Actions speak louder than words – and a new survey conducted by Nottingham Business School found a gap between the stated values of UK organisations and the behaviours observed within their workplaces.
Organisational culture, defined as the collective behaviours, thoughts, and feelings within a company, has a profound impact on performance and ethical conduct. Despite its importance, it remains challenging to measure.
The survey, the first of its kind, involved over 1,170 managers and employees from a mix of large and small-to-medium enterprises across various sectors. It looked at cultural alignment, diversity, equality, inclusion, and wellbeing, revealing inconsistencies that may hinder the achievement of strategic goals.
Key Findings
The research revealed that only 18 percent of employees believe their organisation’s external image and stated values are closely aligned with the internal culture. A quarter (25%) reported that their leaders’ behaviour does not reflect these values.
Alignment with diversity, equality, and inclusion policies was another area of concern. Just under half of respondents (49%) felt that their organisation’s daily practices aligned strongly with such policies, while 35 percent noted inconsistencies. Additionally, 24 percent stated their workplace culture does not support inclusivity, though 76 percent acknowledged it encourages positive behaviours while discouraging negative ones.
The survey also identified gaps in the promotion of wellbeing and ethical practices. Over one-third (38%) said their workplace culture does not support wellbeing, and 31 percent believed it fails to encourage ethical behaviour. A further 28 percent of respondents reported that unethical behaviours are either overlooked or allowed to persist.
Recommendations for Cultural Evolution
Dr Zara Whysall, Associate Professor of Business Psychology at Nottingham Business School and lead researcher, noted the growing interest among business leaders and regulators in organisational culture and its impact on outcomes like inclusion and ethical conduct.
“When you walk into an organisation, you soon get a sense of the type of organisation it is: how to behave, what is acceptable, what is frowned upon, what matters, and what doesn’t. You don’t need to read its corporate values or mission statement,” she said. “We can see from these findings that writing mission statements, creating sets of corporate values, policies and procedures does not influence or reflect culture unless these aspirations are embedded into behaviours.”
Dr Whysall added that cultural misalignment, the gap between an organisation’s stated values and actual behaviours, remains a widespread issue.
Despite these challenges, the study found room for optimism, with 59 percent of respondents believing their organisation is close to achieving its desired culture. Dr Whysall described this as an opportunity for “cultural evolution, not revolution”.
To assist leaders and HR professionals in addressing these issues, Nottingham Business School has published a free white paper – Shift Happens: Strategies for Organisational Culture Evolution.
