The Role of Organisational Culture as a Competitive Advantage

Richella
November 1, 2024
Leader as Coach

Organisational Culture in Today’s Workplace

Today’s work environment is changing faster than ever and with it the role of culture has evolved from a background element to a powerhouse competitive advantage.

There was a time when organisational culture just “happened” because we were all in the same space experiencing each other’s quirks, energy and personalities in real time. But now in a world where work is more distributed, creating culture requires intention.

Without it misunderstandings and a lack of connection risk undoing the energy that makes teams thrive. With it, teams are keeping up, creating new ideas and winning a way forward that works for everyone.

As a leader, coach and facilitator who’s worked across various industries I’ve seen this shift up close. When we aren’t working side-by-side there’s less natural understanding of each other’s moods, rhythms and habits. Without this implicit connection unspoken assumptions creep in. Employees often misinterpret the absence of warmth as disinterest or assume they’re unappreciated simply because they lack daily connection with colleagues and leaders.When this is a theme, then people actively disengage and become more about ‘I’ then ‘We’.

Today, the ‘We’ of culture isn’t just an asset—it’s the bedrock that helps people perform, belong and grow and healthily engage.

Culture Today: The Sum of Our Intentional Practices

I define culture as the sum of an organisation’s worst tolerated habits balanced by the best behaviours it actively rewards.

Culture is not just the mission statement; it’s what people experience and live out every day. Without conscious efforts to build a strong culture, we default to a “survival mode” environment where over-performance and endless productivity is expected and people constantly feel like they need to prove themselves.

This over-performance-driven mindset, while useful in short bursts, becomes toxic without the right support. People enter survival mode, doing more while feeling like they’re contributing less. At this point, emotional needs go unmet. Recognition, validation and purpose aren’t “extras” anymore; they’re core to creating a workplace where people feel safe, supported and empowered. Building this kind of intentional culture involves a layered approach, with diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) at the centre of these efforts.

The Essential Role of DE&I in Culture

A high-performing culture today is one that is diverse, equitable and inclusive. DE&I isn’t just a checkbox—it’s the framework that allows culture to be resilient, expansive and innovative. Without DE&I, culture can’t truly be supportive or high-performing because it won’t reflect the diverse experiences, perspectives and strengths of all employees. I’ve seen first-hand how companies that embed DE&I into their cultural strategy create workplaces where people feel valued and encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work. In these organisations, everyone feels like they belong, no one is left out and differences are celebrated as strengths.

When DE&I is woven into culture, it enriches everyone’s experience. A culture that embraces diverse perspectives and ensures equitable opportunities leads to higher collaboration, deeper trust and greater collective resilience. It’s this kind of inclusive culture that enables employees not only to do more but to be more—resulting in higher levels of innovation and engagement.

How Collective Coaching and Team Coaching Fuel a Winning Culture

In the journey of creating a resilient collaborative culture, collective and team coaching are invaluable tools. Why? Because coaching isn’t just about individuals; it’s about creating shared understanding, aligning values and enabling collective and team growth. Through team coaching, employees develop insights into each other’s strengths, weaknesses and work styles. They learn to support one another better, bridging gaps and building empathy in a way that’s nearly impossible without intentional, structured interaction.

Collective coaching provides a space for collective exploration and personal growth within a work setting. Employees can openly discuss their experiences, learn from one another safely and grow together but activating what ‘you’, not the group need to work on to grow and improve, which in turn enhances trust and understanding. In organisations where culture is a strategic priority, collective and team coaching becomes a powerful lever. It strengthens interpersonal bonds, aligns teams on shared goals and encourages collaborative behaviour. When teams are coached to recognise and value each other’s unique contributions, it creates a foundation of respect and mutual accountability—critical elements of a healthy, high-performing culture. Now we want to perform instead of need or should perform.

What Happens When Culture Takes a Backseat?

The consequences of neglecting culture are significant. In organisations where culture is left to chance, a “survival-of-the-fittest” mentality can quickly take hold. Employees feel the constant pressure to over-perform without adequate support. In these environments, the lack of clarity and connection leads people to operate from a place of fear and self-preservation. They begin to interpret the absence of interaction or support as indifference and a lack of recognition as a sign they’re undervalued. When people are in fear they are dumbed down naturally as they focus in on looking for threats and cannot see the bigger mission or vision.

I’ve seen how, in these compliance-based environments, employees simply focus on meeting minimum standards. They no longer go the extra mile because they don’t feel seen, valued, or motivated. This is particularly true in companies that lack DE&I. When culture isn’t inclusive, people from diverse backgrounds may feel side-lined and turnover among high-potential talent often follows. The organisation ends up losing its competitive edge, with reduced innovation and productivity due to a disengaged workforce.

Building Cultural Intelligence: The Real Competitive Edge

To truly thrive, companies today must develop what we at Sandown Business School call “cultural intelligence.” This is more than simply knowing the right buzzwords; it’s a deep understanding of what motivates people, what makes them feel valued and what kind of environment allows them to bring their best selves to work. A high level of cultural intelligence is necessary for fostering psychological safety, engagement and belonging.

Leading organisations don’t just talk about culture—they actively nurture it. They invest in DE&I programs, provide structured coaching opportunities and encourage open dialogue. Leaders in these companies understand that culture is an evolving strategy. They don’t wait for issues to surface; they anticipate and address challenges before they become obstacles, ensuring that the workplace remains inclusive and supportive.

Companies with high cultural intelligence foster an environment where people want to excel, not because they’re pushed, but because they feel naturally aligned with the organisation’s purpose. Employees in these environments report higher job satisfaction, stronger connections with colleagues, and a sense of fulfilment from their work. The return on investment is clear in the organisation’s ability to attract, retain and develop top talent.

Conclusion: Culture as the Blueprint for Future Success

The future of work is here and it’s clear that culture isn’t a passive by-product—it’s an active, strategic advantage. To cultivate a culture that supports high performance, we must be intentional about building inclusive, supportive environments where people feel seen, appreciated and connected. In this new world of work, where distributed teams are the norm and physical proximity is no longer a given, DE&I, Collective and Team coaching and cultural intelligence are not just advantages—they are necessities.

As leaders and organisations, we have a responsibility to create cultures that not only allow people to thrive but encourage them to do so. When we build a culture of collaboration, trust, and inclusion, we’re not just building a great place to work; we’re building a resilient, forward-thinking organisation poised to succeed in an ever-changing world. Investing in culture is investing in the future, and in a world where talent is the ultimate asset, that investment is worth every effort.