YOU Are The Culture.

Jennifer Gavin, CEO, Apex Placement & Consulting

4/25/2025

With all the uncertainty we’re facing in today’s market—economic shifts, workforce changes, evolving expectations—it’s never been more important to talk about culture. Not just the kind written in employee handbooks or painted on office walls. I’m talking about the kind of culture that shows up in your everyday actions. Because here’s the truth:

When people talk about workplace culture, they often point to leadership teams, mission statements, or fancy perks. But here’s the truth: culture isn’t just built from the top down. It’s created every single day by every single person.

Yes, even you.

Whether you realize it or not, YOU are the culture—in how you show up, how you treat others, how you lead, follow, collaborate, and care.

Culture is in the way you:
-Greet your coworkers each morning (or don’t).
-Offer help without being asked.
-Handle stress and pressure.
-Celebrate wins—yours and others’.
-Speak up, lift up, and show up.

Let me share a quick story. One of our team members took a new job and had to report to the corporate office for the first three weeks. And while the job itself was exciting, the environment was… not. Everyone there seemed miserable. People were dismissive, unfriendly, and carried a cloud of negativity with them. He later said, “It was like everyone there had cancer of the soul.” Oof.

But here’s the twist—once he transitioned into the field, working at various facilities with different teams, everything changed. The people there were welcoming, helpful, and genuinely happy to be at work. Same company, different culture. Why?

Because the culture wasn’t corporate. It isn’t a location or a policy.  It was the people.

Organizations don’t magically become inclusive, innovative, supportive, or high-performing. Those values come to life through real people, real actions, and real consistency. Every hallway conversation, email, or interaction adds a brushstroke to the larger picture of what your company feels like.
Here’s the beautiful part: if you want to work in a better culture, you can start shaping it today.

Lead with kindness.
Communicate with clarity.
Give credit.
Ask questions.
Be human.

The best cultures aren’t built on words—they’re built on people who care. People like you.

So, the next time someone says, “What’s the culture like there?”—remember, they’re also asking: What’s it like to work with YOU?

Let’s make the answer something we can all be proud of.