Strategies for Building a Thriving Workplace Culture

Workplace culture is a critical factor in modern business success. Engaged employees can boost performance by 202%, while disengaged employees lead to costly turnover—around $2.9 million per day for U.S. companies. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Dr. Mechelle Roberthon, a CPTD and expert in workplace culture strategy. We’ll explore how cultivating a positive work environment drives organizational success, including key components, trends, and challenges. Dr. Roberthon will share practical insights on building and sustaining an engaged and thriving workforce—critical for any HR leader or organizational professional.

 Don’t miss this fun and lively discussion packed with actionable takeaways for fostering a strong, supportive workplace culture.

Transcript

David:
Welcome to Bring Out the Talent, a podcast featuring learning and development experts discussing innovative approaches and industry insights. Tune in to hear our talent help develop yours. Now here are your hosts, TTA's CEO and President Maria Melfa and Talent Manager Jocelyn Allen.

Jocelyn:
Maria, it sounds like you have a little frog in your throat there. I had a little moment, but it does not stop me because my dance moves were still killing it.

Maria:
Okay, good. Nothing holding me down over here, and I’m fine. Very excited about our topic today because culture is everything to me. It’s one of the most important things, and I’ve been running TTA for 30 and a half years. I can’t believe it’s already been a half since our 30th. If I could say one thing I’ve learned—the most important lesson—it’s that culture is everything. You just have to make sure it’s non-negotiable and hire people that match your values and mission. It is key to everything. So let’s get started.

Workplace culture has become a pivotal topic in the modern professional landscape. According to a recent study, companies with highly engaged employees can see as much as a 200% increase in performance, while those with actively disengaged employees face high turnover rates—costing U.S. companies approximately $1.5 to $3 million per day in search of replacement workers.

Jocelyn:
Per day? Even just reading that, I was like... that says “day.” Oh my gosh.

Maria:
I bet it could even be higher than that. This underscores the critical importance of cultivating a positive and supportive workplace culture. Furthermore, in a recent poll by Korn Ferry, having a positive culture was the most important thing for employees—considerably higher than pay. I think it was like 65% said culture compared to only 25% saying pay. So almost triple.

In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we welcome Dr. Michelle Robertson—a certified professional in talent development and a renowned keynote and workshop presenter. With a doctorate in education from Baylor University and a master’s degree in training and performance improvement, Dr. Robertson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Today we’ll explore the intricacies of workplace culture strategy, its impact on success and well-being, and how to build and sustain a positive environment.

Whether you’re an organizational leader, HR professional, truck driver, dog walker, or professional athlete, today’s conversation will provide valuable takeaways for fostering a thriving work environment. Welcome, Dr. Michelle.

Michelle:
Thank you so much. I’m happy to be here.

Jocelyn:
We’re very excited to have you. Those were some crazy stats in the intro. When we’re talking about workplace culture—how it impacts performance, how it’s valued—it’s amazing this topic isn’t talked about more.

It’s broad—workplace culture. What does that really mean? And it’s often misunderstood. How would you define it in the context of organizational success and employee well-being?

Michelle:
Absolutely. Workplace culture is so broad. In 2023, I actually made an exhaustive list of what makes up workplace culture. If I had to give you a casual definition, it’s “the vibe” of the workplace.

But let me list what I wrote on my whiteboard:

• How decisions are made
• Diversity in your workforce
• Internal mobility
• Raises, pay, bonuses, perks
• How frontline employees are treated
• Customer experience focus
• Leadership styles
• Executive accountability
• Your website
• How locations are included
• Policies, systems, workflows
• Complaints and praises
• Company-wide and departmental communication
• Professional development availability
• Expectations for professionalism
• Good/bad hires, sacred cows
• Psychological safety
• Attitudes, mentorship, management

I’ve said: if a company doesn’t define its culture, it’s still being defined—but without their control. And if you don’t define it, employees will.

I like to say: culture is how someone answers the question “How’s work?”—when they feel safe to tell the truth. That’s your culture.

Jocelyn:
That’s a lot—and so true. So based on everything you listed, what are some of the key components you see when a company truly has a strong, effective workplace culture?

Michelle:
First and foremost: values. I coach clients on this constantly. Values are the foundation. You should hire, fire, and choose vendors based on values. Someone doesn’t align? That’s your reason to part ways. Someone does align? That’s your reason to bring them in. The companies doing this right are highly values-driven organizations.

Maria:
Spouses everything.

Michelle:
It really is. And they hold people accountable to those values. Not just putting them on a wall in the breakroom. Values should be part of performance evaluations, bonus justifications—they’re integrated into the being of the organization.

