I Don't Just Work Here: The New Purpose of Workplace Culture

Work isn’t what it used to be. Leaders need a field guide that equips them with what to say and do as they face the new culture expectations of today’s employees.

Many employees now show up for work not just to do their jobs but also to discover, debate, and digest important social issues. A growing number of workers want to have an impact in the world, and their preferences are a prompt for employers to be more mindful of the role of business in driving societal change, starting with what people experience at work.

Felicia Joy and Elena Grotto, experts on behavioral science, business strategy, and organizational culture, share practical guidance to help organizations rise to these new standards by advancing seven behaviors, including the surprising—and perhaps most important—new business skill for high-performing cultures: forgiveness.

Managers today are asked to operate as both business leaders and community leaders within the workplace—and the latter skillset is new to many. I Don’t Just Work Here helps managers leverage culture to bolster business results as they replace anxiety with confidence and lead with greater purpose in providing the expanded support employees need to develop and perform.

Organizations that take heed, elevate people managers, invest in building a strategic culture, and lead with clear values and behaviors are more likely to have a decisive competitive advantage and greater business impact for years to come.