In 2023, business leaders were busy recalibrating after years of pandemic-related disruption. The health crisis was essentially over, but its aftershocks—including employees’ redefined expectations about work and ongoing economic uncertainty—continued to shake the underpinnings of many companies. For most organizations, there was no getting back to “normal” in 2023.
It was a year for leaders to reexamine what it takes to build and maintain high-performing teams. And they sought new strategies to make their companies successful in a rapidly evolving work environment. As they looked for answers, one topic continued to surface. The common denominator that empowers businesses to gain ground is a high-performing organizational culture.
Every week, Culture Matters addresses different issues and challenges that companies face and how workplace culture factors into the solutions. The following ten articles reflect the scope of workplace culture in the business world this year.
1. Stuck in the Middle: The Challenge of Managing a Hybrid Workforce
Telecommuting exploded during the pandemic out of necessity. After the health crisis subsided, many workers and employers continued to see the benefits of operating with a remote workforce or the increasingly popular concept of hybrid teams. The flexibility and cost savings were attractive to both sides.
However, the new formats put middle managers in a bind. Suddenly, they were required to deliver results and maintain productivity while navigating the complexities of how, when, and where their team members were performing their jobs. We examine the complexities of the middle manager’s role in this new work structure and how executives can leverage company culture to help these key employees succeed.
This article outlines five primary reasons employees walk away and what organizations can do to prevent rampant turnover.
3. What Do You Want From Me? Getting Clear on Expectations at WorkThis disconnect may be partly due to the volatile work environment everyone has been navigating over the past several years. But to move their companies forward, leaders must provide clarity by outlining goals, basic job accountabilities, and behavioral standards. We break down how they can meet these objectives and build a confident workforce.
4. It All Adds Up: The Connection Between Workplace Culture and Profit
In a year of roller-coaster economic headlines, companies faced multiple challenges to stay in the black. Some leaders countered by paring costs and declined to invest in “soft areas” like workplace culture that didn’t seem relevant to the issues at hand. But ignoring culture to focus solely on drumming up revenue is shortsighted because companies can’t succeed without a committed, unified workforce.This article delves into five critical ways a strong workplace culture contributes to profitability and why leaders can’t afford to ignore this vital part of their business.
5. Improve Workplace Culture by Building Emotional IntelligenceEmployees’ interpersonal skills are critical for organizations to compete in the marketplace. High EQ allows staff to interact more effectively and create an atmosphere where they’re comfortable and motivated to innovate, solve problems, and deliver outstanding service. We explain what EQ looks like in the workplace and how company culture can help cultivate and benefit from it.
6. Winning the Buy-in Battle: Getting Employees On Board with Change
Companies need to be nimble and adaptive to stay competitive and withstand emergencies. But employees often resist change, making it hard for leaders to steer their businesses in new directions.This article dives into how to cultivate buy-in and prevent organizational inertia. It covers why employees cling to old ways, and the six areas leaders must address to create a culture of change.
7. Taking the Pulse of Employees’ Wellbeing and Workplace CultureAs leaders took measures to support their people, many businesses discovered an additional outcome—their companies became more successful. By elevating employee wellbeing to a prominent place in their workplace culture, they improved the health of their entire organization. We detail why employers should prioritize their staff’s wellbeing and the right way to do it.
8. Handing Over the Keys: Helping Employees Take Ownership of their WorkBut managers can’t just be hands-off and hope for the best. This article describes how leaders can build a self-driven staff and why creating a culture where people take ownership of their work ignites engagement, agility, and innovation.
9. The Pleasant Trap: Why Companies with Nice Work Cultures Finish LastThis article covers how leaders can cultivate a supportive culture that helps employees and the organization to grow and improve instead of merely aiming for a pleasant atmosphere.
10. Productivity is Declining: What CEOs Can Do to Reverse the TrendWe examine the reasons behind this trend and the steps leaders can take to turn things around for their onsite and remote teams.