What makes a workplace exceptional? It’s not just stocked snack bars or stylish office spaces; it’s a vibrant workplace culture where people feel respected, valued, and inspired to do their best work.
Organizational culture plays a major role in employee happiness, productivity, and long-term business success. In this post, you’ll find powerful business culture examples from successful organizations and learn the specific actions that helped them get there.
Whether you’re leading a growing startup or a large remote team, you’ll walk away with practical ideas you can use to build a culture your employees are proud to be part of.
Great Workplace Culture Examples & Key Takeaways
The Real Impact of an Exceptional Workplace Culture
Team culture is a powerful driver of employee engagement, innovation, and retention. A healthy organizational culture supports mental wellness, encourages collaboration, and gives employees a shared sense of purpose. In contrast, a toxic company culture can cost organizations in turnover, lost productivity, and damaged reputation.
The business case for culture is clear: studies show that organizations with strong, positive company cultures experience lower turnover rates, greater innovation, and stronger financial performance.
Additionally, PwC found that 72% of employees believe culture is a key factor in the success of change initiatives. Yet, not everyone feels equally connected. While 77% of senior leaders say they feel aligned with their organization’s purpose, only 54% of other employees say the same.
In the sections ahead, we’ll explore real-world examples of workplace culture in action—along with practical insights you can apply to your own organization, no matter your size or industry.
Inside the Culture of Top Companies: Examples & Insights
Learning from others is one of the fastest ways to grow. That’s why we’re pulling back the curtain on the different work cultures of companies known for doing things differently – and doing them well.
From tech giants to outdoor retailers, these companies have each built intentional, mission-driven cultures that support their people and drive success. By looking at a variety of industries and models, you’ll get a well-rounded view of what a great work environment can look like, plus how to start shaping your own.
Airbnb: Creating a Belonging Culture from Within
Airbnb has built its culture around a simple but powerful mission: helping people feel they belong anywhere, including (and especially) at work.
Internally, the company prioritizes connection, wellness, and inclusion. Their intentional programs support team members through employee resource group “Communities,” a flexible “Live and Work Anywhere” policy, and comprehensive benefits that support team and family well-being.
Airbnb also invests in community-building through its Airbnb Community Fund with a focus on environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, mental health, and ending abuse and exploitation.
Microsoft: Reinventing Culture Through Growth Mindset
Microsoft’s cultural transformation began when CEO Satya Nadella took the reins in 2014. He brought bold change with one core idea: shifting from a culture of “know-it-alls” to “learn-it-alls.” The company embraced a growth mindset at every level, encouraging employees to take risks, ask questions, and learn from failures.
Along the way, Microsoft embedded learning into the employee experience through ongoing leadership training, internal development platforms, and regular feedback cycles. Today, Microsoft’s “growth mindset” culture drives their initiatives, which include community programs and inclusive hiring practices.
Key pillars of Microsoft’s company culture include learning, developing an insatiable curiosity, leaning into uncertainty, taking risks, moving quickly when we make mistakes, and recognizing that failure happens along the way to mastery. Microsoft also shares the importance of being open to the ideas of others and realizing that the success of others does not diminish our own.
Salesforce: The Power of Employee Philanthropy
At Salesforce, giving back is more than a corporate value; it’s built into the company’s DNA. Their “1-1-1 model” commits 1% of equity, technology, and employee time to charitable causes. Employees receive paid volunteer days and are encouraged to support causes they care about.
Salesforce is also a founder and champion of Pledge 1%, a global movement to ensure giving back is part of companies of all sizes.
This culture of philanthropy strengthens internal connections and gives employees a shared sense of purpose. Programs like “Volunteer Time Off” (VTO) and peer-nominated community awards reinforce the idea that individual contributions matter – not just to the business, but to the world beyond the workplace.
In fact, Salesforce has found that employees who participate in these programs tend to be more engaged and more likely to stay with the company long-term
Spotify: Balancing Autonomy with Alignment
Spotify is known for its “squad” model: a structure that gives teams the autonomy to make decisions while staying aligned with larger company goals. Squads operate like mini-startups, with ownership over their projects and the freedom to experiment, fail, learn from mistakes, and adjust quickly.
