Make Culture Work: The Everyday ROOT Actions That Create Inclusion in the Workplace
Culture isn’t defined by what’s in your handbook, it’s what happens when no one’s watching.
It’s how leaders show up, how teams collaborate, and whether people start their week with energy or dread. You can write a culture code, but the real culture lives in the daily moments: who’s heard, who’s supported, and how decisions actually get made.
I’ve seen the gap between what companies say and how people feel. I’ve watched inclusion efforts stall when accountability is missing, and I’ve seen small changes make a big impact. Belonging isn’t built through statements, it’s built by redesigning how work actually works. The companies that get this right aren’t just talking about inclusion, they’re living it. And the difference shows up everywhere.
R - Recognize & Reflect
Audit your culture honestly (beyond what's on paper)
Identify where exclusion happens — meetings, promotions, social events
Map the employee journey across identities and lived experiences
In practice: A company proudly promotes its LGBTQ+ ERG and celebrates Pride Month. But every six months, their employee survey misgenders 11% of the team by automatically categorizing based on sex assigned at birth. That 11% stopped responding. Their voices, and their feedback, disappeared from the data driving employee experience efforts.
How to fix this: Remove the automation. Let employees self-identify their gender in real time. Rebuild trust by acting on their feedback, and once you’ve shown you’re listening, host roundtables to raise those voices up.
Recognize the failure, reflect on what led to it, and prioritize systems that honor identity and voice.
O - Own the Foundation
Show leadership commitment beyond statements — invest time, budget, and accountability
Embed inclusion into core business metrics, not just HR initiatives
Make psychological safety a non-negotiable
In practice: A company offers 16 weeks of parental leave in the US, well above the country average. But internal data shows high pre-leave stress and a spike in negative performance reviews within a year of returning.
How to fix this: Design a leave lifecycle strategy; not just an HR policy. Create clear outboarding and reboarding processes. Interview employees and managers to surface what made transitions easier or harder, then share best practices across teams. Lead with empathy, minimize attrition, and protect employee wellbeing during a major life transition.
Own the foundation by backing inclusive policies with structure, support, and accountability.
O - Operationalize Daily Practices
Build inclusive meeting structures (fair speaking time, decision-making equity)
Design equitable growth and development pathways
Replace “culture fit” with “culture add” in hiring
In practice: In team meetings, underrepresented employees are interrupted or ignored. A junior employee flags this to HR, but there’s no process to address it — and the problem continues.
How to fix this: Train managers on inclusive facilitation and psychological safety. Roll out a “Meeting Inclusion Norms” guide, spotlight it in a company meeting, and open the floor for live Q&A. Build feedback loops into performance reviews, and make it clear: inclusive leadership isn’t a bonus- it’s expected.
Operationalize inclusion by building it into the rhythms and rituals of daily work.
T - Transform Systems & Structures
Review promotion criteria for hidden bias
Audit compensation for equity gaps
Redesign performance reviews to reduce subjectivity
In practice: High-performing employees from underrepresented backgrounds are passed over for leadership roles for being “not a culture fit”, a vague phrase that often translates to “not like the rest of leadership.”
How to fix this: Eliminate “culture fit” from reviews. Define measurable “culture contribution” behaviors. Train managers to assess based on evidence, not their guts. Pair overlooked talent with executive sponsors from different departments to expand their exposure and experience.
Transform systems by rooting out bias and redesigning structures that support equity and advancement.
S - Sustain Through Feedback & Evolution
Create safe, accessible channels to report exclusion
Measure belonging, not just representation
Adapt based on what employees actually experience
In practice: A fintech company reaches gender parity: 50% women. But surveys show that women in engineering feel excluded and unheard. At a recent showcase, 25 men presented, and not one woman was included.
How to fix this: Build a belonging index into engagement surveys. Measure psychological safety, influence, and trust. Share results openly and tie them to manager performance. Create representation standards for panels, showcases, and decision-making tables. Act transparently, co-design with your employees, and adjust continuously on feedback you receive.
Sustain progress by evolving with your people, and treating feedback as a tool for continuous inclusion.
Building an inclusive culture isn’t a one-time initiative, it’s an ongoing commitment to designing a workplace where everyone can thrive. The ROOTS Framework offers a clear path forward, but lasting change comes from consistent action, honest reflection, and a willingness to evolve. When inclusion becomes part of how work gets done, not just something we talk about, it strengthens teams, builds trust, and drives better outcomes for everyone.
Start small if you need to, but start with intention. Inclusion isn't just the right thing to do, it's how strong cultures are built and sustained.