Culture is Not an HR Function—It Comes from the Top

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this play out. A company starts noticing problems—low morale, people leaving, employees just going through the motions—and the first instinct is to turn to HR. “Fix the culture,” they say, as if HR can just roll out a new initiative or throw a pizza party and suddenly everything will be great. But here’s the truth: Culture isn’t HR’s job. Culture comes from leadership, and if the people at the top aren’t living it, no program or perk is going to change that.

Culture Starts with Leadership

Culture isn’t a slogan, a set of core values written in a handbook, or a motivational poster on the wall. It’s how decisions are made, how leaders show up every day, and how people are treated—especially when no one’s looking. If leaders prioritize transparency, trust, and accountability, that’s the culture. If they tolerate toxicity, favoritism, and dysfunction, well, that’s the culture too.

I remember working with a company that had a beautifully worded set of values framed in the lobby. But when I sat in on leadership meetings, it was a completely different story—backstabbing, siloed decision-making, and a lack of trust. Employees saw right through it, and no amount of HR-driven team-building exercises could fix what was broken at the top.

You can’t outsource culture to HR. Sure, HR can help reinforce it, but they don’t set the tone—leaders do. The way executives behave, the way they communicate, and the way they handle tough situations will always matter more than any official policy.

Actions Speak Louder Than Policies

People don’t listen to what leaders say nearly as much as they watch what they do. If a CEO talks about work-life balance but sends emails at midnight and expects a reply, guess what? That’s the real culture. If leadership says they value innovation but punishes risk-taking, no one’s going to step out of their comfort zone.

Early in my career, I worked for a leader who constantly talked about openness and collaboration. But when it came time for big decisions, he made them behind closed doors with only his inner circle. The message was clear: collaboration was a talking point, not a real value. The result? Employees kept their heads down and focused on survival rather than contributing their best ideas.

Culture isn’t about free snacks or company swag. It’s about trust. Employees want to feel valued, respected, and empowered. That doesn’t come from perks—it comes from leadership walking the talk.

Leadership Has to Own It

One of the biggest leadership mistakes? Thinking culture is something that just “happens.” If a company is dealing with a toxic culture, leadership has to take a hard look in the mirror. What behaviors are they allowing? What unspoken messages are they sending? Culture doesn’t break at the bottom—it fractures at the top and ripples downward.

If there’s a culture of fear, it’s because leadership has created or allowed it. If people are disengaged, it’s because they don’t feel connected to the mission—or worse, they don’t trust the people leading it.

I once coached an executive who was struggling with low engagement in his organization. When I asked about his leadership style, he admitted he rarely shared updates or asked for employee input. “I’m just too busy,” he said. When he finally made the effort to hold regular town halls and genuinely listen, the shift in morale was immediate. Leadership engagement wasn’t a side task—it was the foundation of the culture.

How Leaders Can Build a Strong Culture

So what’s the fix? First, own it. Culture is a leadership responsibility, period. Leaders have to model the behaviors they want to see and make sure their decisions align with the values they preach.

Second, listen. Employees know what’s working and what’s broken. Great leaders create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, share concerns, and offer ideas. And more importantly, they actually do something with that feedback.

Third, be intentional. Culture doesn’t happen by accident—it has to be nurtured, reinforced, and sometimes defended. That means making tough calls when someone, no matter how talented, is damaging the culture.

Culture is the Competitive Advantage

Companies with strong, authentic cultures attract and keep great people. They perform better, innovate more, and create workplaces where people actually want to be. And that doesn’t happen because of an HR policy—it happens because leaders make culture a daily priority.

So, if a company’s culture isn’t where it should be, leadership shouldn’t expect HR to fix it. They should take a step back and ask themselves: What kind of culture are we actually creating? Because at the end of the day, culture isn’t HR’s job—it’s a leadership responsibility.