We sat down with Jessica Morris, our head of people and culture at Reckon, to talk about what workplace culture really is and how Aussie small businesses can go about building their own.
This interview has been edited for clarity
What does workplace culture actually mean?
Workplace culture is an interesting concept because I think experience explains it better than any definition. It’s how people feel about coming to work.
Every company has values written down, but if you look at most businesses, whether large or small, they’re often very similar. What matters is how people behave. It’s the decisions that get made, how leaders communicate, and how everyone shows up each day.
At the end of the day, it’s about people understanding how things get done, why they get done, and feeling valued. If your company or business does these things, you’ve built a strong workplace culture.
What’s the biggest misconception about workplace culture?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that culture is purely an HR initiative.
HR can absolutely contribute to culture and help create great programs, but culture is really shaped by how leaders show up and how every individual in the business behaves. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small business or a large organisation; everyone contributes to culture.
One person with a negative attitude can have a significant impact on culture, while one great person can’t carry the entire organisation on their own. Everyone needs to be on the same page and contribute positively.
What are the signs of a healthy workplace culture?
A healthy workplace culture comes down to open communication and an open-door approach. People are treated equally and fairly. When things go well, we celebrate together. When things don’t go well, we focus on learning and improving.
Feedback is encouraged at every level because everyone wants to grow and develop. Leadership is transparent, which is incredibly important because people need to understand the direction of the business, its mission, and where it’s heading.
It’s also about people genuinely caring about one another, celebrating successes, and staying engaged. Those are all signs of a healthy workplace.
On the flip side, what are the warning signs of an unhealthy workplace culture?
High staff turnover is a major one. If lots of people are leaving, that’s usually a sign that something’s wrong.
Low trust in leadership is another red flag, as is poor communication where everything happens behind closed doors and employees aren’t kept informed.
Gossip can also be a strong indicator of an unhealthy culture. When teams are constantly gossiping, it’s often a symptom of deeper issues.
Burnout is another warning sign. If people are consistently overworked, that’s not something any organisation should be proud of. Businesses should be supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of their teams.
What are the advantages a small business would have in building a positive workplace?
For small businesses, culture can actually be one of their biggest competitive advantages.
You may not always be able to compete with larger businesses on salary packages or employee benefits, particularly when you’re managing tighter cash flow. But if you create an environment where people enjoy coming to work, feel recognised, and feel empowered, that can be incredibly valuable.
Strong cultures attract great people and help retain talent for longer.
One of my favourite jobs early in my career was with a small business. We had so much fun working together that it never felt like work. That’s the power of culture.
Small businesses that invest in creating a positive workplace culture can see significant benefits in employee retention and engagement.
When fostering a workplace culture, does it really come down to perks and benefits?
Definitely not.
Perks and benefits are often front and centre on company websites and recruitment campaigns, but they’re really just nice extras. They’re not culture.
Free lunches and snacks are great, and people certainly appreciate them, but those things can’t make up for poor leadership, a lack of trust, or unclear expectations.
People stay where they feel respected, listened to, supported, and where they find meaning in their work. Having work that feels purposeful and contributes to something bigger is important, regardless of industry or location.
Perks can add value, but they aren’t what defines culture.
Around R U OK? Day, there’s always a push to check in on colleagues. How can businesses normalise these conversations so they happen naturally year-round?
R U OK? Day is one of my favourite awareness days, but these conversations shouldn’t happen only once a year. They should happen all the time.
Leaders can normalise them by including wellbeing discussions in regular one-on-one meetings. It’s important to ask about workload, but also to genuinely check in on how people are doing.
You don’t need to pry into someone’s private life. It’s about appropriately supporting the whole person. We talk a lot about bringing your whole self to work, and life naturally has its ups and downs.
When you know your team well, you’re in a much better position to support their psychological safety and create a positive environment around them.
The goal is to make these conversations normal, not special. A simple “How are you?” or “Is there anything I can do to help?” can make a real difference.
What’s something simple that a small business could do this month to grow its workplace culture?
Spend more time getting to know your people.
Understand where they want to grow, what they want from their careers, and how they see their future. Sometimes people are happy staying in the same role long term, and that’s perfectly valuable. Others may be looking for new challenges and opportunities.
The key is not to assume. Ask the question.
When you understand what motivates your people, you can support them better and also make better use of their strengths within the business.
So my advice is simple: spend the time and have the conversation.
What’s a workplace trend you think is overhyped?
There’s a lot of discussion about getting people back into the office full-time, and we’re seeing some organisations mandate five days a week in the office. But being physically present doesn’t automatically mean people are engaged.
People can be distracted in the office just as easily as they can be elsewhere.
I think strong workplace cultures are built on trust and meaningful relationships. Just because someone is sitting at a desk doesn’t necessarily mean they’re contributing more value.
I’d rather see organisations focus on outcomes, trust, and engagement than simply on physical presence. That’s probably a bit of a hot take, but it’s how I see it.|
End of interview
Creating a healthy workplace culture for your business
A workplace culture doesn’t magically appear overnight; it takes time to build, as Morris can attest. To get a start on building your small business’s workplace culture (or add to an already established one), look to:
- Invest in staff: Learn your team’s motivations and wants; you may find better ways to deploy your staff as well as support their career goals.
- Build trust through your communication: Be vocal about your business goals, and have an open dialogue with your staff where feedback flows both ways.
- Make culture part of everyday work: Share wins, be mindful of your employees’ well-being, and consistently show respect. Don’t rely on perks, as culture is behaviour over time that can’t be bought.
For small businesses without a big budget, building a positive workplace culture starts with getting to know your people.
Jessica Morris, Head of People and Culture at Reckon
