The way your organisation operates drives its employer brand, and helps to attract and retain talented people who want to be part of a great place to work. A positive organisational culture allows your employees to understand their organisation and feel that their voice matters in driving the business towards a common purpose.

Explore our case studies, reports and factsheets to discover more about how to develop a successful organisational culture.

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Factsheets

Regularly-updated factsheets provide overviews and information on a topic

One Factsheet about Organisational culture
Factsheet
Organisational climate and culture
Discover why organisational culture is an influential but problematic term, and why employers should focus on organisational climate to more readily enact positive change
For Members

Reports

Research and analysis by experts from CIPD and partner organisations

Seven Reports about Organisational culture
Report
Responsible business through crisis
Insight from senior leaders on how they led responsibly and maintained trust and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic
Report
Our minds at work: the behavioural science of HR
Reviews the wider applications of behavioural science insights into how our minds work, and their direct relevance to key HR issues
Report
HR: Getting smart about agile working
Explore the potential benefits to organisations and employees of organisational agility through survey research and case study illustrations
Report
Neuroscience: applying insight to L&D practice
Explores how findings from behavioural science are influencing the learning and development and the HR profession
Report
Culture, purpose and values in SMEs
An examination of how organisations can retain people’s identification with their founding purpose and values over time
Report
Megatrends: Are we working harder than ever?
This report reveals that we are experiencing greater workloads and pressures to meet deadlines, customer demands and performance targets
Report
Developing organisation culture: six case studies
Detailed case studies of six organisations undertaking cultural change, with a checklist of issues to consider for effective culture transformation

Thought leadership

Insight and foresight from our experts in people and the world of work

13 Thought leadership about Organisational culture
Thought leadership
Collaborate to innovate: the HR team driving cross-functional change at NatWest
Elin Willemse, a consultant at NatWest’s HR consultancy practice, describes the strategy and lessons learned when transforming the business to a flexible, hybrid working model
Thought leadership
Digital transformation in organisations and people functions
What is digital transformation and why should it matter to people professionals?
Thought leadership
People Profession 2030: the role of organisational culture in future workplace trends
People professionals must recognise the importance of positive culture to prepare their organisations for the future of work
Thought leadership
Economic transformation remains the biggest driver of change in organisations
Our latest research underscores the role economic transformation plays in driving organisational change. So what can people professionals do about it?
Thought leadership
What lessons can COVID-19 teach us about organisational change?
This article argues that the current crisis has presented people professionals with a host of opportunities for long-term change which should be capitalised on now
Thought leadership
Achieving goals: Why a different approach could bring greater success
Wishful thinking doesn’t get you very far – bring WOOP into the workplace to empower yourself and your employees
Thought leadership
That’s the spirit: The value of workplace spirituality
Why spirituality should be top of the agenda in our workplace conversations
Thought leadership
You’ve raised awareness, now what?
We often raise awareness about key issues like diversity and mental health work. But can raising awareness really change behaviour and tackle workplace issues?
Thought leadership
Creating and developing positive organisational cultures for learning and inclusion
Meaningful culture change means little if organisations have no sense of what they are striving for. We must understand what a positive culture actually looks like to most effectively enable positive change
Thought leadership
Delivering on cultural change
Who benefits and how can change be affected?
Thought leadership
The humane workplace
Has the Orwellian vision of repressed and repetitive workplaces, like William Blake’s dark, satanic mills of the early 19th Century, really passed into history?
Thought leadership
Can we have a voice in the corporate world?
Having armies of silent, compliant workers may not be in the best interest of companies. Employees should be encouraged to have a voice
Thought leadership
Giving people freedom over ethical choices at work
Rather than prescribing ethical behaviour, let's encourage an open conversation about personal beliefs, values and their impact on day-to-day decisions

Podcasts

Listen to episodes from our podcast series on a range of topical workplace, HR and L&D issues.

Seven Podcasts about Organisational culture
Podcast
HR People Pod
The CIPD's fortnightly podcast brings together top HRDs, CPOs and business leaders to look behind the news headlines and current topics impacting HR practices
Podcast
Creating a culture of psychological safety
Improved wellbeing, enhanced performance, risk taking and innovation are all desirable by-products of achieving a psychologically safe work environment. But how are we creating that environment in the first place?
Podcast
What do you do with broken trust?
Episode 186: As scandals and failed leadership continue to make daily headlines, it is little wonder that trust in organisations may be at an all-time low. Is this something that can be fixed, especially if there have been mistakes?
Podcast
Adopting a growth mindset: Soundbite or science?
Episode 180: Looking beyond the buzzword, what does ‘growth mindset’ actually mean, what are its purported benefits, and how can individuals and organisations develop and nurture it?
Podcast
Building back better post-pandemic
Episode 170: The post-pandemic recovery offers businesses the opportunity to build back better. This podcast explores how business can reimagine three key elements of work; the physical workplace, working practices and working relationships.
Podcast
Creating ethical workplaces
Episode 149: We explore how organisations can support ethical behaviour at work through their people management practices, job design and building ethics into the way they do business.
Podcast
Trust
Episode 144: We explore trust and human connection in today's workplaces

Webinars

Webinar recordings providing expert guidance

Four Webinars about Organisational culture
Webinar
Right to request flexible working: Upcoming changes
Watch our webinar for an outline of the changes, guidance and advice from our panel of experts
Webinar
Learning cultures
Watch our webinar discussing the insights from the CIPD’s Creating learning cultures report and what it means for learning and development post-COVID-19
Webinar
Company cultures post-COVID-19
Watch our webinar to learn how the coronavirus crisis has impacted company cultures
Webinar
Leading and communicating through crisis
Watch our webinar on how to get your communication right during the coronavirus pandemic

Evidence reviews

Evidence reviews enable you to ask the critical questions and use evidence for better decision-making.