To support this decentralized model, Spotify emphasizes strong internal communication, leadership visibility, and shared company rituals. Employees are trusted to take initiative and innovate, while still contributing to a cohesive brand and mission. The result? A culture that fuels both creativity and strategic focus.
REI: Aligning Company Values with Employee Lifestyle
REI has successfully woven its outdoor-loving brand values into the everyday employee experience. Through initiatives like “Opt Outside,” where the company closes on Black Friday to encourage time in nature, REI demonstrates an authentic commitment to work-life balance and well-being.
Employees enjoy benefits that reflect this same ethos, including paid sabbaticals, gear discounts, and wellness perks. REI’s internal culture rewards curiosity, sustainability, and personal growth. This alignment between brand and workplace fosters loyalty and a deep sense of purpose among staff.
Practical Cultural Lessons to Learn & Apply from Industry Leaders
The companies profiled above may vary in size, industry, and structure – but they all demonstrate one clear truth: workplace culture is a strategic asset. Each organization has taken intentional steps to shape how their employees experience work, whether by providing a sense of autonomy, belonging, community involvement, or meaningful personal growth.
The good news? You don’t need to replicate their exact programs to create a strong culture of your own. Below, we’ve outlined actionable takeaways you can adapt and implement – no matter your team’s size, location, or industry.
Empower Employees with Meaningful Decision-Making Opportunities
Employees feel more invested when they’re trusted to contribute beyond their job descriptions. Spotify’s “Squad model” and Airbnb’s inclusive planning sessions show the value of shared ownership.
How to implement these ideas:
- Invite team members to lead parts of a project or propose solutions to challenges.
- Create rotating roles for meeting facilitation or feedback collection.
- Use asynchronous polls or shared brainstorming docs like a Canva Whiteboard to gather ideas before decisions are made.
- Clearly communicate the boundaries of decisions. For instance, share what’s open for input and what isn’t, so trust isn’t undermined.
When employees are empowered to help shape their environment, engagement and innovation both increase.
Build Stronger Workplace Connections Through Recognition
Recognizing employees for their efforts – especially in meaningful, specific ways – can greatly improve morale and connection. For instance, REI’s signature award programs honor employees who go above and beyond in living out company values.
Meaningful ways to recognize employees:
- Start meetings with a “shout-out” round or gratitude moment.
- Create informal Slack channels or bulletin boards to recognize team members’ wins.
- Use storytelling in internal communications to highlight how team members embody your values.
- Consider giving small, personal rewards (like a team lunch or gift card) to reinforce appreciation.
The key is consistency and sincerity. Remember, recognition should feel genuine, not obligatory.
Embrace a Culture of Continuous Learning and Growth
Microsoft’s transformation proves how a learning culture can drive both employee development and business success. When people feel safe to try, fail, and learn, it fosters curiosity and adaptability.
How to implement a culture of risk-taking and growth:
- Offer “learning hours” each month for online courses, reading, or workshops.
- Host internal knowledge shares where team members teach one another different workplace skills.
- Normalize failure by sharing lessons learned in retrospectives or team meetings.
- Incorporate learning goals into performance reviews, not just end results.
A growth-focused culture keeps your team sharp, supported, and better equipped for change.
Unique Virtual Team-Building Examples: Unexpected Virtual Tours
Virtual experiences aren’t just fun; they’re a powerful way to build trust, inclusion, and engagement across your team, especially in hybrid and remote environments.
At Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training, our programs are intentionally designed to foster collaboration, spark meaningful conversations, and strengthen work culture from anywhere. Here’s how:
How Can I Build a Stronger Culture Through Virtual Events?
For remote and hybrid teams, virtual events can be the glue that keeps people connected. Our top-rated experiences go beyond icebreakers or Zoom trivia. Instead, they’re built around creativity, interaction, shared learning, and our team’s decade of experience.
Through activities like virtual street art tours, unique travel experiences, meaningful Black history celebrations, cultural holiday experiences, and more, teams engage with expert guides and each other in real time.
These sessions boost morale, strengthen communication, and help employees see each other as more than just a name on a screen. They also include thoughtful discussion prompts and interactive elements that encourage collaboration and laughter – key ingredients in a thriving remote culture.
