Latest news with #WorkplaceCulture
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Is Cultural Drift? How To Keep Workplace Progress From Slipping
What Is Cultural Drift? How To Keep Workplace Progress From Slipping In one of the courses I teach, my students are asked if it's harder to change an individual's way of thinking about things or to change an organization's culture. The truth is, both are complicated. Individuals come with their own beliefs, experiences, and perceptions that can lead to resistance. Organizations come with systems, hierarchies, and unspoken rules. But it's important to recognize that culture starts at the top. So, leadership sets the tone, and the rest of the organization either follows it or quietly resists it. The leaders who contact me for help already understand this and are the ones looking to build something better, more curious, and more innovative. They are easier to deal with, because they already value change. Those leaders are more likely to keep their organizations from experiencing cultural drift. What Is Cultural Drift? Cultural drift is the gradual return to old ways of doing things, especially after a period of growth or progress. It's a slow slide into the habits that once held the organization back. You may not notice it at first, but over time, the effects include less innovation, less engagement, and fewer people willing to speak up. Why Cultural Drift Became So Common After The Pandemic According to PwC's 2021 Global Culture Survey, organizations with a distinctive culture were 79% more likely to report increased employee satisfaction during the pandemic. These companies also saw greater improvements in performance and morale, especially when culture was intentionally supported by leadership. That may seem surprising, given the stress and uncertainty of those years. But the shift to remote work brought unexpected benefits. People had more flexibility, more autonomy, and in many cases, more empathy from their leaders. It became acceptable to say you were struggling. Leaders learned to check in more often, listen more carefully, and communicate more clearly. Even so, there's a growing recognition that remote work is not the right fit for every role or every person. Some jobs require in-person collaboration, access to physical equipment, or constant coordination. And not everyone thrived in a virtual setting. Some took advantage of the system. Others struggled with isolation or a lack of structure. For those reasons, bringing people back to the office has been a better solution in some cases. But when that return is handled poorly, driven by fear or control instead of purpose and flexibility, it can trigger culture drift. Now, a few years later, I'm seeing some of that progress start to slip. Cultural drift happens gradually. You might start to notice that people stop asking questions, meetings feel more like going through the motions than solving real problems, and it starts to feel like leaders are managing people instead of working with them. Then fear starts to take the place of psychological safety. What Causes Cultural Drift To Happen? One cause of cultural drift is fear. Some leaders experience fear of losing control, fear of falling behind, and fear of looking unproductive. After a period where leaders trusted their employees to manage their time and workload from home, some companies are now swinging back toward micromanagement. While it might make them feel more in control, it also sends a message, even if it's unintentional. It says, "We don't trust you anymore." Another factor is habit. The status quo is comfortable. It's easy to slip back into old ways of doing things, especially when those old habits are familiar and predictable. Leaders start defaulting to the same routines, the same hierarchies, the same top-down decision-making. Even small signals, like bringing back mandatory in-person meetings or eliminating flexible schedules, can start to undo the gains made during the pandemic. The truth is, change requires maintenance. You can't build a healthy culture once and expect it to stay that way. It needs to be protected, reinforced, and adapted as new challenges arise. That's what many leaders are forgetting right now. How Can You Tell Cultural Drift Is Happening? Cultural drift is not always obvious. You start to notice that employees who used to contribute ideas now stay quiet. Managers spend more time defending decisions than listening. Teams lose their edge because no one wants to take risks. These are signs that something is shifting underneath the surface. You might also see turnover among the very people who once championed the changes you made. When employees who thrived under your more flexible, supportive culture start leaving, it can be a signal that your culture may no longer be supporting the people it was built for. Why Cultural Drift Pushes Curiosity Out Curiosity is one of the first things to fade when cultural drift happens. In healthy cultures, people feel safe to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore new ideas. They're encouraged to speak up, not penalized for it. That's what makes curiosity so powerful. It's both a driver of change and a signal that the culture is still healthy. When curiosity is missing, people stop exploring. They avoid hard conversations, which keeps things from evolving. If your goal is to maintain a workplace where people can think, grow, and contribute meaningfully, curiosity must be part of the process. How Leaders Can Prevent