13 Worthwhile Ways to Improve Company Culture in 2026

The most popular streaming service in the world uses two powerful words to describe its company culture: freedom and responsibility. A leading project management software company wrote whole books on how you too can create a balanced, progressive culture like theirs.

However, Netflix is known for high involuntary turnover, using massive performance pressure to weed out anyone who doesn’t fit right in. And Basecamp? Well, let’s just say leadership wasn’t as inclusive as they told everyone else to be, leading one-third of the team to quit.

The point is that no matter how successful you are, there’s always room for improvement. If you’re already beyond building company culture and just want to reinforce or add more positive aspects, keep reading. We have over a dozen ways to improve company culture.

What does a positive company culture look like?

A positive company culture is packed with employees who have a strong sense of belonging at work. It’s the result of consistent, authentic recognition, communication, and growth.

😊 Positive company culture: Attributes and examples 😊
Everyone feel appreciated for their contributions	Public shoutouts, peer kudos, thank-you messages, team celebrations, milestone acknowledgement
Work-life balance and respect are important	PTO, flexible scheduling, wellness programs, mental health resources
The company commits to openness and transparency	Feedback (attributed and anonymous), town hall-style meetings, clear communication
Leadership is present and on board	Authenticity, accountability, clear communication, behavior aligns with values
People feel accepted for who they are	Resource groups, personalized recognition, inclusivity as a core value from the top down
Employees experience growth and can track their development	Mentorship, continued training, workshops, career conversations, clear goal-setting

How to improve company culture

As you skip down this list of ways to improve company culture, look out for those small, specific examples or ideas that may make a world of difference to your team.

1. Make it a tradition.

Let team rituals fall into your lap. If employees enjoy a specific song, lunch from a particular café, or anything else, support its continued presence. Even events and activities initiated by the company. If they like it, bring it back as soon as it makes sense.

We call a lot of these rituals micro-moments. They’re often small and low-pressure. Most wouldn’t notice if it disappeared for a week. But when enjoyed regularly, they subconsciously add to how safe and dependable we find our workplaces.

2. Find new ways to personalize recognition.

Belonging to a culture hinges heavily on being known and accepted as an individual. The smallest gestures and considerations reinforce this. Observe communication styles and the most readily visible aspects of someone’s personality. Treat them accordingly.

For instance, an introverted person prefers a thoughtful handwritten birthday message instead of having the whole team sing to their face on Zoom.😳 The key takeaway is that people should not feel like they have to force themselves to fit into the culture. Who they are helps shape it.

3. Support coworker relationships.

Most employees aren’t interested in distracting levels of socialization. Allowing them to chat periodically, share a giggle, or take a minute to help one another isn’t risky. On the even higher-impact end, employee resource groups and informal shared interest “clubs” promote inclusivity and bonding.

4. Be clearer and more concise in communications.

If employees can receive a message and feel confident they understand it and how it impacts their day, they’ll be happier at work. The same applies to a five-minute meeting that stays on topic and gets to the point.

Make sure workplace communication isn’t creating confusion. Clear tasks, expectations, feedback, and updates are part of transparency and trust, creating a healthy sense of security.

5. Declare a surprise holiday.

If an organization senses a rise on the burnout thermometer, surprise employees with a day off. Make it a long weekend, if possible. The element of surprise serves a few purposes here. It’s delightful, first of all. Unexpected breaks mean employees didn’t already book errands and appointments to eat up their PTO.

Second, because no one knows when it will happen, companies can choose the most convenient times. Bad weather events, maintenance, or times when no one has an urgent deadline.

6. Watch your tone.

How we address someone is an omnipresent environmental factor. Tone of voice is a soft skill that has a massive impact on morale and an employee’s willingness to listen. Nonverbal and often subliminal, this is one of the most overlooked ways to improve company culture. All leadership should increase awareness around this.

It’s still important to stay authentic. Employees know the difference between kind and nice. Concealing jaw-clenching frustration with a syrupy tone can be more off-putting than yelling.

7. Celebrate Fridays.

Small, informal celebrations are another cultural custom that employees often don’t even know they look forward to. Get music pumping after lunch. Discuss weekend plans at the end of a meeting, or recap the week’s achievements.

Building anticipation for (and looking favorably upon) time off is one way to show the company respects work-life balance. It may also reduce nagging thoughts about work over the weekend. We guide employees into weekend mode, so they take that mental break and come back refreshed.

8. Make 1:1s feel like a break.

Speaking of breaks, how are your regular one-on-ones? The setting, topics, and timing affect whether or not it’s an honest, productive conversation. A few tips for improving culture through tension-free 1:1s:

• Don’t book them during high-pressure times. If someone’s in deep productivity mode, their mind will be elsewhere.
• Change the scenery. Take a walk, go to a café, etc. Do anything other than sit in the usual work setting.
• Let them talk about non-work-related stuff. Leaving the premises helps with this. Their interests, views, life updates, or observations create a stronger rapport.
• Ask open-ended questions. Giving employees the chance to add context or nuance to their take on workplace matters increases their feelings of fairness.

9. The collective purpose.

Leading with purpose is important. Showing interest in the growth and development of a team is just one way. When conveying a company’s purpose in hopes employees feel invested, make sure it’s relevant to what they do.

“Our marketing team’s research capability and deep customer knowledge make it possible for the people suffering this problem to find our solution.” There are many ways to prove or praise this over time, linking it to the culture. Something like, “Our goal is to reach as many eyes as possible in this demographic,” doesn’t inspire emotional investment.

10. Create space for innovation and catching up.

Monthly lunch and learns and other training sessions make everyone feel more prepared and capable. However, we can also include regular pockets where employees handle things that are always lurking in the background.

These are times when employees can help improve processes, solve ongoing challenges, and finally clear the inbox.

11. Find and address contradictions.

It’s all about being the employer you say you are. If the culture isn’t where it could be, take a step back and observe. Organizations will name teamwork and togetherness as foundational to their culture, but how much collaboration is really being facilitated? They’ll express zero tolerance for toxicity, but let that one boundary-crossing manager slide.

It’s simple–incongruencies like this tell employees the company is not to be trusted. It’s much more difficult to envision yourself as a part of a community when what’s championed doesn’t match the employee experience. Strive for behavioral alignment, and get it in return.

12. Allow them a little more control.

We talk a lot about how employees want flexibility more than almost anything else. If you think this is because they want freedom, think again. A lot of it is about control.

Healthy employee control in the workplace improves culture because its people are empowered. Acting on employee feedback, asking employees what they think, and explaining decisions, for instance. This demonstrates that they do have an impact on their environment and are not helpless to their circumstances.

Embed culture into workflows with HeyTaco.

Our 13^th and final tip for how to improve company culture is to make it easy to access, even on remote teams. Many employees don’t notice or invest in much culture-building because they’re busy.

HeyTaco knows all of the common barriers to workplace connection. The first one to get rid of is culture-building that’s just plain inconvenient. That’s why our peer recognition tool integrates seamlessly with Slack or Teams. Anyone can give lightning-quick kudos or join team celebrations with minimal disruption to their day.

“I love how HeyTaco encourages peer-to-peer recognition in a lighthearted and engaging way. It has strengthened our team culture and helped everyone feel appreciated.”

• Daniel Alberto J., Fraud Analyst

Learn how HeyTaco works, try it for free, and see improvements in your workplace culture in as little as one week.