really matters when it comes to culture is if it aligns with the role employees signed up to when they accepted the job, if it results in a productive, enjoyable working day and whether it gives staff the work/life balance they desire.