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The last five years have been interesting, to say the least. They also brought about a variety of changes that have upended the way many of us work. What worked for most organizations in 2019 simply doesn’t cut it in 2025. The key to successfully moving forward is creating a culture that transcends the boundaries of physical space.
To naysayers, company culture is just about pizza parties and goofy activities that take time away from the real focus—the corporate bottom line. But to savvy leaders, it’s company culture that’s driving the bottom line. While many organizations widely proclaim that their people are their greatest asset, a good deal of them don’t run their businesses like they really believe that. New employees are smart enough to quickly figure this out. Those who find a disconnect between the corporate mantra and actual policies and corporate culture won’t be around long.
- Does the swing in how and where people work mean that an organization’s pre-pandemic culture needs to be completely revamped to attract and retain talent?
Clearly, some changes are necessary, but this should be a time when leaders pause to reflect on what is most valuable and still applicable from the past while incorporating new elements that are in tandem with workplace evolution. To do this, leaders need to challenge former commonly held beliefs and assumptions to be sure they still resonate.
- What matters most to today’s workforce?
Discovering what’s important to your employees is just as important as developing your organizational purpose. In fact, what’s important to your people should be intertwined with what’s important to your company.
Offer Predictable Flexibility
According to most studies, flexibility is no longer viewed as a perk to be earned over time and through loyal service. It’s simply an expectation. Many employees will change jobs if not provided the flexibility to decide for themselves when they work best at home and when it’s more productive to work in an office setting.
An O.C. Tanner Institute 2025 Global Culture Study found that job tasks that require intense concentration, creativity, or meeting deadlines may be better performed from home. Yet transparency, communication across teams—and even career advancement—are best fostered by time spent engaged with coworkers in a common physical environment. Collaboration, when thoughtfully deployed to increase productivity and enhance the capabilities of others, can be an additional positive byproduct of onsite work. Having a regular presence among coworkers also helps assure that everyone has and keeps a seat at the table. When employees are granted predictable flexibility and growth opportunities at work, employees are 68 times more likely to thrive. They are also more likely to remain with that employer.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is defined by five pillars: practical empathy, self-awareness, nimble resilience, equitable flexibility and communication skills, according to the O.C. Tanner report. While some are naturally prone to have emotional intelligence, it can be learned and progress over time. Organizations that practice emotional intelligence are 107 times more likely to thrive. Putting emotional intelligence into practice helps create a stronger, more caring workforce.
Acknowledge Generational Differences
Recognizing that the current workforce spans six generations, each of which shares a different perspective and preferred means of communication, a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t likely to be successful. While some Baby Boomers may long for “the good old days,” most Millennials and those born after them are embracing many of the resulting changes. This is an important population to consider since they represent 35% of the workforce.
A study by Applauz Resources found that identity and belonging is highly important to most Millennials. Once fostered more frequently by external sources like religion and local communities, identity and belonging are now primarily fueled by employers for many in this generation. Like most people, Millennials value appreciation and personal development. They seek a culture where they have opportunities for training and mentoring. The same study found that over 94 percent of those in this generation want to apply their professional skills to give back to a charitable organization. Born during the technology explosion, Millennials fully embrace innovation and will leave companies that lag behind. In short, Millennials care about much more than an organization’s bottom line and look for employers that demonstrate aligned values.
“…culture isn’t just one aspect of the game, it is the game. In the end, an organization is nothing more than the collective capacity of its people to create value.” -Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., Former CEO of IBM
Companies that thrive during this transitional period will be those that practice empathetic listening and transparency, make time for questions and feedback, and involve everyone in the workplace evolution. A sense of community and well-being has never been more valued by employees who are looking to their employers to provide this. An organization that prioritizes an elastic culture that evolves with its business needs and those of its people will be best prepared to meet and even prosper during whatever challenges may lie ahead.
This article originally posted in 2022 and was updated in 2025.
Learn more about our careers, culture, community, and the benefits of employee ownership at Oswald at OswaldCompanies.com/Culture.
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(Sources: octanner.com, Applauz Resources)
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