“What is organisational culture, really?” That was a question a candidate I placed once asked me.
Her initial take on organisational culture was that companies and recruiters said “culture” to sound current. Six months into her new role, she sees the impact in how calm her week feels, how supported she is, and how much better her work is.
Here is her story. But first, this was the answer I gave her to what culture at work really meant.
GoGecko’s team definition of organisational culture
“Organisational culture, also known as workplace culture or company culture, is how people behave when no one is watching. It is the shared habits and expectations that help work run smoothly. Put simply, it is the way you start people well, help them do great work, and make decisions together.
How do you know if your culture works?
You can see it in outcomes and employee engagement. In our candidates current team, staff surveys show every member is 100% aligned to the values, and the business enjoys a strong 90% retention rate. That is culture doing its job. Here is how they achieve it, and why it lasts.
Our candidate’s take on company culture, 6 months in
What happened before she started?
The teams in her organisation put in the groundwork mattered, right from the hiring process. Our candidate applied for a marketing role. During her final interview, the CEO made a point to join. In most large companies you meet the department lead and maybe a senior manager. Meeting the CEO told her the role mattered, culture started at the top, and she would have access when it counted.
Next, contracts signed and the start date set, our candidate asked for some initial company information so she could do some research before day one and hit the ground running. Gold star effort. The department lead stayed in personal contact, not just HR, and shared:
- Brand guidelines so she knew the voice and standards
- Current activity and live channels, plus core dates coming up
- A snapshot of recent campaign performance with notes on what worked
- The targeting strategy and priority audiences
- A simple list of owners for key projects and where files live
It meant she arrived confident, prepared and already speaking the same language as the team.
Why does this matter for SMEs in Sussex?
Time is tight and every hire counts. A thoughtful set up gives a new starter a steady footing and helps the team move faster. It also signals your company culture to future hires and keeps employee engagement high.
This really matters in Sussex, where SMEs power local economies in towns like Worthing, Hove, Shoreham by Sea, Littlehampton, Chichester, Crawley, Horsham, Eastbourne, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill. Word travels quickly in these communities, so how you welcome people shapes your reputation. In bigger hubs like Brighton, competition for talent is higher, so a clear and human culture helps you stand out and turn offers into yes.
What did her first day look like?
Nothing fancy. Just what she needed to be effective.
- Laptop ready and logins working
- A full handover document with key projects and owners
- Time in the diary to meet the team and learn what they do
- Space given to read the handover, explore folders and ask questions
What is the goal here?
Reduce cognitive load. When people do not waste energy on access or guesswork, they bring their best to the work that matters.
How did organisational culture continue after month 1?
Organisational culture is reflected in everyday habits. Quotes on a wall, glossy values posters, and free pizza Fridays are not signs of culture at work. Instead, it is the repeatable habits that help people do better work and enjoy it. For our candidate, her workplace’s culture takes shape in:
- Quarterly team lunches to build trust with the people you work with most
- Bi-annual office socials to connect with colleagues you see less often
- Weekly snack runs that spark quick kitchen room chats and small moments of “how are you”
- Monthly cultural Fridays where everyone brings lunch and shares something from their world
- Shared ownership so if something slips, it is the team’s to fix, not one person to blame
Is organisational culture just “nice to have”?
No. These small, repeatable actions strengthen communication, reduce friction, and create space for honest feedback. That is the backbone of resilient company culture.
Our candidate started positively because she knew and saw what good looks like. She has clear goals and time to deliver them. Collaboration is easier because the team has common ground. That creates momentum, which is the bit you can feel as a customer, client, and as a colleague.
How do you measure workplace culture?
Look for retention, consistent delivery, fewer urgent escalations and steady progress against goals. Feel it in how your week goes. Do you feel issues are caught early, decisions are made quicker, and there is time to do the real work?
What gets in the way of good culture at work?
- Vague goals. People cannot hit what they cannot see
- Messy onboarding. Late laptops and missing logins drain energy
- Inconsistent feedback. Without regular check ins, small issues grow
- Individual heroics. When only one person repeatedly saves the day to keep work moving
How do you fix bad organisational culture?
Most teams have strengths and blind spots. Focus on one improvement that will remove the most friction. Start with a one page plan for each role. Agree the first three goals, the non negotiable behaviours, and how you will check in. You do not need a big programme to start. Small honest changes work way better than big promises.
For an SME recruiting in Sussex, this could be:
- First Friday coffee to catch up out of office and take any pressure off. My go to is a takeaway coffee and walk along the seafront
- End of month “show and tell” where teams share one win and one thing they need to work on
- A 20-minute Monday team catch-up to plan the week and remove blockers early
- A buddy for every new starter, with a checklist and a quick tour of key clients or sites
- A quarterly team lunch using local spots (Restaurants Brighton had noted some great restaurants in Sussex), plus a tidy of shared folders the same week so everyone knows where things live.
Keep it light, keep it repeatable, make it local so people actually show up. That is how workplace culture and employee engagement moves from words to daily working.
How long does it take to see results of culture improvements?
You’ll feel a change within a few months once the basics are in place. The deeper gains come as routines take hold. On average it takes about 66 days to embed a new habit, though it can be quicker or longer for some people.
Why does organisational culture matter in 2025 onwards?
Hiring is tight, expectations are high and budgets are not endless. Strong organisational culture is a practical way to protect performance and keep good people. It also makes you easier to hire for, which compounds over time.
If you want to talk through your culture, I am happy to be a sounding board. Message me to start the conversation.
Explore how we work on our For Your Business page or Contact us to set up a quick chat.