Maria:
Yes, and respect is huge. People come from different backgrounds, and if everyone has good intentions, there’s no reason we can’t work through things. Respect each other’s opinions and hard work. Disagreements don’t mean disrespect.

Michelle:
Exactly. The second big marker is how organizations define a “good employee.” In healthy cultures, it’s not just performance—it’s performance and behavior.

If someone performs well but treats people poorly, that’s not a good employee. And if someone is kind and likable but consistently underperforms, that’s also not okay. Both sides matter. High performance without values-aligned behavior hurts culture. Likewise, kindness without contribution burns out the rest of the team.

Jocelyn:
That’s such a good point. Because when leadership ignores underperformance in a nice person, it sends the wrong message to high-performing employees. They either feel undervalued or start dialing it back themselves.

Michelle:
Right. And then suddenly, your culture begins to unravel. That’s why culture touches everything. It’s not just the C-suite or HR—it’s everyone.

And it’s not just top-down. Let’s talk about bottom-up. Entry-level employees, frontline staff—they shape culture too. Every “hello” or lack thereof, every email ignored or sent, sets a tone.

You can’t blame leadership for culture if you’re contributing to it negatively yourself. If someone says “Michelle is why I’m thinking of quitting,” then I’m their culture experience. That’s not the boss’s fault. That’s me. Everyone needs to own it.

Maria:
Love that. Right on.

Jocelyn:
So what about where workplace culture is going? What trends or challenges are you seeing now that organizations need to be thinking about?

Michelle:
Two come to mind: generational differences and accountability.

On generations, I sometimes roll my eyes—because too often it becomes about blaming Gen Z or whatever. But one trainer handled it beautifully once. He said, “Who raised them?” Gen Z didn’t give themselves smartphones. Their parents did. It’s not productive to mock generational traits they didn’t choose.

The second is accountability. Everyone wants training on it. What does it mean? How do you hold people accountable? But the real fear is: “What if they still don’t change?”

Managers avoid it. “They’re nice.” “They’re a good worker.” Or, “We need the body, even if they’re hurting culture.” That scarcity mindset is so dangerous.

Jocelyn:
It’s like the plate of spaghetti metaphor we use here at TTA. You think everything’s separate, but once you start twirling the fork, everything connects. That one thread pulls in the whole plate. You can’t avoid it.

Michelle:
Exactly. Everything affects everything. And with managers—it’s usually the direct manager who contributes most to a toxic culture, according to research. Not the executive. Not someone three levels up. It’s that person you report to every day.

One HR article I read said leaders should be loyal to the people above them. I strongly disagreed. If your team doesn’t feel like you advocate for them, you’ve lost their trust. If they see you only care about pleasing your boss, they’ll leave.

Another huge problem is when managers avoid conflict resolution. Say Jocelyn and I are on the same team, and we have tension. If our leader ignores it or takes sides, that can be enough to make someone want to leave—not just the department, but the company.

Time doesn’t heal wounds. Time just makes people stop talking about the wound. And now there’s resentment under the surface.

Maria:
Exactly. And let’s not forget training. I read a stat that said lack of development is one of the top three reasons people leave. It’s not just about conflict—it’s about whether someone sees a future for themselves.

Michelle:
A hundred percent. Think about onboarding. Orientation is one day. Onboarding is a year-long journey. And most places aren’t doing it well. If people don’t know what’s expected, who they report to, or what success looks like—they’re already disengaging.

And then there’s growth. Say someone asks to attend a conference, to learn a new skill. If their manager dismisses it or doesn’t support them, that’s a missed opportunity—and a signal that development isn’t valued.

Simon Sinek once said employees don’t mind if their boss has the bigger office or better perks. They just want to know that leader would advocate for them. That they’d put something on the line. Leaders who won’t do that—who protect their own position more than their people—damage culture.

Jocelyn:
That’s huge. And sometimes it’s just fear or insecurity that stops a manager from speaking up. They assume their leader doesn’t want feedback, when really that feedback could drive better decisions.

Maria:
This is such a rich conversation. Can you share a success story where you helped an organization shift from a not-so-great culture to a better one?

Michelle:
Yes. A few years ago, I worked in a finance org. I was in a center of excellence that served the enterprise, and I focused on improving performance and behavior within our team.

I used a concept I called “intrapreneurship.” I told my team to treat internal colleagues like clients. Follow up after meetings. Ask great questions. Send thank-you emails. I wanted them to own their work the way entrepreneurs do.

And we saw change. People outside our department started noticing. A supervisor from facilities even reached out to ask how I ran meetings because she liked the tone and structure.

That was my lightbulb moment. Don’t try to change everything at once. Focus on your team, model excellence, and let it ripple out. Over time, other departments began adopting our practices. It was powerful.

