Understanding team culture
Every team develops its own personality and ways of working. Two teams in the same company can have vastly different cultures - one collaborative and supportive, another competitive and high-pressure. Team culture determines how people work together and how they experience their day-to-day work.
Positive team culture
- Open communication
- Mutual trust and respect
- Psychological safety
- Shared accountability
Culture outcomes
- Higher engagement
- Better collaboration
- Lower turnover
- Improved performance
Team culture elements
Team culture is built from observable and invisible components:
Key team culture elements
Manager influence
- Behavioural modelling: How the manager acts sets expectations
- Communication style: Open managers create open teams
- Recognition patterns: What gets praised gets repeated
- Tolerance levels: What behaviour is accepted without challenge
- Decision involvement: Collaborative or directive approach
- Feedback culture: How mistakes and growth are handled
The manager shadow
Team members closely watch their manager's behaviour, especially under pressure. How you respond to mistakes, deadlines, and difficult situations shapes team culture more than any stated values. Your behaviour casts a long shadow.
Building team culture
Establish foundations
- Define team values and norms
- Create psychological safety
- Establish communication routines
- Clarify roles and expectations
Reinforce daily
- Model desired behaviours
- Recognise values-aligned actions
- Address violations promptly
- Celebrate successes together
Common team culture mistakes
Assuming culture will develop naturally
Without intentional effort, teams default to whatever norms emerge. These aren't always healthy. Actively shape culture rather than hoping for the best.
Tolerating toxic individuals
One difficult person can poison team culture. Addressing toxic behaviour - or removing toxic individuals - is essential. Don't sacrifice the team for one person.
Ignoring remote team members
In hybrid teams, it's easy for remote workers to feel excluded from team culture. Intentionally include remote members in communication, decisions, and social interactions.
Key takeaways
Team culture is the micro-environment created by shared norms and behaviours within a specific team. Managers have significant influence through their actions and what they tolerate. Building positive team culture requires intention, consistency, and regular reinforcement.
RosterElf's staff management supports team culture through fair roster allocation, clear communication tools, and easy shift management that reduces friction.