Using Virtual Tours to Foster Inclusion
An inclusive organizational culture makes every team member feel seen, valued, and respected. Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers engaging virtual experiences that help foster that sense of belonging – especially for remote and hybrid teams working across the globe and in different time zones.
Programs like the Disability Pride virtual experience, Hispanic Heritage Month programs, and the “Being American” AAPI Heritage Month virtual experience use storytelling, history, and guided conversation to build understanding and connection across your team.
These sessions create space for reflection and dialogue, encouraging teams to celebrate unique perspectives while reinforcing shared values. It’s a meaningful and memorable way to strengthen culture and deepen team relationships.
Ready to transform your team culture? Connect with us today to book a virtual experience your team will truly remember – and let us help you create a more connected, motivated, and inclusive workplace.
How Can You Track Your Success Clearly?
Measuring your workplace culture efforts is essential when it comes to making sure they’re driving the impact you want. Without data, it’s difficult to know what’s working, what’s not, and where to improve.
The good news? There are a variety of reliable, practical ways to evaluate your progress and make informed decisions. Below are some key methods to track the health and development of your culture over time:
Using Employee Engagement Surveys Effectively
Employee engagement surveys are one of the most direct tools for understanding how your team feels. To get the most out of surveys, keep questions concise, specific, and anonymous. Focus on areas like communication, trust in leadership, team belonging, and alignment with organizational values.
Conduct surveys regularly – for instance, quarterly or biannually – to identify trends and shifts over time. Use a mix of quantitative and open-ended questions to get both data and big-picture context.
After collecting results, share high-level findings transparently with your team and outline the actions you plan to take in response. This is helpful because open communication and follow-through are critical in building trust and reinforcing a culture of listening.
Monitoring Retention Rates and Employee Turnover as Indicators
Employee retention and turnover are powerful reflections of organizational culture. That’s because high turnover can signal problems with leadership, workload, inclusion, or team morale. On the other hand, strong retention often indicates that people feel supported and engaged over the long term.
You can track employee turnover by department, by tenure, and by manager to spot patterns. Aim to understand not just how many people are leaving, but why.
When retention improves after implementing cultural changes, that’s a strong indicator your efforts are working.
Gathering Feedback through Exit and Stay Interviews
Exit and stay interviews offer unfiltered insight into how employees experience your culture. Stay interviews, conducted with current employees, help you understand why people stay, what drives them in their current position, and where improvements are needed. Exit interviews, meanwhile, reveal what motivated someone to leave.
Use open-ended, non-judgmental questions like “What do you enjoy most about working here?” and “What would you change about our organization if you could?” Document recurring themes, and share findings with leadership to guide improvements. This type of feedback can reveal blind spots and help refine your culture strategy in real time.
Analyzing Employee Performance and Productivity Metrics
Team culture can directly influence your employees’ performance – and, as a result, your organization’s bottom line. A supportive, well-aligned team tends to be more focused, motivated, and collaborative. Watch for changes in productivity – such as project completion rates, customer service response times, or output quality – after launching culture-building efforts.
While productivity should never be the only measure of team culture, consistent improvements can signal a healthier workplace environment. If performance dips, consider whether burnout, miscommunication, or lack of purpose might be contributing. Pair these insights with employee feedback for a more complete picture of what’s missing.
Evaluating Internal Promotion and Career Growth Rates
A culture that nurtures internal growth shows employees they’re valued and that their future matters. Tracking internal promotions and lateral moves can reveal whether your organization offers real opportunities for advancement.
Look for patterns across departments and demographics to ensure equitable growth. Low promotion rates may suggest unclear career paths or a lack of mentorship, while a strong pipeline of internal promotions signals a learning-driven, future-ready culture. To build a strong sense of employee loyalty, celebrate internal mobility and employee milestones as part of your ongoing cultural narrative.
Measuring Employee Referral Rates
When employees recommend your company to their peers, it’s a powerful endorsement of your workplace culture. High referral rates often mean people feel proud of where they work and believe others would thrive there, too.
