Building Culture Is a Multi-Layered Commitment, Not a One-Off Initiative

As we commence the start of the working year, many businesses start with the right intent, focusing on their employees and culture. Unfortunately, organisational culture is often spoken about as if it can be built through a single strategy, workshop, or set of values printed on a wall. However, in reality, culture is far more complex. It is a living system shaped by everyday behaviours, leadership decisions, and how people feel when they show up to work every day, not just at the start of the new year!

Having worked in this sector for well over two decades I believe that building a strong culture requires a multi-layered approach, one that places genuine investment in people at its core. Too many businesses want quantitative data that reflects their ROI, but what is really the ‘true’ value of healthy and happy employees.

Culture Lives in the Details

Culture isn’t defined by what an organisation says it values; it’s defined by what it consistently does. It lives in how managers respond under pressure, how feedback is handled, and how safe employees feel to speak up. These daily interactions accumulate, shaping trust, engagement, and performance over time. They cannot be touch points that are talked about, written or used ad hoc.

A multi-layered culture strategy recognises that there is no single lever to pull. Policies, leadership behaviours, wellbeing initiatives, communication styles, and decision-making processes must all align. When they don’t, culture becomes fragmented and employees notice.

Investing in Wellbeing Through Personalised Initiatives

One of the most powerful layers of culture is how an organisation supports staff wellbeing as this is what I have specialised in for decades. Generic wellbeing programs often miss the mark because people are not generic. What supports one individual may not work for another. You must understand employees' strengths, weaknesses, pain points, goals and build a framework that is fluid amongst employees, managers and decision makers.

Personalised wellbeing initiatives such as flexible work arrangements, tailored development opportunities, mental health support, fitness initiatives all send a clear message that you are seen as a whole person. This level of care builds trust and loyalty far more effectively than surface-level perks, massages, luncheons or after work drinks.

When employees feel supported as individuals, they are more likely to engage, collaborate, and contribute at a higher level. Wellbeing is not a “nice to have”; it is a strategic investment with measurable returns.

In reality, culture is far more complex. It is a living system shaped by everyday behaviours, leadership decisions, and how people feel when they show up to work every day.

The Art of Listening and Acting

Listening is often cited as a leadership skill, but true listening goes beyond surveys or open-door policies. It requires curiosity, humility, and the willingness to act on what is heard. Too often employees quickly become disengaged when feedback disappears into a void. You have a one-off team building day workshop and then the message is lost because we all get too busy. Listening without implementation can feel performative and erode trust. Conversely, when leaders close the loop, acknowledging feedback and making visible changes it reinforces psychological safety and shows that voices genuinely matter. The true art lies not just in hearing, but in translating insight into action.

Psychological Safety: More Than a Buzzword

Over the past decade psychological safety has become a popular term, but its real value is felt in behaviour, not language. It exists when people feel safe to ask questions, admit mistakes, challenge ideas, and bring their authentic selves to work without fear of blame or ridicule.

This kind of safety doesn’t happen by accident. It is built through consistent leadership behaviours, fair processes, and respectful communication. When psychological safety is present, innovation increases, learning accelerates, and teams perform better because people are no longer expending energy on self-protection.

Investing in People Creates Positive Outcomes

At the heart of every strong culture is a simple truth when organisations invest in people, people invest back. Engagement improves, retention strengthens, collaboration deepens, and performance follows.

A multi-layered approach to culture, one that prioritises wellbeing, values listening, and embeds psychological safety creates an environment where individuals and organisations can thrive together. I’m passionate about people and helping organisations and firmly believe that culture is not a project with an end date; it is an ongoing commitment to how work gets done and how people are treated along the way.

In the end, investing in people isn’t just good leadership, it's good business.

Much Love

TORY