Jocelyn:
That’s an incredible story. And I love that you focused on what you could control rather than boiling the ocean. So many people try to fix everything at once and burn out.

How did you help others slow down? Some people can’t shake that urgency. What helped?

Michelle:
I live and breathe Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I actually give out a 3-page PDF version and a blank worksheet.

It categorizes tasks by:

• Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important
• Quadrant 2: Important but Not Urgent
• Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important
• Quadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important

I’d tell my team: If it’s not due today or already late, it’s not Quad 1. Breathe. Give yourself grace. If a project is due in October, we don’t need to panic in June.

They started using that language: “Michelle, this is a Quad 3!” Even leaders outside the team adopted it. It reduced stress and helped people prioritize.

Jocelyn:
Yes! You need something concrete to go back to. You can’t hand-hold forever. At some point, they need their own system.

Michelle:
Exactly. And I taught them not to prioritize just based on the sender’s title. If the CEO emails you, pause. Assess what’s being asked. If there’s no due date, ask for one.

Don’t abandon other deadlines just because of hierarchy. Let the content of the task determine the urgency, not the sender.

Maria:
That’s so helpful. I gave that book to my son. It’s on his nightstand right now—I don’t think he’s opened it. But I’m going to ask him about the matrix and make him teach it to me.

Jocelyn:
So, what emerging technologies or practices do you see shaping workplace culture in the coming years?

Michelle:
360-degree feedback is resurging. There’s better tech for it now. Engagement surveys too—Gallup, Press Ganey, and others are still strong.

But what I really want to see is better exit interview tools. Right now, most exit surveys are internal or SurveyMonkey-style, and people don’t tell the full truth. We’ve been taught not to “burn bridges.”

Third-party, anonymous tools could help leaders get real feedback—safely and usefully. Also, I want more organizations to invest in stay interviews. Ask people why they’re staying—and what might make them leave.

On the tech side, HRIS systems and LMS platforms that feel like social media—intuitive, engaging—are growing. I’ve had lots of great conversations around that.

Maria:
We love BambooHR. It’s always evolving and they host great events.

Jocelyn:
And I love how you tied in intrapreneurship again. Giving people ownership of their work encourages transparency, even in exit or stay interviews.

Michelle:
Yes. People give better feedback when they feel like partners, not just employees. That mindset shift makes a big difference.

Maria:
Love that. I say “very interesting” all the time—but this really is! I’m a lifelong learner, and sometimes I want to learn everything too much. I start boiling the ocean. That’s my struggle.

Michelle:
Same. That’s why the matrix helps. It creates guardrails and removes that mental overwhelm.

Jocelyn:
It really does. And your stories make it tangible—like, this is doable. Culture isn’t easy, but it can be simple.

All right, Michelle—it’s time. David?

David:
It’s time for the TTA 10—ten rapid-fire questions for our guest!

Jocelyn:
Ten questions. Quick answers. Some silly, some smart. Just have fun with it. Michelle, are you ready?

Michelle:
I’m ready and scared.

Jocelyn:
Don’t be! David, countdown please.

David:
90 seconds on the clock—starting now!

Jocelyn:
What color do you get when you mix red and yellow?

Michelle:
Green.
([Laughter])

Jocelyn:
Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse?

Michelle:
A gun.

Jocelyn:
What is 2 + 2, or name one of Donald Duck’s nephews?

Michelle:
Ronald?

Jocelyn:
“I speak without a mouth, hear without ears, I have no body but come alive with wind. What am I?”

Michelle:
A patient?

Jocelyn:
The Kool-Aid man bursts through the wall. What does he say?

Michelle:
“Are you thirsty?”

Jocelyn:
If you could travel anywhere today?

Michelle:
Spain.

Jocelyn:
What would you name a dog if you got one tomorrow?

Michelle:
Lucky.

Jocelyn:
What is 5 + 2?

Michelle:
Seven.

Jocelyn:
Favorite candle scent?

Michelle:
Coconut lime verbena.

David:
Time: 1 minute, 12 seconds. That’s a win! Bonus points for answering “Oh man” instead of “Oh yeah” for the Kool-Aid man—it was close enough.

Jocelyn:
And she said “green” for red and yellow with such confidence I almost believed her.

Michelle:
I only knew it was wrong when you laughed!

David:
And now... a special salute from the Bring Out the Talent music department...

🎶 [Original rap celebrating Dr. Michelle “Dr. Rob” Robertson plays]
“She’s got more culture than nonfat yogurt...”

Maria:
That was amazing!

Jocelyn:
Michelle, you were incredible. Such an authentic, insightful episode—thank you for being here.

Michelle:
Thank you so much. Let’s keep the culture conversation going.

Jocelyn:
Yes! For more info on cultivating workplace culture, visit us at thetrainingassociates.com. See you next time!