Culture is often described as “how we do things around here.” It defines how employees interact, collaborate, and make decisions, shaping everything from day-to-day working relationships to an organisation’s reputation in the market.

My recent HR Means Business podcast chat with Jivan Dempsey FCIPD GMBPsS, Director of HR Transformation at FiveRivers Consulting, and author of The HR Change Manager’s Handbook, was about shifting company culture whilst preserving core organisational values and identity, and the critical role HR leaders play in shaping and shifting company culture.

During our conversation Jivan was quick to point out that culture isn’t about posters on a wall or catchy slogans in onboarding decks. It’s about how people behave when no one’s watching, and how an organisation responds when things get tough.

Yet many culture initiatives fail because they treat culture as a project rather than a practice. HR leaders are uniquely positioned to move culture work from surface-level campaigns to meaningful, sustainable change. Here’s how.

HR as Custodian and Amplifier of Culture

HR has a unique vantage point because it sees across all functions – from how people are hired to how they’re rewarded and developed. But being a custodian of culture doesn’t mean policing behaviours; it means amplifying what’s healthy, inclusive, and aligned with business strategy.

HR’s role starts with listening – understanding what employees and leaders actually value day to day, and where misalignments exist between stated values and lived experience. For example, if “innovation” is a core value, are employees empowered to take risks without fear of blame? HR must help bridge that gap through policies, leadership support, and recognition programs that make desired behaviours visible and celebrated.

Balancing Core Values with Evolving Behaviours

A common mistake is to treat culture as static – something defined once and left alone. In reality, culture is dynamic and adapts to external shifts (new technology, customer expectations, societal changes) and internal shifts (new leadership, growth, or restructuring).

Jivan emphasised the need to distinguish between core values, which remain stable, and behaviours, which can and should evolve. For instance, collaboration may remain a core value, but how collaboration happens in a hybrid or AI-augmented workplace will look different than it did five years ago. HR’s job is to help employees understand what stays the same and what must change – and why.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Culture Change

Many culture initiatives fail because they start with communications campaigns rather than focusing on behavioural change.

Slogans, posters, and value statements are easy; changing how managers give feedback or how decisions are made is harder – but it’s also where culture is truly shaped.

Another pitfall for HR is trying to tackle too much at once. Sweeping cultural transformations often stall because employees don’t see how the vision connects to their daily work. Instead, HR leaders should focus on a few critical behaviours – or “moments that matter” – where culture is most visible, such as team meetings, hiring decisions, and performance conversations.

Engaging Leaders and Overcoming Resistance

No culture initiative succeeds without leaders modelling the change. Yet leaders can be resistant – especially if the current culture has served them well. HR needs to treat leaders as both role models and co-creators.

This means coaching leaders on why change is necessary, showing them how it connects to performance and engagement, and equipping them with the skills to lead by example. It also means having difficult – but courageous – conversations when leaders’ behaviours are misaligned with the desired culture – a challenge HR must be ready to meet head-on.

Starting Small and Building Momentum

Culture change doesn’t have to start with a big-bang initiative. In fact, Jivan argues that starting small – focusing on one or two behaviours and piloting them in parts of the organisation – will often work better.

For example, if the goal is to build a more feedback-oriented culture, HR can start by training a single department in new feedback techniques, measuring the results, and then scaling what works. Early wins create stories and champions that help the broader organisation see what’s possible.

Making Culture Change Stick

The hardest part of culture work isn’t starting – it’s sustaining it. Many organisations see early momentum fade because behaviours aren’t embedded into processes and systems. HR must ensure cultural goals are built into how people are recruited, onboarded, rewarded, and promoted.

This also means measuring culture change, not just through engagement surveys but also through observable behaviours. Are leaders spending time differently? Are employees collaborating in new ways? Are recognition programs aligned with new priorities?

When culture goals become part of performance metrics and business outcomes, they stop being “HR’s project” and start being everyone’s responsibility.

The Bottom Line

Culture change is messy, human, and rarely linear – but it’s also where HR can have the biggest strategic impact. By moving beyond posters and slogans and focusing on real behaviours, HR leaders can guide organisations through change in a way that’s authentic and sustainable.

The work starts with listening, balancing stability with evolution, engaging leaders, and starting small. Most importantly, it requires persistence – because culture change isn’t a campaign; it’s a commitment.

You can check out my full conversation with Jivan here – https://www.hrhappyhour.net/episodes/hrs-role-in-shaping-company-culture/ – or through the image below, and let me know how you approach culture change in the comments.

Modern work environments can be complex. When you mix remote/hybrid teams, multi-generational workforces, varied worker relationships (from fractional and contract to consulting and full-time employment) and technology, it’s clear that addressing people problems within the business will require much more than traditional HR protocols.

However, one of the key themes in my latest podcast conversation HR and The Complexity of People Problems – with award winning author, speaker and coach Zena Everett 🎤 – was that whilst these complexities have the potential to create misunderstandings and miscommunications, they also present modern HR professionals with an opportunity to foster and champion a more human-centric approach to dealing with people – an approach that emphasises emotional intelligence, open dialogue, and strategic coaching.