Track the percentage of new hires who come from employee referrals, and monitor how that changes over time. If rates are low, consider surveying employees to find out what might hold them back from making referrals. Improving trust, communication, and recognition can all contribute to stronger referral numbers as well as a more positive, cohesive team environment.
Helpful Resources to Further Develop Your Workplace Culture
To support your organizational culture journey, we’ve gathered a selection of trusted resources designed to inspire and guide meaningful change. From expert-led tools to insightful reads and podcasts, these recommendations can help your team grow stronger, more connected, and more engaged.
Recommended Books and Podcasts on Workplace Culture
Looking to dive deeper into what makes workplace culture thrive? These books and podcasts are trusted favorites among leaders and HR professionals alike. Each offers clear insights, real-world examples, and actionable strategies to help you create a more engaged, resilient, and values-driven team culture:
- The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
- Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler and Emily Gregory
- When We’re In Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership by Amanda Litman
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott
- Podcast: WorkLife with Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist
- Podcast: HBR Ideacast (Harvard Business Review)
- Podcast: The Culture First Podcast from Culture Amp
Professional Organizations and Culture Consultants
If you’re ready to strengthen your workplace culture but aren’t sure where to start, these trusted organizations offer proven tools, insights, and support. From employee engagement surveys to custom team-building experiences, the following resources can help you take meaningful, strategic steps toward a healthier, more connected organizational culture:
- Great Place to Work (certifications and surveys, on-demand webinars, educational podcast episodes, case studies, and more)
- Gallup (employee strengths assessments, workplace analytics, and consulting)
- Culture Amp (employee engagement surveys and software plus webinars, blog posts, and additional learning resources)
- SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management: professional association & HR resources)
- Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training (virtual team building experiences and custom events)
Your Path to a Transformative Workplace Culture
Creating a great workplace culture isn’t just for Fortune 500 companies. Culture changes are possible for any organization willing to lead with intention, consistency, and care.
As we’ve seen from the examples of company culture above, simple, strategic steps like prioritizing employee recognition, fostering inclusivity, and creating space for connection can make a powerful difference.
Whether you’re part of a small startup or a growing team, the lessons from these standout cultures are within reach. Start today by choosing one idea to implement. Then, gather feedback, and build from there. Above all, remember that your team’s best work begins with a culture that supports and inspires them.
FAQs About Workplace Culture Development
How Can Startups and Smaller Companies Create a Great Culture?
Culture is shaped by everyday actions, not big budgets. Startups and small teams can build great culture with intentional – and often, free – actions. For instance, define clear organizational values, encourage open communication, recognize your team members’ efforts, and lead with empathy.
Even without formal HR departments or perks, small companies have the advantage of agility and authenticity. Start by encouraging leaders and managers to model the values you want to see. Encourage honest feedback, celebrate wins (big and small), and build rituals that reflect your organization’s mission. When your employees feel heard and appreciated, they’re more likely to stay engaged and aligned with team goals.
How Long Does it Take to Notice Changes in Workplace Culture?
While expert opinions vary wildly, here’s our take. Small shifts can be felt within weeks, but lasting culture change takes consistency. Many teams notice tangible improvements in morale and collaboration within 3 to 6 months of sustained effort.
For example, if you begin implementing regular employee recognition or team building programs, employees may quickly feel more valued. But embedding those habits into your culture so they happen even during busy seasons requires ongoing reinforcement. Think of culture as a garden: early signs of growth may show quickly, but full transformation takes time and care over the long-term.
How can I strengthen organizational culture with a remote or global team?
Building a strong organizational culture with a remote or global team is absolutely possible—with a little creativity, intentionality, and support. Start by recognizing the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace. Embracing different perspectives, customs, and communication styles helps foster inclusion and connection across time zones and borders.
Celebrate events like Diversity Month and other cultural observances as part of your company’s employee engagement strategy. These shared experiences help build bridges and reinforce a sense of belonging.
To take it a step further, consider offering workplace culture workshops tailored to the needs of remote or international teams. These workshops can highlight best practices, raise cultural awareness, and encourage meaningful collaboration.
Ultimately, creating a strong workplace culture around the world begins with clear values, open communication, and a commitment to including everyone – no matter where they work.
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