Health and wellbeing
Compare your health and wellbeing practices with the latest trends, drawn from CIPD 2026 research data.
Discover why organisational culture is an influential but problematic term, and why employers should focus on organisational climate to more readily enact positive change
Organisational culture is an important aspect of organisational life and a term that has become a mainstay among business leaders. The work of HR, L&D and OD influences and is influenced by organisational culture because every organisation is made up of human relationships and human interactions.
Despite its dominance, the language of culture is often unclear, difficult to define, and therefore hard to measure. Consequently, real culture change is near-impossible if we can’t actually pin down what we’re looking to change. Rather than culture, focusing on organisational climate – the meaning and behaviour attached to policies, practices and procedures employees experience – is a much more specific, tangible way to positively influence the workplace.
This factsheet explores why organisational culture is a popular but limited construct, and why shifting to organisational climate is much more effective for employers.
Affiliate membership offers instant access to CIPD resources without the need for assessments or study, or explore your options to become a professional member of the CIPD to demonstrate your commitment to the world of work.
Already a member? Login here.
Compare your health and wellbeing practices with the latest trends, drawn from CIPD 2026 research data.
Benchmark your employees' perceptions of work life balance against 2026 CIPD research data
The latest data on job satisfaction, employee perceptions of their organisations, and employee contributions to their organisation's productivity
Listen to episodes of HR People Pod, the CIPD’s fortnightly podcast providing expert insights from HR leaders discussing the topical issues impacting the world of work.
Listen nowThis factsheet examines what the psychological contract is, why it's important and the strategic implications it has on the employment relationship
Learn how to identify the signs of stress and address stress at work
Outlines the main characteristics of strategic and total reward, and looks at designing and implementing a reward strategy across the organisation
Effective HR decision-making is based on considering the best available evidence combined with critical thinking.