By: Taylor Morgan, Fitwel
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Workplace culture is the heartbeat of any organization, shaped by the interplay of people, place, and policy. People bring unique talents and perspectives, place fosters collaboration and innovation, and policies provide the structure that supports collective success. These three elements are deeply interconnected, and any small shift in one will create ripples throughout the organization, influencing culture at every level of employment.
By being intentional about considerations for people, place, and policy, organizations can create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered, creating a workplace that is dynamic and resilient.
What is Workplace Culture?
Workplace culture is the collective atmosphere and operational ethos of an organization. It encompasses how individuals connect, collaborate, and succeed, driven by shared values and work practices that align with the organization's mission. This culture fosters an environment where employees can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the organization's goals. Culture lives at the intersection of people, place, and policy.
People bring culture to life through their behaviors, leadership, and shared values. Place, intentionally designed through human-centric principles, not only enables work but actively fosters well-being, collaboration, and innovation. Policies provide the necessary structure to guide behaviors, ensuring fairness, adaptability, and alignment with organizational values. Together, these elements create a dynamic environment where people can thrive, connect meaningfully, and achieve purpose-driven goals.
Why Do We Care About Culture?
We care about culture because it directly impacts how people feel, work, and perform. A strong culture thrives when the right people, intentionally designed environments, and adaptive policies intersect—driving engagement, attracting and retaining talent, boosting collaboration, and fueling innovation. When culture is intentionally designed and supported through physical space and aligned policies, it becomes a powerful tool for shaping behavior, achieving business goals, and creating a workplace where people truly thrive.
How Do We Understand Culture?
Understanding workplace culture is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent, enhancing job satisfaction, and boosting employee engagement. A positive and inclusive culture acts as a magnet for prospective employees, showcasing the organization as a desirable place to work. Once onboard, a supportive and engaging environment fosters job satisfaction by aligning individual values with organizational goals, providing opportunities for growth, and recognizing achievements. Equally important is the intentional design of the workplace itself — thoughtfully created spaces that encourage collaboration, support focus, and reflect organizational values are proven catalysts for employee satisfaction and belonging. This connection between environment and behavior drives deeper employee engagement, as motivated and satisfied employees are more likely to be committed, productive, and innovative.
People - The Heart of the Culture
People are the heart of the culture, shaping it through their behaviors, leadership, and shared values, creating a cohesive and positive environment. People bring diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences that continuously reshape workplace culture through collaboration, leadership, and social norms. Leaders set the tone through their actions and communication, serving as role models for employees and by fostering a positive environment. Consistent behaviors aligned with company values are recognized and rewarded, reinforcing the desired culture of engagement. Additionally, employees' adaptability to new policies and processes drives cultural evolution, keeping the organization dynamic and resilient.
Intentional Connection to Culture
The people within an organization are the heartbeat of its workplace culture, directly influencing and shaping it through their interactions and behaviors.
To drive employee engagement, organizations can focus on several key strategies.
• Fostering genuine connections among employees builds trust and camaraderie, essential for strong team dynamics.
• Encouraging collaboration and open communication creates a supportive environment where ideas can flourish.
• Recognizing and rewarding achievements boosts morale and motivates employees to excel.
• Providing opportunities for professional growth ensures that employees feel valued and invested in their careers.
By prioritizing these elements, organizations actively shape a vibrant and cohesive culture that enhances job satisfaction and drives collective success.
Place - The Environment that Shapes Behavior
The physical environment, or place, influences behavior by offering a thoughtfully designed space that promotes well-being and productivity. It encourages engagement, social interaction, and innovation—all of which play a key role in shaping an organization's culture. The workspace should reflect the company's values and ways of working, supporting how people connect, collaborate, and succeed. Diverse workspaces, thoughtfully designed around key activities like Focus, Mentorship, Collaboration, Innovation, Socialization, and Learning, not only accommodate different work styles but also build an adaptive, resilient culture that evolves with the needs of the workforce. Seamless technology integration unites in-person and remote workers, fostering collaboration. Thoughtful acoustics enhance both focus and teamwork, while diverse spaces accommodate different work styles, creating a dynamic and adaptable workplace culture. In essence, "Place" becomes a powerful medium for living out organizational values—every setting thoughtfully designed to inspire, support, and empower.
Intentional Connection to Culture
Culture is built at the organizational level and is deeply influenced by the design of an intentional office—one that reflects and reinforces the organization’s core activities, supports the work being done, and empowers the people who bring it all to life. We view culture in the workplace as something that is actively shaped through both behavior and environment. The Intentional Office supports this by aligning on six key activities: Focus, Mentorship, Socialization, Collaboration, Innovation, and Learning. When these activities are intentionally supported through thoughtful design, the physical space becomes a powerful tool to reinforce the behaviors and values a company wants to see. A well-designed office doesn’t just allow for work, it promotes well-being, inclusivity, and productivity, embedding a culture that truly values and empowers its people.
Connecting place to culture means designing environments that reflect company values while supporting people and policies.
Policy – The Guardrails of Culture
Policies act as both the guardrails and the enablers of culture, setting clear expectations while empowering employees to thrive within a supportive, adaptable framework. They provide necessary structure to ensure fairness, consistency, and accountability, while also serving as dynamic tools that respond to new challenges, evolving ways of working, and emerging opportunities. In today's hybrid and digitally connected workplaces, well-designed policies—such as guidelines for flexible work, digital equity, and inclusive space usage—do more than set limits; they create conditions for innovation, belonging, and sustained cultural growth. When policies are thoughtfully aligned with organizational values and people-centered priorities, they don’t restrict culture — they amplify it, ensuring that both individuals and teams can flourish over time.
Intentional Connection to Culture
Workplace policies shape culture by setting clear expectations for behavior and space usage. Guidelines ensure fair resource access, while hybrid schedules enhance collaboration. Digital equity policies give remote workers an equal voice, fostering inclusion. Aligning policies with company values creates a cohesive and positive culture.
People + Place + Policy = Culture
Culture is formed through the interplay of individuals, their environment, and the policies that guide their actions. It emerges from the collective behaviors, values, and interactions of employees (people), the physical and digital environments in which work takes place (place), and the formal and informal rules that guide decision-making, expectations and space usage (policy). These three elements create a culture that is not static but fluid, constantly adapting to new ways of working, the technologies that power our day, and the interconnections among teams. At its core, Culture is the evolving story of how people find purpose and meaning in their work —brought to life by the spaces they inhabit and the systems that support them. When People, Place, and Policy are intentionally aligned, workplaces evolve into ecosystems where innovation, collaboration, and human connection thrive. Through thoughtful design and strategy, organizations can create cultures that empower every individual to feel valued, supported, and inspired to succeed.