Four Evidence reviews about Organisational culture
Evidence review
Trust and psychological safety: An evidence review
Find out what the evidence says about building trust and psychological safety
For Members
Evidence review
Organisational culture and climate: An evidence review
How focusing on specific employee behaviours can drive tangible organisational change
For Members
Evidence review
Creating learning cultures: Assessing the evidence
This report explores the evidence on learning cultures, the case for embedding a learning environment within organisations, and the steps L&D professionals can take to tackle any barriers encountered along the way
For Members
Evidence review
Building inclusive workplaces
Assessing the evidence on workplace inclusion

Bitesize research

Your regular overview of current research, inspiring insights and cutting-edge ideas in bitesize

30 Bitesize research about Organisational culture
Bitesize research
How do employees respond to electronic performance monitoring?
Research investigates what factors influence employees’ responses to electronic performance monitoring
For Members
Bitesize research
Avoiding burnout when making tough decisions
How can employees build mental resilience to avoid burnout, and what support can employers give?
For Members
Bitesize research
How managers can reduce ‘always-on’ expectations in teams
Guidance from research on how managers can deal with role overload, ambiguity and conflict in their teams to reduce ‘always-on’ expectations and maximise staff wellbeing and efficiency
For Members
Bitesize research
The three Cs for cultivating organisational culture
This research identifies three critical patterns for developing a healthy workplace culture
For Members
Bitesize research
The dark side of performance-driven work climates
How do performance-driven organisations impact on employee wellbeing?
For Members
Bitesize research
What to expect from work meetings held in different cultures
A look at cultural differences in meeting processes and expectations
For Members
Bitesize research
How does employee monitoring impact trust within organisations?
A look at the role of trust in supervisor–employee relationships, and how employee monitoring may undermine this
For Members
Bitesize research
Influence of power and relational dynamics on human resource management
How does the power and relational dynamics between HR, senior managers and front- line managers affect HRM delivery?
For Members
Bitesize research
Transforming uncertainty from a negative to a positive
Assessing a new, three-part programme to increase uncertainty tolerance in individuals and teams
For Members
Bitesize research
Psychological ownership in the workplace
Understanding how psychological ownership can be developed and harnessed to benefit both employees and their workplaces
For Members
Bitesize research
Creating a positive work culture in a hybrid world
How can we rebuild a good working culture in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and why is it so important?
For Members
Bitesize research
Introverts in the workplace
Introverted workers are often overlooked but have a lot to offer
For Members
Bitesize research
What’s the secret to successful digital communications at work?
Understanding organisational context and potentially conflicting employer/employee expectations
For Members
Bitesize research
How to win on culture and values during COVID-19
Analysing employee-written reviews on corporate culture and values
For Members
Bitesize research
The role of emotions
Recognising the influence of emotions
For Members
Bitesize research
Linking resilience with organisational commitment
Does employee satisfaction affect employee resilience?
For Members
Bitesize research
Entitled millennials? Managing workplace entitlement
The impact of entitlement
For Members
Bitesize research
A climate for whistleblowing
Explore how organisational culture effects whistleblowing
For Members
Bitesize research
Getting rid of masculinity contest cultures
Find out more here
For Members
Bitesize research
Reforming RemCos to solve poor company cultures
Find out the role of HR here
For Members
Bitesize research
R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
Why respect is a thing worth giving
For Members
Bitesize research
Toxic workplaces, health and culture
How to improve organisational culture
For Members
Bitesize research
Can worker cooperative goals survive expansion?
Explore the challenges of workforce voice and globalisation
For Members
Bitesize research
How trust and self-belief affect work performance
Read more on the study findings
For Members
Bitesize research
Fairness in organisations - is consistency key?
Recognise the impact of inconsistency and uncertainty on employees
For Members
Bitesize research
When good intentions turn bad
Understand more about organisational citizenship behaviour
For Members
Bitesize research
What drives commitment to the HR profession?
Discover the implications of this research for managers
For Members
Bitesize research
Longer working lives – time for a rethink?
Discover how HR can meet the needs of changing workforce demographics
For Members
Bitesize research
Collaborative working – getting your stars on board
This article looks at how to change from a competitive organisation to a collaborative one
For Members
Bitesize research
Change, job insecurity and the fairness factor
See what HR can do to counter the negative effects of job insecurity
For Members

CIPD Viewpoints

Our collected point of view on the key issues impacting work, from the perspective of employers and policy makers.

Two CIPD Viewpoints about Organisational culture
CIPD Viewpoint
Responsible business
Explore the CIPD’s point of view on responsible business, including recommendations for employers
CIPD Viewpoint
Organisational culture
Explore the CIPD’s point of view on organisational culture, including recommendations for employers

Learning

We offer a range of evidence-based courses tauilored to suit you and your needs.
Our Essential Insights courses are free as part of the CIPD membership.

Establishing Positive Culture and Behaviours Introductory Programme

Create a healthy working environment based on measurable positive behaviours, implementing a culture change programme where necessary.

Employee Experience Accredited Programme

Learn how employee experience can have a positive impact on your organisation and how you can drive the agenda to create impactful cultural change.

The Changing Shape of L&D: Essential Insights

Learn about the changing landscape of L&D and how to create the right culture and environment for individuals and organisations to learn and grow.

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