3 Key Reasons Organisations Face Cultural Challenges
Organisational culture is often shaped by strategy - or the absence of it. When culture begins to decline, it typically stems from one of three key issues:
Cultural Struggles – A growing sense of toxicity within the workplace.
HR and Workforce Planning Gaps – Lack of direction in recruitment and team development.
Limited Coaching and Mentoring – Insufficient support for personal and professional growth.
While the second and third issues are often straightforward to address, cultural concerns usually expose a deeper problem—misalignment between strategy and execution.
Common Cultural Challenges
When employees express dissatisfaction with their workplace, several recurring themes emerge:
Lack of Purpose and Direction – Employees feel uncertain about the organisation’s goals.
Poor Communication – Leadership fails to engage teams effectively.
Disengagement and Misalignment – Employees feel disconnected from their work.
No Accountability – Performance expectations are unclear or inconsistently enforced.
Limited People Development – Opportunities for growth and learning are missing.
The Language of Workplace Frustration
When discussing these concerns, employees often share sentiments like:
“I don’t feel valued.”
“We’ve lost sight of our purpose.”
“My role has become unclear as the company has grown.”
“There’s too much work and not enough people.”
“Our achievements go unrecognized.”
“Our processes and systems are outdated or non-existent.”
“Leadership is disconnected from what’s happening on the ground.”
Many employees also report tensions with colleagues or managers, often describing behaviours as exclusionary, controlling, or unsupportive.
When Did Things Start to Change?
When asked whether there was a time when things felt better, the answer is almost always yes. Employees frequently point to a shift that triggered the cultural decline, such as:
A new product or service launch.
The introduction of a new business system.
A restructuring or change in leadership.
These transitions often lead to increased workloads and heightened pressure. When strategic direction is unclear, employees struggle to adapt. In the absence of leadership-driven guidance, individuals begin making their own decisions, which can create conflict, erode trust, and destabilise the workplace.
The Survival Instinct and Cultural Breakdown
Uncertainty drives people to focus inward—on their own job security, workload, and well-being. Without a strong strategic framework, this can lead to:
Power struggles and friction between employees.
A breakdown in collaboration and morale.
A culture where avoidance or aggression becomes the norm.
In some cases, leadership responds with quick fixes—restructuring teams, reassigning individuals, or removing perceived troublemakers. However, these actions often fail to address the deeper issue. The cultural dysfunction remains, cycling through different players and situations.
The Root Cause: Lack of Strategy
A well-defined and clearly communicated strategy provides employees with stability, direction, and purpose. Without it, organisations become reactive rather than proactive, leading to confusion, disengagement, and declining morale.
Culture is not just about the people—it’s about the systems, structures, and strategic decisions that shape their experience. Addressing cultural challenges effectively requires more than surface-level changes; it demands a commitment to clarity, accountability, and intentional leadership.
