WHAT DOES A WORKPLACE CULTURE CONSULTANT DO EXACTLY?

A workplace culture consultant is a professional who partners with organizations to assess and enhance their work environments and employee experiences. Advisors provide an outside perspective to help companies build cultures that bring out the best in their people and support their goals.

A major thrust for the best workplace culture consultants is conducting organizational culture audits. They interview employees at all levels, distribute surveys, observe day-to-day operations and analyze relevant data to understand an organization’s existing values, norms and unwritten rules. The audit identifies strengths to amplify and problem areas requiring improvement.

Armed with diagnostic insights, workplace culture consultants collaborate with leaders to articulate the ideal culture they desire. They help craft vision statements, values, policies and programs that promote targeted mindsets and behaviors. Pros also advise on better demonstrating desired culture through leadership messaging and symbolic gestures.

An important focus area for workplace culture consultants is inclusivity. Advisors evaluate demographic diversity and assess whether marginalized groups feel a sense of belonging. Consultants provide recommendations to foster equality and address systemic biases that hinder talent retention and advancement.

Another priority is mapping employee journeys from hiring to onboarding to advancement. Workplace culture consultants pinpoint touchpoints that can be enriched with rituals, training and mentorship to enhance experiences. Experts share ways to reinforce cultural values at key moments in the employee lifecycle.

Advisors also train leaders and managers to become culture champions. Practitioners equip them with conflict resolution, communication and coaching skills to unify teams around shared values. Ongoing leadership development is essential for lasting cultural transformation.

At their base level, workplace culture consultants identify disconnects between desired and actual culture… and provide an outside perspective grounded in research and best practices. Working collaboratively with company stakeholders, consultants develop integrated solutions to build healthy, high-performing organizational cultures.