By Siobhan Byrnes
Over the course of the ongoing pandemic, I can’t help but cringe every time I read an article that debates the health of workplace culture. Working closely with businesses of all sizes and across all sectors as they navigate workplace change, my team and I have seen that employee-driven culture is very much alive and is, in fact, becoming increasingly valued and prioritised.
The pandemic prompted a re-evaluation by everyone. Where culture was perhaps taken for granted, it quickly became apparent how critical it is to steadying a ship in a time of upheaval. Culture remains the beating heart of any organisation and it survived, thanks to efforts by leadership and employees alike, despite us all working remotely for over a year. We recently surveyed nearly 1,200 employees (both at junior and senior levels), and 45% ranked ‘team, people and culture’ as most the important aspect when choosing a job, followed by flexible working (39%), with competitive salaries and bonus slipping down the priority list.