At GLS, we’re genuinely confused by the trend of rebranding Human Resources to “People & Culture.”
We get the ‘People’ part, that’s been the heart of HR since forever. But ‘Culture’? That’s a stretch.
Let’s be honest: most HR teams aren’t out here crafting vibrant workplace cultures. They’re barely holding the line. Between policy policing, headcount tracking, performance management admin, and being the unfortunate bearers of every “this isn’t working out” conversation, HR has become the organisational scapegoat. To many employees, they’re the ones you see right before your security badge stops working.
And from the inside? It’s chaos. HR professionals are often fighting uphill battles, trying to convince leadership that investing in people isn’t just a “nice to have,” it’s a strategic imperative. But what’s the usual response? “What’s the ROI?” or “Let’s park that for now.”
Translation: we don’t care, but you know what we care about? Money.
So sure, “People & Culture” looks good on an org chart. It sounds progressive on LinkedIn. But let’s be real: if your workplace culture is broken, it’s not because HR forgot to schedule a pizza Friday.
It’s because leadership didn’t lead.
What HR Actually Does (That No One Talks About)
Let’s clear something up. HR isn’t the “fun police.” It’s more like the organisational emergency services, constantly putting out fires they didn’t start.
- Handling complaints no one wants to hear.
- Running disciplinary processes no one wants to own.
- Trying (and failing) to get execs to care about development.
- Writing business cases no one reads but everyone demands.
- Getting blamed for “not moving fast enough” while working under 12 policies and 0 budget.
And let’s not forget the brand they’re stuck with:
To the business, HR = the people who say no.
To employees, HR = the people you only meet when you’re in trouble.
To leadership, HR = the fire blanket that also gets blamed for the fire.
So no. HR doesn’t make the culture. They just work in it. And often, they’re trying to survive it.
Culture Starts (and Ends) With Leadership
Your CEO sets the tone. Your managers reinforce it daily. Your execs either walk the talk or enable the worst behaviours in silence.
Culture is what leaders do, not what HR writes.
The best HR team in the world can’t outwork a leadership team that doesn’t care. If the culture sucks, it’s not because HR forgot to roll out a pulse survey. It’s because people in power made decisions or refused to make them.
So, what can managers and leaders do to build real, sustainable culture?
A lot.
What You Can Do (Instead of Renaming HR Again)
Listen. Like, Actually Listen.
Most managers will say, “We listen to our people.” Then they’ll point to a survey. A suggestion box. A quarterly coffee chat. But that’s not listening, that’s collecting data to back your own story.
Real listening looks like this:
- You hear something uncomfortable, and don’t get defensive.
- You take feedback seriously even if it’s not statistically significant.
- You ask questions. Clarify. Dig deeper.
- You act on what you hear or explain why you’re not, transparently.
Harvard Business Review found that leaders who are seen as good listeners are rated as better coaches, more effective developers of others, and more trustworthy.
(Source: HBR, 2016 – What Great Listeners Actually Do)
Stop Chasing Numbers. Start Noticing Patterns.
We get it. Metrics matter. Metrics reassure. But culture is not a spreadsheet. It’s felt. It shows up in how people speak up (or don’t). It’s lived when people stay not for the paycheck but because they feel they can make a difference, respect their peers and dare to give negative feedback to their manager.
Your retention rate will not tell you who is mentally checked out, your performance dashboard will not explain why no one trusts their manager.
Culture is qualitative. Culture is human. If you want a full picture, you have to be in the room, not just on the dashboard.
Model the Behaviour You Want (Not Just in Emails)
No one cares what your intranet page says about values. People don’t copy policies. They copy you.
- If you say you value “initiative” but look for someone to blame every time something goes wrong: that’s your culture.
- If a top performer bullies others and you protect them: that’s your culture.
- If you say “we value flexibility” but expect everyone at their desk, on site, at 8:00 AM sharp: yep, culture again.
Culture is shaped in the quiet moments. In what gets tolerated. In who gets rewarded. So lead with consistency, even when it’s hard. Especially then.
Don’t Dodge the Tough Conversations
A lot of managers avoid tricky conversations. They say things like:
- “I didn’t witness the behaviour.”
- “It’s not the right time.”
- “Maybe HR should handle it.”
Spoiler: HR is not your moral outsourcing service.
If someone crosses a line, just say something.
You don’t have to be harsh. Just clear.
Start with: “I noticed…”
Then ask: “How do you think that landed with the team?”
You’d be surprised how many people appreciate clear feedback. It helps them grow. It shows you care. And when everyone gets that feedback (not just the easy cases) it builds trust.
Make Space for Real Conversations
You know you’ve got culture right when people can say:
- “I’m not sure I’m doing well.”
- “I feel stuck.”
- “I didn’t like how that was handled.”
And your first reaction isn’t panic or performance plans, it’s curiosity.
Psychological safety isn’t a campaign. It’s built moment by moment, in how you respond when people show vulnerability. When they know they can tell you the truth, even the messy bits, and not get burned for it.
Give Credit. Share Power. Say Thank You.
Culture is a million little things.
It’s who gets credit. Who gets blamed. Who gets heard. Who gets promoted. Who gets the “benefit of the doubt.”
Want a better culture? Start by doing the simplest thing in the world: be a decent human.
- Recognise people often and genuinely (not just the loud ones)
- Delegate, not just tasks but decisions.
- Say thank you. Often. Without waiting for results or KPIs.
No culture strategy can outdo simple, human decency.
The truth?
Culture isn’t a department. It’s not an HR project.
It’s what it’s like to work for you.
Let that sink in.
