How an organisation operates both reflects and reinforces its culture. It shapes how decisions are made, how leaders lead, whether people feel safe to speak up and how the organisation responds when concerns emerge. What happens day to day matters far more than words pinned to a wall or captured in a policy.

Looking beneath the surface provides critical insight into where an organisation is aligned and where risk or inconsistency may be emerging. That is why culture reviews are increasingly used by boards and executive teams as a strategic tool to understand what is really driving outcomes, beyond stated intent.

Culture and engagement

For many people, work is more than a transaction; it is a chance to be meaningfully engaged and to contribute value. Employees want to be part of an organisation whose culture aligns with their sense of self. They also want balance, the ability to sustain their contribution at work while still having the energy and space for life beyond it.

Expectations of workplace culture have shifted. What legislation has been reinforcing for some time is now widely recognised by employees as a baseline: being treated with respect, working in a psychologically safe environment and being able to be themselves at work without fear of negative consequences. Where culture supports this, organisations are far better placed to attract, retain and energise their workforce.

Culture and governance

There is growing recognition that organisations must actively understand and manage their culture. Regulators increasingly draw clear links between workplace culture, misconduct and systemic risk.

Legal and regulatory obligations continue to evolve, reinforcing that understanding the conditions that influence decision making, including the drivers of unethical behaviour, is no longer optional. Culture has become central to identifying organisational risk and demonstrating that issues are being addressed proactively rather than reactively.

What culture assessments reveal beyond survey scores

Culture assessments provide a structured, evidence based way to understand how an organisation actually operates. They look beyond headline sentiment to examine the behaviours that shape decision making, accountability and conduct, highlighting what is working well and where expectations may be unclear or inconsistently applied.

By focusing on lived experience rather than scores alone, culture assessments reveal how culture appears in practice across teams and levels. This insight helps organisations reinforce the behaviours that support performance and trust while also identifying misalignment or emerging risk.

When done well, culture assessments give leaders early and practical visibility, enabling them to build on strengths, address issues at their source and act before problems escalate into complaints, investigations or reputational damage.

Start with what you already know

Most organisations already hold valuable data that points to cultural strengths and risks, including complaint trends, investigation outcomes, exit interviews, survey results, leadership feedback and safety data.

But data alone rarely tells the full story. Insight comes from creating space for people to speak openly. Interviews, listening sessions and qualitative analysis bring context to the data, revealing how systems, leadership and behaviours are experienced in practice and why.

Context matters

Every organisation operates within its own context, shaped by industry, risk profile and workforce. Generic approaches to culture rarely deliver meaningful insight.

The goal is not perfection but clarity. Understanding where your culture currently sits, and where behaviours or expectations may need to shift, provides a strong foundation for informed decision making and performance that lasts.

How we can help

Whether you need a targeted assessment focused on a specific risk area or a whole of organisation assessment, we combine practical experience with a clear and structured approach to help organisations understand their culture and translate insight into action.

If you are ready to take a closer look at your culture before someone else does, we are here to help.

Ashleigh Alberga
Senior Consultant
Azuhr

Elissa Castelli
Senior Consultant
Azuhr