What is workplace culture?

Illustration of workers holding gears that mesh together, representing workplace culture

Workplace culture is about people (pic courtesy of iStock)

What is workplace culture?

Workplace culture is the environment we work in and it defines the way we work. It consists of the shared values, belief systems, attitudes and assumptions that people have.

A positive workplace culture leads to a sense of pride in one’s work. When people take pride, they’re invested in the organization and contribute to building opportunities that benefit the organization.

In her Forbes article “How to Create a Positive Workplace Culture,” Dr. Pragya Agarwal dove into a handful of actions leaders can take to nurture a positive working culture. Two in particular directly contribute to a culture of creative thinking and innovation:

  1. Foster collaboration and communication: Leadership and management styles that encourage teamwork, and open and honest communication is vital to creating a positive feeling in the workplace. Open and honest communication means being able to talk about how people interact with each other, that feedback is welcome and considered, and where bullying is not tolerated. The link to creative problem-solving (CPS) is that fostering collaboration and communication builds trust, which contributes to employees feeling safe enough to contribute their ideas when brainstorming and voice their opinions when choosing a solution to take forward.

  2. Create clear goals and rewards for the employees: It’s motivating when employees have clear goals and where there’s a transparent policy for progression and promotion. When goal achievements are recognized and celebrated, employees feel valued, which in turn creates a positive feeling in the workplace. How does this relate to CPS? One of the first things you do when planning a CPS initiative is to identify the goal. In other words, what must the outcome of the creative thinking activity achieve in order to solve the stated problem or opportunity?

You can read the full article here: bit.ly/3KG1Tzf

I regularly talk about developing a culture of creative problem-solving and innovation. If you’re looking for an experienced and engaging speaker on this topic, let’s talk! Schedule here.

Client Success Story – “Game Changer!”

“It’s been a game changer to have a trusted coach by my side. Although I have been an entrepreneur leading employees for over 20 years, I suffered a severe case of imposter syndrome. I was ready to level up my leadership in order to fulfill a very big vision I had for this organization.  I set about researching executive coaches to help guide me on a path to do things differently and step into my power. I needed someone who would match and guide my creative process. I’m so glad I found Ellia!

“Ellia is calm and resourceful with a grounded demeanor that made me feel okay about not having all the answers. She talks about light bulbs but she actually shows up with a flashlight, exposing areas where I get stuck and walking me through to solutions.

“I could easily have built a typical mom and pop business, but with Ellia’s guidance I’m able to create a more ambitious trajectory. I’m confident I will achieve my vision of creating a business that will become recognized nationally as a trusted revolutionary name in real estate!” 

– Michelle Clark, Owner, Prosper Northwest Real Estate


I believe that, with the right support anyone can learn creative ways to solve problems. If you’d like to see what tapping into creative potential could look like at your place of work, contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com to arrange a call.

Previous
Previous

Are you still jumping hurdles?

Next
Next

What the WEF predicts / NP Boards