You Can’t Campaign Your Way Out of a Culture Problem

When I first started in internal comms, I did everything I could to understand the job, meeting professional colleagues wherever they were. I remember riding two hours to sit with an internal communications specialist at a cybersecurity startup. She took me on a short tour around the office – glass walls, glass everything – and showed me with pride how company values were everywhere: on walls, coffee cups, digital signage, even bathroom doors.

I was fresh out of remote journalism and new to the corporate world, so I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Maybe I rolled my eyes a tiny bit.

But she was all-in. 

She knew these values by heart. At one point, she closed her eyes, handed me a paper cup full of water decorated with the values, and sang all six to prove it. Apparently that was how she’d memorized them. 

I somehow managed not to spill the water all over the place. 

She said the best part of running town halls was hearing employees perform their devotion to these values.

She was fired a few months later and started to sound completely different. “This place was chaotic and violent,” she said. “But you were my guest – I had to say those things.”

Culture problems are systems problems; they require systemic solutions

I get it. I read plenty of discussions on Reddit, and the same theme comes up again and again: while companies are busy trying to broadcast a single, monolithic culture, employees are living in a different reality. 

Because culture is not what you say; culture is what you do when no one’s watching. It’s what you reward, what you punish, what you tolerate, and what you refuse to accept. It’s the story employees tell about your company when they think you’re not listening.

You can’t campaign your way out of culture problems, because culture problems are systems problems. They require systemic solutions – new policies, management training, structural changes, and leadership accountability – the kinds of things that take time, effort, and the uncomfortable conversations most organizations would rather avoid.

Your power as a truth-teller

As internal communications professionals, we have a unique vantage point. From where we sit, we see the entire organization, hear from every level, and understand both the challenges and the bright spots. This positions us as culture catalysts, helping leadership understand what’s working and what needs attention.

Even in an entry-level position, you have more power than you realize.

Culture is not what you say; culture is what you do when no one’s watching

You can choose to be a truth-teller or a spin doctor – you can either try to ensure that culture campaigns are backed by actual culture changes or spit out pretty posters about values no one actually lives.

Your choice shapes not just employee engagement, but the integrity of your profession. If internal communications become synonymous with corporate propaganda, we lose our ability to build the trust and transparency that actually creates a positive culture. Instead of just executing campaigns, we can partner with leadership to ensure communications reflect real organizational progress.

The questions that create better culture communications

Before launching any culture initiative, ask:

• What’s already working well? Every organization has pockets of positive culture. Start by identifying and amplifying these stories, and the people behind them.
• What evidence supports our message? Look for specific examples where leadership and employees are already living the values you want to promote.
• How can we show progress? Culture change is a journey. Communicate both where you are and where you’re headed, celebrating milestones along the way.
• What would employees say about our culture when we’re not in the room? This is the ultimate test and often the most uncomfortable question to ask. 

The unwritten rules that usually win 

Corporate culture is not something that gets decided as an abstract set of principles – it’s something you do, every single day, with every single interaction. It’s how managers behave. It’s how a new employee gets welcomed. It’s a commitment that requires hard work and a willingness to be honest about your flaws.

A culture campaign that runs without behavioral change is a cynical move that tells colleagues, “We know this place is broken, but please just act like it isn’t.” It’s an insult to their intelligence, and it will land badly.

You can’t talk about transparency if no one knows the company’s strategy or latest numbers. You can’t claim to be customer-obsessed while laying off your customer service team.

Here’s what employees really want: to work for companies that are genuinely trying to be better, not brands pretending to be perfect

If you want culture to work, start by changing things – then follow those changes with real policies and comms that back up the words. Ensure consistency between what’s promised and what’s delivered.

A tech startup I worked with realized their big DEI rollout fell flat because nothing changed on their leadership team. When they started actually promoting diverse talent by refreshing the executive team, that message finally landed.

The most effective culture communications I see today don’t take the shape of campaigns. They’re ongoing narratives about organizational change that acknowledge both progress and challenges. They focus less on what companies aspire to be and more on what they’re actually doing to get there. 

Less internal marketing, more accountability.

Because here’s what employees really want: to work for companies that are genuinely trying to be better, not brands pretending to be perfect.

So, the next time someone asks for a culture campaign, ask them what they’re changing first. If the answer is nothing, skip the posters and start the hard conversations.

Remember: culture isn’t what you say. It’s what you do when no one’s watching. 

Want our top tips for delivering an exceptional employee experience? Download our Ultimate Guide to Building a World-Class Culture here.