Free eBook
Culture by Design: Shaping a Workplace People Love
Creating a great company culture isn’t about a mission statement or an occasional team-building activity. It’s about designing a workplace environment where employees feel valued, engaged and excited to show up every day.
This eBook breaks down practical ways to strengthen workplace culture across five key areas:
- Designing welcoming and functional workplaces — including optimizing space functionality and efficiency
- Supporting mental health and well-being so employees see that they are valued as people, not just workers
- Enhancing performance and career growth, so employees feel empowered to innovate and contribute to a dynamic environment
- Developing leadership that truly connects with employees to create an environment where transparency and trust leads to higher performance
- Fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging so employees feel genuinely valued for who they are, not just for their work
Download the eBook and start creating an engaging, high-performing workplace where employees truly want to be.
Preview: Chapter 3
Performance & Growth
A high-performing culture thrives on continuous learning, feedback and recognition because those drivers keep employees engaged and motivated. When people have access to growth opportunities — whether through mentorship, training programs or hands-on learning — they feel invested in and valued.
Regular, constructive feedback helps employees refine their skills and align with company goals, while recognition reinforces positive behaviors and fosters a sense of accomplishment. When learning is encouraged, employees feel empowered to push boundaries, take ownership and contribute their very best — leading to stronger performance and long-term business success.
A thriving, engaged workforce directly impacts workplace occupancy and space utilization, too. When employees feel supported in their growth, they’re more likely to come into the office, collaborate in shared spaces and contribute to a dynamic, energized environment. High-performing teams help create workplaces that are not just occupied but actively buzzing with productivity, innovation and connection — maximizing the value of every square foot.
Here's how attention to employee performance and growth can fuel a thriving culture:
1. Use feedback to fuel growth
Companies that prioritize real-time, constructive feedback see nearly 15% lower turnover rates. Employees thrive when they know what they’re doing well and where they can improve — without waiting for an annual review — and that their feedback is valued and contributes to continuous improvement.
✔ Replace traditional annual performance reviews with biweekly or monthly check-ins where managers provide coaching, discuss goals and adjust priorities as needed.
✔ Use feedback platforms to enable employees and managers to exchange realtime feedback celebrate wins and track progress toward personal, team and company goals.
✔ Normalize “in-the-moment” feedback, to encourage quick, actionable insights immediately after an action occurs, such as an employee attends an event or uses an on-site amenity. Circles captures sentiment so it can be addressed right away.
2. Invest in employee growth
LinkedIn found 94% of employees say they’d stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and career development. Providing upskilling opportunities not only improves engagement but helps to build a stronger internal talent pipeline.
✔ Establish career pathing frameworks that help employees see clear advancement opportunities, complete with milestone goals and tailored development plans to get them there.
✔ Create internal mobility programs, where employees can explore different roles, shadow colleagues in other departments or take on stretch assignments to broaden their expertise, as Circles does with its SPARK program.
✔ Offer reimbursement
for courses on Coursera, Udemy or LinkedIn Learning, so employees can develop skills relevant to their career goals.
Get the full eBook and find out more
Culture by design: shaping a workplace people love
3. Value contributions in meaningful ways
Employees who feel valued are more engaged and committed. Studies show when employees feel properly recognized, 68% plan to stay at their company for at least five years. Recognition should be timely, specific and aligned with company values to be most impactful.
✔ Implement peer
recognition platforms where employees can appreciate each other’s efforts and celebrate special moments in real-time.
✔ Respect individual preferences when it comes to recognizing your employees. Some prefer group shoutouts, some private kudos and still others prefer a private note. Celebrate both big wins and everyday contributions!
✔ Offer personalized
rewards, such as extra PTO, personal errand running, professional development funds or experience-based incentives (e.g., concert tickets, travel vouchers) tailored to individual preferences.
4. Foster knowledge sharing across generations
Mentorship strengthens workplace culture, accelerates career growth and helps employees feel more connected. A formal mentoring program enhances skill development, while reverse mentorship fosters cross-generational learning.
✔ Launch a structured
mentoring program, pairing junior employees with experienced leaders to provide career guidance, networking support and skill-building opportunities.
✔ Introduce reverse
mentorship, where younger employees mentor senior leaders on topics like emerging technologies, digital trends or shifting workplace expectations. This helps bridge generational gaps and fosters mutual learning.
✔ Establish “mentor match days” where employees can opt into short-term mentoring relationships based on specific skill development needs (e.g., leadership skills, project management or public speaking).
Download the eBook and learn more
Culture by design: shaping a workplace people love