Cultural Drift Start by acknowledging that culture work never ends. Leaders should regularly ask themselves, "What are we doing today that supports the kind of culture we want? And what might be slowly pulling us in the wrong direction?" Make time to revisit the values you set during the pandemic. Which ones mattered most? Which ones did your team respond to? Recommit to those values publicly and often. That includes modeling behaviors like transparency, empathy, and flexibility. Create spaces where people can share concerns without fear of backlash. That doesn't mean you'll always agree, but it shows you're listening. People will keep speaking up if they believe it matters. If they feel ignored or punished for doing so, the silence that follows is a sign your culture is drifting. Encourage your teams to challenge how things are done, ask better questions, and reward thoughtful push back. Make it easier for people to test new ideas without having to justify them with a ten-slide deck. Those are the actions that build momentum and keep culture moving in the right direction. What Can You Do Now To Address Cultural Drift? If your workplace experienced growth, connection, or resilience during the pandemic, that came from deliberate choices. It came from empathy, trust, and flexibility. If those things start to slip, so will your culture. Cultural drift can be reversed, but it takes intention. You have to notice it and then decide what kind of culture you want to move toward. Daily actions matter. Keeping curiosity alive in your workplace is the best way to protect the culture you've worked hard to build.
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Ryan Recognized as One of the Best Workplaces™ for Mental Wellness in Canada for the Fifth Time
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 2025-- Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, has been named to the 2025 Best Workplaces ™ for Mental Wellness in Canada list, marking the fifth time the Firm has received this recognition. 'We are incredibly honored to receive this award, as it reaffirms Ryan's commitment to fostering a workplace where mental wellness is a priority,' said Garry Round, President of Canadian Operations. 'We remain dedicated to championing initiatives that support work-life success and a positive, inclusive culture for all team members.' Ryan provides a wide range of initiatives that support the health and well-being of its team members. Among them is RyanTHRIVE, a holistic wellness program offering learning modules that address career, financial, and emotional well-being—spanning everything from professional development to building positive relationships. The Firm also offers competitive benefits designed to promote work-life success, including fitness reimbursements, paid parental leave, tuition assistance, and reimbursement for adoption and fertility programs. These offerings are intentionally designed to ensure every team member feels supported, valued, and equipped with the resources they need throughout their career and life at Ryan. For additional information on the 2025 Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness in Canada list, visit here. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. A global research and consulting firm, Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In Canada, Great Place to Work produces both industry and demographic-specific Best Workplace lists and represents the voices of 500,000 employees across industry. This is part of the world's largest annual workplace study, recognizing the world's best workplaces in a series of national lists, including those published by The Globe and Mail (Canada) and Fortune® magazine (USA). Visit us at About Ryan Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. The Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, provincial, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is an 11-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multidisciplinary team of more than 5,900 professionals and associates serves over 77,000 clients in more than 80 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at View source version on CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT Melodie Elliott Director, Content and Communications Marketing Ryan 972.934.0022 [email protected] KEYWORD: NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MENTAL HEALTH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HUMAN RESOURCES SOFTWARE ACCOUNTING SOURCE: Ryan Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/14/2025 10:27 AM/DISC: 05/14/2025 10:26 AM
National Post
14-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Ryan Recognized as One of the Best Workplaces™ for Mental Wellness in Canada for the Fifth Time
