AVE by Korman Communities

Molly Marr

Team Engagement Practitioner

Culture isn’t what’s printed on a wall or listed in a handbook. It’s how people feel when they show up to work, whether they feel valued, safe and that they belong. Culture is alive and it shapes the day-to-day through behaviors, decisions and interactions with every member of our team. It must evolve as organizations and workforces change. While the core principles that defined strong cultures decades ago may still apply, how culture is experienced and reinforced must continually adapt to the needs of the business and the teams that deliver on our brand's promise.

Historically, in my career, HR was seen as the steward and, in some cases, the owner of organizational culture. In fact, many HR teams were rebranded as “People and Culture” functions, reflecting responsibility for recognition, development, coaching, documentation and engagement. HR may still track culture, design programs to support it and ensure leaders understand expectations, but we have found that the true culture lives with our leadership teams and the way they engage, grow and communicate with their teams. Leadership is the true steward of culture. 

HR continues to play a critical role as the tracker, translator and advisor of culture, providing insights, setting standards and reinforcing accountability. But culture comes to life through operational leadership. The daily actions of executives, managers and frontline leaders determine whether values are consistently practiced or merely discussed. Leadership’s ability to adapt, engage and model expected behaviors directly impacts performance, retention and trust.

“The daily actions of executives, managers and frontline leaders determine whether values are consistently practiced or merely discussed.”

Strong cultures start at the top and the impact is seen and evaluated on the front lines. Leaders set the tone through how they listen, respond and advocate for their teams. Do employees feel psychologically safe? Do they feel heard? And, most importantly, do they see action taken when issues are raised? When frontline teams know their leaders are advocating for them and removing barriers, engagement is high and culture is strong. Now, this does not always mean that if an employee has a concern, the concern is mitigated by leadership, but that it is discussed and either the leader explains the why behind the task or function, or maybe there are changes that can be made and the leader takes the suggestions of the team. This is a combination that is different for each company, as there may be different factors that impact operational expectations and needs. Overall, leaders need to be able to communicate both negative and positive messages effectively with their teams.

Silence, however, is an early warning sign. When teams stop sharing feedback, positive or negative, it often means they no longer believe their voices matter. Employees become disengaged, top performers pull back and people shift into doing only what is required. This is how cultures quietly erode. Once this happens, it is difficult to get back.

When evaluating culture, I look for two clear signals: communication and engagement. High levels of dialogue questions, feedback and openness indicate trust. When I can walk into a workplace and employees are not fearful but comfortable speaking openly, it’s a sign of a healthy culture. Conversely, sustained silence signals the need for immediate attention.

Sustaining a high-performance culture requires constant evaluation, honest conversations and shared accountability between HR and leadership. By listening closely, acting decisively and consistently reinforcing values through behavior, organizations can build cultures that people not only believe in but can see themselves thriving within.