Tips for Building Team Culture

Corporate culture isn’t built by mission statements, policies, or perfectly executed retreats. It’s shaped by shared moments — the unscripted experiences that shape how people feel about their work and about one another. 

In Fast Company, Tony Martignetti, chief illumination officer at Inspired Purpose Partners, argues that many traditional “culture-building” efforts amount to productivity theater: well-organized, information-heavy and ultimately forgettable.

Despite the time and resources organizations devote to culture, employees often feel disconnected from it. Deloitte reports that fewer than a quarter of organizations believe employees are strongly aligned with corporate purpose. Gallup finds that only about two in 10 employees feel connected to their company’s culture on a daily basis. The issue isn’t a lack of messaging. It’s a lack of meaningful experience.

Culture doesn’t live in a values deck. It lives in the stories employees tell about what it feels like to work there. It shows up in whether people leave a meeting feeling seen or merely informed. Martignetti suggests leaders shift their focus from managing culture to designing experiences that foster trust, belonging and courage.

In his work with organizations, he has found that durable culture shifts are rooted in three human elements that predate modern workplaces: art, ritual and awe.

Creative collaboration can unlock perspectives that structured discussions cannot. When teams create something together, hierarchies soften and unspoken dynamics surface. 

Ritual, even in small doses, signals significance. A pause at the beginning of a meeting, a closing reflection, or a shared check-in question can transform routine interactions into meaningful touchpoints. 

Awe — moments that expand perspective — can also reset overstimulated teams. When colleagues share personal stories or reflect on formative experiences, they see one another beyond job titles. That shift fosters empathy and risk-taking that information alone cannot.

Culture doesn’t shift because leaders deliver better slides. It shifts when people share experiences that change how they see each other.

If you’re planning your next team gathering, consider:

1. Start with a feeling goal, not an agenda goal.
2. Replace one presentation with a shared creative exercise.
3. Build in a brief ritual to open or close the meeting.
4. Invite personal stories, not just professional updates.