Zena and I talked about her latest book – Badly Behaved People – and some of the key findings and learnings from her research.

The Problem: Communication Breakdowns in a Busy World

One of the most significant challenges in modern workplaces is what Zena calls the pervasive “crazy busyness” that dominates daily routines. All the workforce – and their leaders and managers alike – find themselves constantly rushing between tasks and meetings often leaving little room for meaningful dialogue. This culture of busyness, coupled with the complexities of remote work and asynchronous communication, easily creates the foundations for misunderstandings and poor performance.

This chaotic environment leads to behaviours that can result in poor communication and understanding, allowing issues to fester. When people are too busy to talk, minor miscommunications can quickly escalate into conflicts. To mitigate this, HR should encourage their organisations to prioritise deliberate, meaningful interactions.

Looking Beyond the Role: Understanding the Whole Person

A common issue that Zena identifies is that managers often don’t fully understand the individuals behind the roles. Employees are not just job titles or numbers on a spreadsheet; they are complex human beings with personal challenges that inevitably influence their work behaviours.

For instance, an employee struggling with external stresses, such as caregiving responsibilities, might react uncharacteristically under pressure. Managers, unaware of these contexts, might misinterpret the behaviour as incompetence or defiance.

HR’s role is to foster an environment where leaders take the time to get to know their team members as individuals, not just as workers. Encouraging genuine conversations can help managers build trust and empathy. However, it’s crucial to approach this sensitively, respecting personal boundaries while showing authentic concern. An important point Zena makes is that effective listening involves not only hearing what is said, but also recognising what is remaining unsaid.

The Power of Dialogue: Moving Beyond Box-Ticking Exercises

Our workplace conversations are too often reduced to perfunctory check-ins or box-ticking exercises. Real dialogue, however, requires emotional intelligence and a genuine commitment to understanding others. HR should promote a culture where conversations are not just about task completion but also about emotional well-being and personal development.

Many workplace conflicts arise not from any malicious intent but from misunderstandings. People behave defensively when they feel misunderstood or threatened. By encouraging open dialogue, HR can help managers create a safe space where team members feel comfortable sharing their concerns and perspectives.

Enquiry-Driven Leadership: Asking the Right Questions

One of the most effective strategies in addressing people problems is enquiry-driven leadership. Unlike traditional, autocratic management styles, enquiry-driven leadership focuses on asking the right questions to encourage self-awareness and problem-solving.

Instead of trying to provide quick answers or solutions, leaders should engage their teams by asking questions that encourage thought and self-reflection. This approach not only empowers employees but also helps foster a greater accountability. When team members feel that their input is valued, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and collaborate effectively.

It goes without saying that clear communication of expectations, boundaries, and team vision is essential from leaders and managers. Once these foundations are established, leaders can then transition to a more inquiry-driven approach, allowing employees to think more creatively and solve problems independently.

Coaching Managers: HR’s Strategic Role

HR professionals play a crucial role in equipping managers with the skills needed to navigate complex people problems. This means  coaching managers not just to solve issues but to understand the role they play in team dynamics.

When approached by a manager with a team-related issue, HR should resist the temptation to offer immediate solutions; instead they should coach managers through a series of reflective questions, such as:

• What do you think is the underlying cause of this issue?
• Have you had a direct conversation with the team member involved?
• How could your leadership style be influencing the situation?

By guiding managers through these questions, HR can help them develop the self-awareness needed to address issues more effectively.

Self-Awareness: Recognising Behavioural Impact

Self-awareness is a cornerstone of effective leadership. Zena’s research and insights find that leaders often underestimate the impact their behaviour has on team dynamics – whether it’s a manager’s mood influencing team morale, or non-verbal cues impacting virtual meeting energy, leaders’ actions are contagious

HR can facilitate self-awareness through feedback mechanisms, leadership training, and coaching sessions. Helping leaders to recognise how their actions and words influence team dynamics will enable them to adjust their behaviour, ultimately fostering a more positive workplace culture.

Conclusion: A Human-Centric Approach to People Problems

Addressing people problems in today’s workplace requires HR to champion a human-centric approach. This will involve:

• Promoting emotional intelligence and genuine dialogue
• Encouraging enquiry-driven leadership
• Coaching managers to reflect on their influence
• Fostering self-awareness at all levels of leadership

By embracing these strategies, HR can help their organisations to navigate the complexities of modern work environments, ensuring that people problems are addressed with empathy, understanding, and strategic insight.

We are in a period of rapid change in the workplace – and the workforce – leading to constant ‘busyness’. HR’s role as a strategic partner is now more critical than ever. By focusing on emotional intelligence, open dialogue, and enquiry-driven leadership, HR can transform people problems into opportunities for growth and collaboration.

You can listen to full podcast conversation here