Professor Edgar Schein is someone who has spent his academic life researching and working with organisations on culture. This is one of his definitions:“I define culture as the sum total of everything an organisation has learned in its history in dealing with the external problems, which would be goals, strategy, how we do things, and how it organises itself internally,” which is how we’re going to relate to each other, what kind of hierarchy exists, etc. “These early learnings, if they are successful, become the definition but it’s always something that’s been learned. It’s not something that just can be imposed or that’s just there.”

The short answer is ‘Yes’, however the most senior people in any organisation bear great responsibility in enabling the type of culture they want to create. People will follow their lead, good or bad, and the results will follow.

A recent article published by the Royal Melbourne Institute of technology (RMIT) titled ‘Establishing a positive workplace culture: definition, tips & why it’s important’ includes the following characteristics of a positive workplace culture:

• Purpose-driven company culture
• Effective communication
• A culture of feedback
• Diversity Teamwork
• Engagement and loyalty
• Growth and development

Coaching in organisation and leadership settings is an invaluable tool for developing people across a wide range of needs. The benefits of coaching are many; 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, and over 70% benefit from improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills. 86% of companies report that they recouped their investment on coaching and more (source: ICF 2009).

Another highly regarded person on organisational culture is Professor Geert Hofstede, and he shares the following on the importance of workplace culture:
“Organisational Culture is one of the most important factors determining business performance. It dictates how things are done in an organisation, and it can be a powerful force for good or bad. If we imagine an organisation as an engine, Organisational Culture would be the oil for that engine. The right culture can be the reason for the success of your organisational strategy while the wrong culture can lead to poor performance or even complete failure.”

Changing an organisations workplace culture is never a simple, cookie cutter approach. There are models and methods that can be considered and applied but ultimately is relies on the senior leaders in the organisation (all the way to the board) and the level of commitment that they demonstrate. If the senior leadership do not provide the resources, then any desired change will fail.