Article content MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, has been named to the 2025 Best Workplaces ™ for Mental Wellness in Canada list, marking the fifth time the Firm has received this recognition. Article content Article content 'We are incredibly honored to receive this award, as it reaffirms Ryan's commitment to fostering a workplace where mental wellness is a priority,' said Garry Round, President of Canadian Operations. 'We remain dedicated to championing initiatives that support work-life success and a positive, inclusive culture for all team members.' Article content Ryan provides a wide range of initiatives that support the health and well-being of its team members. Among them is RyanTHRIVE, a holistic wellness program offering learning modules that address career, financial, and emotional well-being—spanning everything from professional development to building positive relationships. Article content The Firm also offers competitive benefits designed to promote work-life success, including fitness reimbursements, paid parental leave, tuition assistance, and reimbursement for adoption and fertility programs. These offerings are intentionally designed to ensure every team member feels supported, valued, and equipped with the resources they need throughout their career and life at Ryan. Article content Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. A global research and consulting firm, Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In Canada, Great Place to Work produces both industry and demographic-specific Best Workplace lists and represents the voices of 500,000 employees across industry. This is part of the world's largest annual workplace study, recognizing the world's best workplaces in a series of national lists, including those published by The Globe and Mail (Canada) and Fortune ® magazine (USA). Visit us at Article content Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. The Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, provincial, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is an 11-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multidisciplinary team of more than 5,900 professionals and associates serves over 77,000 clients in more than 80 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Grug Redefines Workplace Culture With Instant, Actionable AI Employee Feedback Platform
Grug has developed an AI employee feedback platform to revolutionize workplace culture and streamline the feedback process. Bengaluru, Germany, May 8, 2025 -- Grug is set to transform workplace culture by empowering organizations and employees with its revolutionary approach. Its Employee Engagement Software is designed to make feedback fast, actionable, and effortless. Developed for individuals and organizations, Grug streamlines the feedback process for success, growth, and innovation in a competitive and ever-evolving work environment. In an age where employee engagement is crucial, and success is the main goal, Grug's AI Employee Feedback Platform is a game-changer, enhancing and simplifying the feedback process for good. Grug provides real-time insights, helps teams connect, employees grow, and companies build strong work cultures. It boosts efficiency without making the process feel like a chore. It is a powerful tool for growth and development. Starting operations in 2024, Grug empowers employees and inspires them to unlock their full potential and organizations to evolve into high-performing ecosystems without the usual challenges blocking their way. One of the key members, Paul Sushil Dev, said, 'Grug provides quick feedback and brings out the best in employees, so they are inspired to achieve greatness and put in their 100% effort at the workplace. We are excited to see how it shapes the future of work and the changes it brings.' Grug provides fast, to-the-point feedback so users can understand how they are doing or what they need to improve without waiting for reviews and reports, which generally take a long time to arrive. It also includes data analytics tools and customizable surveys for managers to get an overview of employee performance and progress and identify issues in one place. This improves productivity and enhances transparency and trust across teams. With Grug's employee feedback platform, individuals can track their own growth, discover patterns, and make better decisions for their professional careers. It offers a progressive view of one's career journey. The sleek interface and intuitive design of the app makes it easier for users of all levels to instantly jump in and start sharing feedback. From startups to large enterprises, industry leaders trust Grug because of how productive and efficient the platform is. Positive feedback drives job satisfaction. By pushing the idea appreciating the efforts of employees by the peers and make it a regular part of the workflow and not an afterthought. This fosters a sense of belonging and inspires teams to strive for excellence. Grug's centralized tracking system lets organizations have valuable insights and data at finger reach, so they don't have to rely on scattered data and make performance-related decisions with ease. This saves time, improves accuracy, and makes it easier to manage stakeholders and resources better. Grug's versatility and flexibility are the reasons, why it can adapt to different organizational needs and sizes, setting a new standard for workplace feedback. It is now available on both iOS and Android platforms, so users can join the growing community and transform the work culture in their organization like never before. Here are the download links: iOS App: Android App: Contact Info: Name: Paul Sushil Dev Email: Send Email Organization: Website: Release ID: 89159511 Should any errors, concerns, or inconsistencies arise from the content provided in this press release that require attention or if a press release needs to be taken down, we kindly request that you immediately contact us at [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our efficient team will be at your disposal for timely assistance within 8 hours – taking necessary measures to rectify identified issues or providing guidance on the removal process. We prioritize delivering accurate and reliable information.
