Company Culture – Is It Just Fun and Luck?
A common misconception is that company culture is about how "fun" the workplace is. And sure, happy employees are great – but culture is just as much about how people behave when no one is watching, how stress, conflict, and feedback are handled, and whether the company truly lives by its values or if it's just letters on a piece of paper.
It’s easy to say “we value openness and respect,” but it’s a different story to actually listen to criticism without having a nervous breakdown – or to show respect even when someone is frying garlic mussels in the lunchroom with the fan turned off.
Another classic: “We’ve just been lucky with our culture.” Really? So it just appeared out of nowhere like a happy surprise? Company culture is not a lottery. It’s something that is built – day by day, person by person. It’s shaped by leadership, how people are hired, how communication happens, and how both success and failure are handled.
If you don’t actively work on your culture, one will still develop – but it might not be the one you want. A bit like leaving the fridge door open for a few weeks and hoping it will "self-organize" into a great ecosystem.
Company culture is about the shared values, attitudes, norms, and behaviors that characterize a workplace. It’s the invisible glue that holds the organization together and influences how decisions are made, how conflicts are resolved, and how leadership is exercised. Culture is reflected in how people speak to one another, how customers are treated, and how people act in crisis situations.
Company culture isn’t just fun, and it’s definitely not just luck. It’s a powerful tool that, if used correctly, can become one of a company’s greatest assets. Working on culture means investing in both people and the future of the business. Where culture thrives – business often does too.
R-Företagen has extensive experience working with company culture and leadership across many different types of businesses.
We have a large toolbox with various tools that can help you better understand and develop your company.
Feel free to contact us – we’ll be happy to help.