Originally published April 2020. Updated November 13, 2025.

By Laura Capell-Abra, Founder of Alpha Lupa

When this article was first written, the world was deep in lockdown and organisations were discovering what their cultures were truly made of. Fast forward to 2025, and although the context has shifted, the lessons still stand. How culture shows up in moments of challenge remains the single biggest predictor of how teams perform under pressure.

Culture in modern work

In many ways, the upheaval of the last few years revealed what really matters in organisations. Culture is not what is written on the wall, it is what happens when no one is watching. It is how people make decisions when things are uncertain, how they communicate under stress, and whether values are lived or laminated.

Culture defines how decisions are made, how people feel about their work, and how leaders are trusted. A strong culture gives clarity and confidence when the future feels uncertain. It acts as a compass that keeps teams aligned even when strategy must shift. 

Research by Deloitte shows that organisations with intentionally shaped cultures are twice as likely to exceed financial targets and three times more likely to retain top talent. In short, culture is not a side effect of success; it is the cause of it.

In today’s hybrid, high-change environment, culture is constantly being tested. Do your team meetings feel like collaboration or compliance? Are your values genuinely shaping decisions, or are they gathering dust in a handbook?

Questions to help you see your culture clearly

– Do people feel safe to speak honestly and challenge ideas?

– Are decisions transparent, or hidden behind hierarchy?

– Do managers model the values you want to see across the team?

– How do you celebrate progress, and how do you handle mistakes?

– What rituals have survived remote or hybrid working, and which ones need redesigning?

Using the Lupa Lens: Learn

At Alpha Lupa, we start every transformation with awareness. The first phase of the LUPA Method is Learn, because before you can influence culture, you must observe it honestly.

Start by asking your team to describe the culture in three words. Collect the words anonymously and then display them side-by-side in a workshop. Which words align, and which surprise you? That simple exercise often tells you more than any staff survey.

From there, look at the building blocks of a healthy culture:

Trust and Integrity – Are commitments kept? Do people believe what leaders say?

Adaptability – Do you treat change as opportunity or threat?

Respect and Fairness – Are policies applied consistently, and are voices equally heard?

Purpose and Meaning – Can everyone connect their daily work to a shared “why”?

When these areas weaken, performance follows. But when they strengthen, everything else becomes easier: communication, accountability, innovation, wellbeing.

A reflection for 2025

Since 2020, culture has become both more visible and more fragile. The shift to hybrid work, AI integration and economic uncertainty have tested organisations’ values like never before. Many companies still talk about “bringing people back to culture” through office mandates, but culture was never in the office, it was in the interactions.

Modern managers need to cultivate cultures that flex around people, not the other way round. The ones who succeed will lead with curiosity, compassion and consistency, creating environments where trust is the true constant.

Ready to build a stronger team culture?

Explore The Values Compass and The Working Styles Lab – part of the Alpha Lupa Labs series – to help your team reconnect around shared purpose, trust and collaboration.