Company culture comes from the top.
In cases where the leadership is focused on building a positive culture, that’s a great thing. People are productive, engaged, collaborative and generally jazzed about what they do. But in cases where the leadership is lacking, or culture is considered something that “happens” instead of something actively managed, companies can suffer.
Often in those situations, employees often are unmotivated, feel unappreciated and don’t see any point in trying to change things. But while the sure way to boost culture is through better leadership, there may be small ways of boosting culture no matter what role you’re in. And if you’re lucky, you may be able to motivate your higher-ups to take the reins themselves.
Here’s how to boost culture if you’re not the boss.
1. Create a weekly tradition of some kind.
One of the key signs of a toxic culture is a lack of camaraderie and collaboration within and between different teams across the organization. Get past that by taking it upon yourself to organize a weekly tradition of some kind. Invite people to gather in the cafeteria for lunch on a Friday, or to work together from a common area in the office. Create a volunteer signup sheet for people to bring in bagels on a Monday. Organize a midday run once a week for people who are into exercise. Even just sending out a big email to people will help create a sense of collaboration. Depending on your manager, you may even get a bit of a budget to play with.
Related: Survey: 48% of People Say Communication Is Their Boss’s Biggest Weakness
2. Take the initiative to gather people together outside of the office.
Sometimes the office is too limiting. Start inviting your colleagues to events outside of the office. Is there a big movie coming out? Ask if anyone wants to see it. Get together for a company Happy Hour. It’s all about creating bonds, and if it’s hard to do in the office, venture out.
3. Make small improvements to the office environment.
You probably can’t do any major overhauls, but perhaps there are little things that can perk up the office if you get the approval to do it. Bring in some small, inexpensive plants to brighten the room. Redecorate your own little space to bring a bit of cheer. Create a corner for board games or yoga. Get the whole office involved and you’ll see that some small changes can have a big effect on the day-to-day attitude.
4. Get to know company leaders.
Even if your leadership seems inept overall, it’s worth getting to know leaders individually. Perhaps there’s a reason things are the way they are. Perhaps you’ll find people who are willing to hear you out as you make suggestions about improving culture. If you make the effort to ingratiate yourself to company leaders, you may be opening the door to greater change overall.
Related: How to Tell if a Company Values Diversity
5. Lend an ear to those struggling.
One of the kindest things you can do to boost culture is to be a lending ear to those who are struggling. Try to connect with people without being nosy. Offer help where you can. Compliment people on a job well done. Be the kind of leader you wish you had at the company.
At the end of the day, you may find that your efforts garner attention and inspire change throughout the organization. But if things don’t work out, and you feel compelled to leave, be sure to use sites like Comparably to determine what people like you are being paid and what the culture is like at other organizations.
